What is post-bariatric surgery?
It is the group of surgeries that remove the excess skin left after major weight loss, to restore a firmer, more proportionate silhouette. When someone loses thirty, fifty or more kilos, the fat goes but the skin —stretched for years— loses its elasticity and does not shrink back: it is left as an apron on the abdomen, as folds on the inner arms and thighs, and sagging on the chest.
That excess skin is not merely a cosmetic problem. Moisture and friction build up in the folds, and many patients live with irritation, odour or recurrent skin infections in the hanging skin. Removing it improves hygiene, comfort when moving and the ability to wear well-fitting clothes — beyond the result in the mirror.
It matters to understand what this surgery does and does not do: it removes skin, it is not a way to lose weight. It is indicated once weight is stable and the loss has been completed. Operating before weight settles compromises the result, because skin that still has weight to lose will simply become excess again.
Techniques Dr. Arístides Arellano uses
There is no single post-bariatric surgery: there is a plan tailored to each body, because excess skin does not settle the same way in everyone. Dr. Arístides Arellano defines at the consultation which areas to treat and in what order, combining the necessary techniques:
- Abdominoplasty and panniculectomy: remove the skin apron of the abdomen —the most frequent and most uncomfortable excess after massive loss— and, where present, repair the muscle separation.
- Lower body lift: an incision around the waist to remove skin from the abdomen, flanks, hips and buttocks in one stage, when the sagging is circumferential.
- Brachioplasty (arm lift): removes the hanging skin on the inner arm, one of the areas where elasticity is lost most markedly.
- Thigh lift (cruroplasty): corrects the skin that hangs on the inner thigh and interferes with walking or causes chafing.
- Breast surgery: a lift (mastopexy) with or without an implant, because after weight loss the breast is often left empty and sagging.
- Complementary liposuction: in areas where localised fat remains, to refine the contour alongside the skin removal, not in its place.
How is it performed?
It is performed under general anaesthesia in a hospital operating room, with an anaesthetist and full monitoring. The duration and the number of operations depend on how many areas are treated: it is rarely all done in a single operation, because excessively long or extensive surgeries increase risk. The usual approach is to plan the body in stages, starting with the area that bothers the patient most —almost always the abdomen— leaving months of recovery between one and the next.
The hallmark of this surgery is long scars: to remove skin, extensive incisions are needed, and they are the real price of the operation. Dr. Arístides designs them to sit in natural creases and beneath clothing whenever the anatomy allows, but it is best known from the consultation and not afterwards: hanging skin is exchanged for a scar. During surgery one or more drains are usually placed and, at the end, compression garments that are worn for several weeks.
All surgery carries risk and requires a prior medical assessment. Results may vary according to each patient, their anatomy and their individual healing process.
Who is a good candidate?
- Stable weight. Ideally surgery is done once the loss has been completed and weight has been unchanged for several months; in bariatric-surgery patients, once the downward curve has levelled off.
- Good nutritional status. After bariatric surgery, deficiencies of protein, iron or vitamins are common, and poor nutrition compromises healing. A prior assessment and tests are often requested before operating.
- Good general health, with conditions such as diabetes or hypertension well controlled, and not smoking —tobacco is especially risky with long scars.
- Real discomfort from the excess skin: irritation in the folds, recurrent infections, difficulty moving or dressing.
- Realistic expectations about the scars. This is the most important conversation of the assessment: anyone who cannot accept exchanging hanging skin for a long scar is not a good candidate.
- An understanding that the plan may require several stages and several recovery periods, and the willingness and support to see it through.
Recommended post-surgical treatments
Post-bariatric surgery is extensive and recovery is supported with directed care. Dr. Arístides may recommend manual lymphatic drainage to reduce swelling, hyperbaric chamber sessions to help healing in long incisions and, later, treatment of the matured scars. Everything is adjusted to the areas operated on and to each patient's pace. See the full guide: Post-surgical recovery and care.
Before and after
Most patients want to see before-and-after photographs before deciding. Out of respect for each person’s privacy, Dr. Arístides Arellano shows real cases —always with documented consent— during your in-person consultation, where you can review results from patients with a starting point similar to yours. Results may vary from patient to patient.
Approximate price
Post-bariatric surgery does not have a single price: because it is a tailored plan and almost always staged, the cost is defined at the in-person consultation and depends on how many areas are treated, in how many operations, and on hospital and anaesthetist fees. As a reference for its components, on Dr. Arístides Arellano's 2025 list an abdominoplasty starts at $80,000 MXN, a brachioplasty at $45,000 MXN and liposuction at $70,000 MXN. Approximate price — the definitive cost is set at your private consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano. See the price list.
About Dr. Arístides Arellano
Dr. Arístides Arellano is a plastic surgeon holding a specialty licence: he practises under a Mexican medical licence (D.G.P. 1125959) and a specialty licence in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (0002008), both issued by the Directorate General of Professions (DGP), which reissued his certificate of professional standing in 2025. His career began before Mexico’s present-day specialty-board system existed: he belongs to the founding generation of plastic surgery in Puebla, the second generation of a surgical tradition started in 1971 by Dr. Francisco Arellano Ocampo. Trust is verified, not promised: both licences are public and anyone can look them up in the DGP’s National Registry of Professionals.
Related patient guide
Before deciding who will operate on you, it is worth reading How to choose a plastic surgeon in Puebla — part of the informational guide series reviewed by Dr. Arístides Arellano. In a surgery as extensive as this one, choosing well is the first decision.
Trust is verified, not promised. All 210 scanned documents —degree, licences, diplomas, publications and certificates, from 1977 to 2025— are open in Dr. Arístides Arellano’s credential archive, alongside an explanation of the difference between a specialty licence and a board certification.
Recovery · step by step
- Week 1Relative rest with drains and compression garments; pain is managed and the wound is cared for.
- Weeks 2 to 4Drains and sutures are removed; more autonomy while avoiding strain and lifting.
- Weeks 4 to 8Progressive return to normal life depending on the areas operated on.
- Months 3 to 12The long scars mature and fade; the next stage is assessed if the plan includes one.
Frequently asked questions
What is post-bariatric surgery?
It is the group of surgeries that remove the excess skin left after major weight loss, whether from bariatric surgery or your own effort. When many kilos are lost, skin that was stretched for years loses its elasticity and does not shrink back, ending up hanging on the abdomen, arms, thighs or chest. It removes skin; it is not a way to lose weight.
Is everything done in a single surgery?
Rarely. It is almost always planned in stages, because treating every area at once means excessively long and extensive surgeries that increase risk. The usual approach is to start with the area that bothers you most —almost always the abdomen— and leave several months of recovery between one stage and the next. The exact plan is defined at the consultation.
When can I have surgery after bariatric surgery?
Once weight is stable, usually several months after the downward curve has stopped. Operating before weight settles compromises the result, because skin that still has weight to lose will become excess again. Nutritional status is also assessed, since after bariatric surgery deficiencies of protein or vitamins that affect healing are common.
What scars does it leave?
Long scars: to remove skin, extensive incisions are needed, and they are the real price of this surgery. Dr. Arístides designs them to sit in natural creases and beneath clothing whenever the anatomy allows, but it is best known from the consultation: hanging skin is exchanged for a long scar that matures and fades over time. Results may vary.
How much does post-bariatric surgery cost in Puebla?
It does not have a single price because it is a tailored plan and almost always staged. The cost is defined at the in-person consultation and depends on how many areas are treated, in how many operations, and on hospital and anaesthetist fees. As a reference for its components, abdominoplasty, brachioplasty and liposuction have reference prices on Dr. Arístides Arellano’s 2025 list.
Does insurance or the public system cover this surgery?
It depends on each case and each institution. When the excess skin causes documented medical problems —recurrent infections or chronic irritation in the folds— some parts of the procedure may be considered functionally indicated rather than purely cosmetic. It is a point to raise at your assessment; it cannot be promised in advance.
What is recovery like?
The first week is relative rest, with drains and compression garments and pain management. Between the second and fourth week, drains and sutures are removed and autonomy returns, avoiding strain and lifting. Return to normal life is progressive between the fourth and eighth week depending on the areas operated on, and the long scars mature over the following months.
Will I have hanging skin again after surgery?
If weight stays stable, the result of the skin removal is durable. A new major weight loss or gain can create excess again or affect the contour achieved, which is why surgery is done once weight is already stable. The skin also continues its natural ageing process over time.
Every case is different. Discuss yours in a personal consultation.
Book a consultation on WhatsAppEvery figure published on this site is approximate and is not a quote. Any procedure or treatment first requires a private assessment consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano —$800 MXN, charged separately— and it is at that consultation that the definitive cost of your case is determined.
Educational content; it does not replace a medical consultation. Results may vary from person to person.