Maintaining a healthy weight is essential not just for internal well-being, but also for the appearance and health of the skin. Here’s what you need to know on the role weight can play in rejuvenating both your body and skin.

Factors that obesity affects skin health

The skin is the body’s largest organ, and it is deeply affected by changes in weight. When someone gains excessive weight, the skin stretches to accommodate the increased fat tissue. This can lead to a variety of skin conditions that affect both appearance and comfort. Factors include the following:

• Stretch Marks: Rapid weight gain can cause the skin to stretch beyond its elasticity, leading to the formation of stretch marks. These appear as pink, red, or purple streaks, which eventually fade but may remain visible.
• Acanthosis Nigricans (Darkening and ‘thickening’ of areas): This condition causes the skin, especially in areas like the neck, armpits, and groin, to darken and thicken. It is often associated with insulin resistance, which is common in obese individuals.
• Skin Tags: Obesity increases the likelihood of developing skin tags, which are small, benign growths of skin that commonly appear in areas where the skin folds, such as the neck, chest, or groin.
• Fungal Infections: Excess weight can lead to more skin folds, creating warm, moist environments ideal for fungal infections like intertrigo (a rash between skin folds).
• Poor Wound Healing: Obesity impairs circulation, which can slow down the healing process. This is particularly concerning for those prone to skin injuries.

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Can 360° Liposuction solve skin health?

360° Liposuction sculpts the body by targeting fat deposits all around the torso, including the abdomen, back, arms and chin.. While 360° Liposuction can effectively remove stubborn fat and improve body contour, it may not directly resolve all skin health issues associated with obesity. 

“I really wouldn’t recommend 360° Liposuction for patients that are obese,” says Dr. Ronaldo “Yo” Cayetano, Senior Managing Physician and liposurgeon at Belo Tomas Morato. “[It’s best] to treat, first, the primary source of the problem.”

Dr. Cayetano shared that the cause of obesity can range from different factors, such as hormonal issues (i.e., polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS). underlying health issues (i.e, hyperthyroidism) and even genetics. He recommends seeing specialists that can help address these conditions better, aiding to weight loss. 

“Once they lose weight, and I reassess them, and they are no longer in that state of obesity, they’re overweight or have some stubborn fat here or there, then of course, we can do 360° Liposuction eventually.”

While 360° Liposuction primarily removes subcutaneous fat and can dramatically improve body shape, however, it does not address underlying skin conditions. Examples include stretch marks, acanthosis nigricans, or cellulite.

“Subcutaneous fat is basically directly underneath the skin. It’s literally almost part of the skin. Having said that, it can affect the surface of the skin in terms of texture, elasticity, the cushioning effect – so directly, anatomically, yes – it has some effect on skin health.” 

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How Belo Can Help

The first step, of course, is to shed off those pounds that will take you out of the obesity scale. It is crucial to maintain a healthy lifestyle to prevent the reaccumulation of fat and manage skin health. A balanced diet, regular exercise, and proper skin care are equally important in maintaining weight loss (whether with the help of 360° Liposuction or not) and addressing any lingering skin conditions.

“There are procedures that can be, of course, combined in order to improve both layers of the skin. These are the superficial layer and the simultaneous layer,” Dr. Cayetano shares.

“When I say procedures, these range from both injectable procedures and energy-based procedures.” The procedures will depend on the doctor’s recommendation upon evaluation.

“Normally, when we do 360° Liposuction for the chin, we can combine Ulthera or Thermage FLX to tighten the double chin area, or the face – so that the patient will have a better contour of the face.”

On the other hand, for the areas in the body, Exilis, iWave or Onda Coolwaves are helpful not just for maintaining post-360° Liposuction results, but also for melting the excess fat. For loose muscles, Emsculpt NEO can help firm and tone the area. 

For other skin concerns such as stretch marks, darkening and thickening of the areas, skin tags and more, these can be combined by both treatments and prescribed products by your Belo doctor – which is why it’s important to schedule a consultation with your doctor!