These days, it’s never been easier to turn weight loss into weight lost. GLP-1 medications have revolutionized the landscape, letting more people lose weight fast and reach their goals. And the plastic surgery industry is meeting the new normal head on. Amidst the rise of the “Ozempic Makeover” and increasing interest in skin-tightening treatments, surgeons are also reforging the patient-practitioner relationship with GLP-1s in mind. This is how you should re-think your post-weight loss makeover to secure the best, longest-lasting results.
Let’s Get Long Term
“Successful plastic surgeons are always looking to build a relationship with patients that extends beyond that first procedure, to create life-long patients,” explains Chicago plastic surgeon Peter D. Geldner, MD. “For patients who have lost weight using GLP-1s, this really must be the approach.”
We know that GLP-1s can help people achieve significant weight loss. Because that weight loss happens so quickly, resulting skin laxity has been a serious concern among patients. In order to give you lasting results, your surgeon has to know where you are on your journey with GLP-1s, what your plan is once you’ve achieved your weight goals, and if you plan to continue to lose weight.
No one wants to wait to reach their aesthetic goals, but sometimes taking a pause is the smartest route.
“I’ve performed facelifts on patients and had amazing outcomes, where they look incredible. And then they’ll come in a few months later and they look like they need another facelift,” Dr. Geldner says. “And you find out that they’ve lost another 20 pounds very quickly on these medications.”
When to Think about Aesthetic Surgery
Many people think about the aesthetic industry as a service industry—someone comes to a surgeon with a request and it’s the surgeon’s job to fulfill it on a reasonable timeline to the best of their ability.
“When you’re sensitive to your patients and their lives, it tends to be more than just a service industry,” Dr. Geldner explains. “I’ve been in this industry for over 30 years, and in the past, you could assume from the first consultation that your patient would look relatively the same by time for surgery and after. Now, because of these medications, a patient could have significant weight loss between a consultation and an appointment. Especially if they’re getting into the process early.”
And make no mistake, you should get started early.
“You really have to time these procedures right to get the best result,” Dr. Geldner says. “Weight fluctuations impact everything, from the eyes to the abdomen and thighs. And involving a plastic surgeon early in the process of your weight loss and your plan can help us understand the appropriate time to perform a tummy tuck or a facelift.”
Maintaining Your Results
If you’re taking GLP-1s and are interested in aesthetic procedures to compliment your weight loss, your plastic surgeon is a critical component of your overall plan.
“Some patients are impatient,” Dr. Geldner admits. “They want what they want, and they want it now. And if it’s safe and you can get a great result, by all means, go ahead. But if you think the result is going to marginal, or if you will get a better result later with more weight loss, you need to be honest with the patient.”
While your timeline might be a little extended compared to the traditional plastic surgery patient, you can think of your surgeon as a critical member of your team. Keeping tabs on medical conditions and risk factors, making sure you remain a good candidate for surgery while on GLP-1s, and helping you determine when an aesthetic procedure would have the most impact are all key to getting the best result.
“It really is expanding the view of plastic surgery to go hand-in-hand with a patient’s plan, lifestyle and goals from very early on in the weight loss process,” says Dr. Geldner. “These medications are life-changing, and as surgeons we have to exercise the wisdom to know when to operate to enhance and compliment that weight loss the best.”
