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This website contains imagery that is only suitable for audiences 18+. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.
Significant weight loss can leave excess skin around the abdomen, upper arms, thighs and back. The skin may form folds, hang beneath the arms or gather around the hips and torso, depending on where it was stretched and how much elasticity remains. For some people, these folds also cause rubbing, recurring irritation or difficulty keeping the underlying skin dry.
Excess skin removal surgery addresses the skin that remains after weight loss. At COSMEX, we assess the areas affected before discussing whether an abdominal procedure, arm lift, thigh lift or back lift may be appropriate. You may want one area assessed or have concerns across several parts of the body. Your health, nutrition and weight stability help guide the recommendation and timing.
Excess skin removal surgery removes skin and, where appropriate, some underlying fatty tissue, then repositions the remaining tissues to change the contour of the treated area. The procedure depends on where the skin excess lies and how far it extends. It is not a weight-loss treatment, does not address every area at once and leaves permanent scars.
Skin stretches as the body increases in size. After substantial weight loss, it may not have enough elasticity to contract around the smaller underlying tissues. The amount left behind varies between body areas, and redundant skin can remain despite a stable weight and regular exercise.
Factors that influence how the skin responds include:
The assessment looks at the areas you would like to address and how the skin affects daily life. We examine the folds, remaining fatty tissue, existing scars and any irritation beneath an overhang. For abdominal treatment, we also check for muscle separation or a possible hernia. These findings help us explain which procedure may address each area and its limitations.
We review your weight background, health, medications, nicotine use and nutrition before recommending a plan. After weight-loss surgery, this may form part of post-bariatric body contouring involving one or several procedures. Blood tests or input from your treating practitioner may be needed to address nutritional deficiencies. If several areas are involved, we discuss staging procedures to allow recovery between them.
The location and extent of the excess skin determine which procedure may be considered. Each approach treats a particular area and has its own incision pattern, scars and recovery needs. We discuss the following options according to your examination findings and the changes you would like to address.
Abdominoplasty removes excess skin from the abdomen through a low horizontal incision. The remaining skin is drawn down, and a new opening for the belly button may be needed. Abdominal wall repair can be included where muscle separation is present, and repair is appropriate.
Extended abdominoplasty uses a longer lower abdominal incision to address skin extending towards the hips and flanks. It may be considered when an abdominal procedure limited to the front would leave significant folds at the sides. The wider area of skin removal involves a longer scar, which we explain during planning. It does not necessarily address skin excess continuing around the entire lower back.
Belt lipectomy, also called a lower body lift, removes a band of excess skin and underlying tissue around the lower torso. It may be relevant when redundant skin extends from the abdomen across the flanks and lower back. The remaining tissues are repositioned, leaving a circumferential scar. This treats a larger area than a front-only abdominal procedure and requires additional planning for recovery and support at home.
When there is transverse laxity in the abdomen, a vertical scar can be used to remove this excess skin and provide further tightening to the waist and flanks.
In patients who have lost significant amounts of weight and have an upper abdominal skin roll, a Corset Abdominoplasty may be suitable to remove the maximal amount of excess skin. Corset Abdominoplasty combines an FDL abdominoplasty with an upper body lift.
An arm lift, or brachioplasty, removes excess skin from the upper arms and reshapes the remaining tissues. The incision depends on the location and amount of skin excess and may extend along the inner arm from the armpit towards the elbow. Liposuction may be included where appropriate, but it does not replace skin removal. We discuss the expected scar and restrictions on lifting and arm movement before treatment.
A thigh lift, or thighplasty, removes excess skin from the thighs, with the technique selected according to whether the inner, outer or more extensive thigh area is affected. Incisions may lie near the groin or extend down the inner thigh when skin excess continues further along the leg. Your surgeon explains which areas can be treated, the resulting scars and how healing may affect walking and other activities.
An upper back bra line lift removes excess skin and tissue forming folds across the upper back. The incision is planned across the back, aiming to align the scar with the bra line where anatomy allows. This addresses a different area from belt lipectomy, which treats the lower torso. We explain the likely scar position and extent of skin removal before you decide whether to proceed.
Your preparation and recovery will depend on the areas treated and the extent of skin removal. We explain the planned incisions, hospital arrangements and practical support you may need at home. If treatment is staged, you will also understand which area is being addressed first and why.
During your consultation, we ask which areas concern you most and whether the redundant skin causes rubbing, irritation or difficulties with movement and clothing. Your surgeon explains the procedures that may be relevant and shows you the proposed incision locations. We also discuss alternatives, costs, preparation and whether waiting would allow further weight or health changes to settle.
Your surgeon removes the planned areas of skin and tissue, then repositions and closes the remaining skin with attention to tension across the incisions. The steps differ between abdominal, arm, thigh and back procedures. Treatment takes place in a licensed hospital, with the anaesthetic plan explained beforehand. Drains, dressings, support garments or an overnight stay may be recommended according to the procedure and your medical needs.
In the first days, you may need help with dressing, showering and household tasks, especially when movement places tension on the treated area. Slow walking is introduced as advised, with light activities increased gradually. Desk-based work may be possible after a few weeks, while lifting, exercise and physical work may need a longer break. We review your wounds and guide your return to activity according to the procedure and how you are healing.
Removing redundant skin can reduce the treated folds and change the outline of the area. Swelling initially obscures some of that change, and the tissues continue to settle over several months. Scars remain permanent, although their appearance can change as they mature. The procedure cannot remove all skin laxity or prevent further changes from ageing, pregnancy or weight fluctuations.
Swelling, bruising, tenderness, tightness and altered sensation can develop around the treated areas. These are monitored as healing progresses, with advice on which symptoms need prompt review. Skin removal also carries possible complications, including serious surgical risks. We discuss these in relation to your health, the areas treated and the extent of the planned procedure.
Possible complications include:
At COSMEX, we consider where redundant skin remains and how each proposed procedure would affect your recovery. Your surgeon explains the available approaches, expected scars and limitations, alongside your health and priorities. When several areas are involved, we discuss the sequence of treatment and the support needed between stages.
Our plastic surgeons hold Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Their training includes skin and soft tissue assessment across different body areas, helping inform advice on skin removal, tissue repositioning and incision planning.
Abdominal folds, redundant upper arm skin and thigh laxity require different approaches. We assess each area before recommending a procedure, and discuss staged treatment when relevant. You receive an explanation of what each approach can address and the scars involved.
We perform skin removal procedures in licensed, accredited Sydney hospitals with qualified anaesthetic and theatre teams. Your hospital arrangements reflect the extent of treatment and your medical needs, including any overnight stay or additional monitoring recommended after the procedure.
The COSMEX team checks your wounds and assess how comfortably you are moving after treatment. We advise on dressings, garments, scar care and returning to activity, with follow-up arranged around your healing and access to advice between appointments.
To discuss excess skin remaining after weight loss, book online via our website for a consultation at COSMEX in Sydney. We can assess the areas affected and explain the relevant procedures, scars and recovery before you decide whether to proceed.
Your weight should be stable for a period agreed with your surgeon before your procedure. The timing depends on your weight-loss background, whether further changes are expected and your general health. If you are still losing substantial weight, waiting may allow the skin excess and treatment plan to be assessed more accurately.
Yes. Excess skin removal may be considered after significant weight loss achieved through diet, exercise, medication or bariatric surgery. Suitability depends on the skin excess, weight stability, nutrition and health at the time of assessment, rather than the method of weight loss alone.
Some procedures may be combined, but this is not appropriate for everyone. Treating several areas increases the extent of treatment and can make recovery more demanding. We consider your health, the planned duration and the help you would need afterwards when discussing a combined approach or separate stages.
Exercise and creams cannot remove established folds of excess skin. Exercise can strengthen the underlying muscles, while moisturisers help keep the skin hydrated. Some skin may contract with time, but the amount depends on its elasticity and the extent of previous stretching.
No. Liposuction removes fatty tissue beneath the skin, while a skin removal procedure removes the redundant skin itself. Liposuction alone may leave excess skin unchanged or make it more apparent. It may form part of a procedure when appropriate, but is not a substitute for removing significant skin folds.
Arm lift scars may extend along the inner upper arm, while thigh lift scars may lie near the groin or continue down the inner thigh. The location and length depend on how far the redundant skin extends and the technique used. Your surgeon will show you the planned incisions, and scars remain permanent even if they become less noticeable over time.
No. Removing excess skin and repairing abdominal separation are separate parts of treatment planning. Tightening of the stretched tissue over the abdominal muscles may be included when separation is present, and repair is appropriate, but it is not required in every abdominal skin removal procedure.
Removing a fold may reduce the rubbing and moisture trapping caused by that fold. Recurring irritation still needs assessment because infection, dermatitis or another skin condition may require separate treatment. Skin removal may not resolve all symptoms.
You can return to exercise when your surgeon confirms that healing has progressed enough for the activity involved. Restrictions differ between procedures: an arm lift affects upper-body movement, while thigh and abdominal procedures can affect walking, stretching and lifting. Feeling more comfortable does not necessarily mean the tissues are ready for strenuous activity.
Yes. Further laxity can develop as the remaining skin ages or stretches with substantial weight changes or pregnancy. Maintaining a stable weight may help limit further changes, but it cannot prevent all future skin laxity or guarantee that the result remains unchanged.
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