ALERT FOR PATIENTS CONTEMPLATING BARIATRIC SURGERY

Dr. Lewis Obi has been on the forefront of Palomar Medical Technology's SlimLipo (Lifesculpt) laser lipolysis system for three and a half years.  During this period he has successfully treated 400 patients in more than 2000 zones.  Although SlimLipo is not a treatment designed for effecting significant weight loss on its own, the technique has proved successful in obese patients seeking concomitant bariatric surgical procedures.  It is quite common for patients losing 50 or more pounds following lap band or by pass surgery to experience significant skin redundancy and sag in the areas such as the neck, breasts, abdomen, and thighs.  After skin sag and laxity occurs then these areas only respond to the massive skin reduction operations.  These procedures are expensive, risky and will result in excessive scarring.  The new paradigm is for some of these patients to undergo SlimLipo treatments of multiple areas prior to having a lap-band or by pass procedure.  Since skin tightening continues for a year of longer after SlimLipo then the anticipated folds of loose skin is minimized. Subsequent skin tightening procedures may be minimized.

A case in point is our patient pictured above who underwent SlimLipo of the abdomen and lateral chest in April of 2010 followed a few months after with the by pass surgery.  Post operative pictures were taken after 70 pounds of weight loss and demonstrate minimal skin redundancy not requiring any additional treatment and therefore NO scars.  This approach is indicated in a select group of patients that represent with good skin elasticity.