Facial cosmetic medicine Scottsdale

It’s well-known that, for people who are overweight, weight loss can have significant health benefits, reducing your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and even infertility. Although losing a lot of weight can be challenging, it’s certainly possible. Weight loss can be achieved in various ways, including bariatric surgery, medications like Wegovy or Saxenda, or being extremely diligent about lifestyle changes (diet and exercise).

Although weight loss is certainly beneficial for a person’s health, it can also have an impact on your facial appearance. What happens to the face when you lose weight? If you don’t like the changes that you see, is there anything you can do?

What are the facial changes seen after weight loss?

The structure of your face is influenced by many different types of tissue. There are natural fat pads located in various parts of the face, and these provide a noticeable amount of volume to the face, particularly in the midface (the area around the cheeks). In general, when people are younger, these facial fat pads tend to be a little larger, and they naturally shrink as we age.

When you lose a lot of weight, some of the weight loss will come from your facial fat pads. This leads to a loss of volume around many areas of the face, particularly the cheeks. Because younger people naturally have larger facial fat pads, the sudden volume loss can rapidly age a person, making them look significantly older than before they lost weight.

In addition, the skin and other tissues overlying the fat pads will grow to accommodate the volume beneath them. After weight loss shrinks the fat pads, the skin doesn’t necessarily shrink enough to adhere to the new contour. This can leave a person with excess sagging skin, which also contributes to an aged appearance. (This problem of sagging skin generally occurs all over the body, not just on the face.)

What can you do if you look older after weight loss?

If you’re unhappy with the changes to your face after weight loss, then you do have options for addressing this. For the problem of lost volume, dermal fillers can be useful. These can be injected deep under the skin to help add volume back to areas like the cheeks. This can make a huge difference in rejuvenating your appearance. Another option is midface (cheek) implants, which are made of silicone and are surgically implanted to add back facial volume. This is a permanent option, while dermal fillers will require touch-ups periodically.

For sagging skin, nonsurgical options include laser skin resurfacing or microneedling, which can help to stimulate the production of collagen and tighten the skin. For more dramatic results, you could also opt for a surgical facelift. This involves removing excess sagging skin and other tissues, which allows the skin to adhere to the new contours of your face. Midface implants can be placed during the same procedure, if desired. This allows you to have just one surgery to address all of your facial concerns.

It’s important to wait to consider having cosmetic surgery until your weight has stabilized at the new level. If you have a procedure to address your facial appearance, and then you lose more weight, your results may be compromised. Once you’ve reached a weight loss plateau, then it’s time to consider whether you’re happy with how your face looks, or whether you’d like to take steps to rejuvenate your appearance. You may be able to try nonsurgical options sooner, as these can more easily be adjusted to any weight changes that occur. However, for options like a facelift or implants, it’s better to wait until your weight is stable.

Facial cosmetic medicine Scottsdale

Most people who lose a lot of weight choose to do so for health reasons. However, most people want to look as good as they feel. It can be upsetting to work very hard to lose weight, only to find that it’s aged your face by a decade or more. You likely feel younger and have more energy, and yet you look older.

If you’d like to consider your options for facial rejuvenation, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Henderson. After examining you and learning more about your concerns, she’ll be able to make recommendations about which treatment options would most likely help you reach your goals. You can then make your own informed decision about how you’d like to proceed. To book your appointment, please contact our office.

Laser treatment Scottsdale

Laser skin resurfacing can be helpful for a variety of different skin concerns, including sun damage, fine lines and wrinkles, acne scars, and changes in texture. If you’re considering laser treatments, we invite you to come in for a consultation. After an exam and a discussion of your goals for your appearance, we’ll be able to recommend a treatment plan. We’ll also give you more detailed and personalized advice on how to prepare for your laser treatment. To schedule your appointment, please contact our friendly front desk staff.