Life After Weight Loss

Felicity Plastic Surgery offers a return to the real you

After completing 30 years of service in the Air Force as Chief of Surgery and Surgical Quality Officer at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, Dr. Elizabeth Sager wasn’t ready to retire her passion of changing lives.

Instead, she brought her surgical expertise and her enthusiasm for patient-centered care to Destin, where her practice, Felicity Plastic Surgery, offers a plethora of breast and body procedures that restore both confidence and function to every patient who walks through their doors.

Thanks to the GLP-1 trend, lately many of these patients have been those looking to take the next steps after experiencing massive weight loss.

“These patients have worked incredibly hard to lose a significant amount of weight, but now they’re left with extra skin they want to be rid of,” Dr. Sager says. “More than that, these patients are ready to begin a fresh chapter of their lives by improving their overall health and addressing areas that have changed with significant weight loss, age, or pregnancy. For many, the first areas to address include the abdomen and breasts.”

Major weight loss or breastfeeding can render the breasts deflated and lacking a definitive shape. Some patients require only a breast lift, while others may need to restore breast volume, or a combination of both.

A highly demanded procedure at Felicity Plastic Surgery involves fat transfer to the breasts, a technique that typically utilizes liposuction to remove fat from the thighs, flank, or other areas that is then reallocated to reshape the breast mound and add volume.

“It’s the best of both worlds for many women,” Dr. Sager says. “They get natural volume without the upkeep of an implant and are able to treat areas with stubborn fat in tandem.”

Additionally, Dr. Sager and her team offer more in-depth, multistage surgeries and the transformative abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) procedures for which Sager is renowned.

“Many patients who lose a large amount of weight develop a pannus, a sort of hanging apron of skin around the midsection which no amount of exercise can tighten,” she explains. “A tummy tuck removes that extra tissue, reshapes the midsection, and, in most cases, also involves repairing the abdominal muscles themselves.”

Dr. Sager explained most women who’ve had children don’t realize their core never fully returns to its original state after delivery, but during a tummy tuck, she is able to provide a permanent, functional repair to those muscles.

“Anyone who has been carrying a significant amount of weight for so long can benefit from a reduction of back pain and an increase in mobility and strength,” Dr. Sager says. “I like to tell patients it’s an improvement to their physical appearance, with the bonus of being able to get up and down off the floor with their grandchildren for the rest of their lives.”

As safety is Dr. Sager’s number one priority, she and her team thoroughly guide patients through pre-operation preparation. Any form of nicotine consumption must be stopped six to eight weeks prior to surgery, as even the tiniest amounts can constrict blood vessels and cause catastrophic healing issues.

Especially for patients who have been on GLP-1 medications that potentially lead to malnutrition, Dr. Sager advises them to optimize their protein intake, stay hydrated, and maintain their “happy” weight for a good four to six months before surgery for optimal surgical outcomes.

While most procedures incur activity restrictions for a month or so post-op, Dr. Sager says most patients begin to feel like themselves again after about a week. It’s important to have a good support system in place. She recommends that you prep your meals beforehand, be sure you have assistance around the house and set yourself up with a comfy, cozy environment to heal.

Patients frequently tell Dr. Sager they anticipated positive aesthetic results, but they didn’t realize how much better they’d feel or how they’d regain a sense of confidence and identity.

“That’s our mission at Felicity Plastic Surgery,” Sager says. “We’re not trying to make people into someone else; we’re helping them become the best version of themselves who can show up for all the important things in life.”

FELICITY PLASTIC SURGERY

DESTIN | 850.865.2294 | FELICITYPLASTICSURGERY.COM