Seattle, Bellevue I’ve lost 50 pounds and want to know what surgeries are available to someone like me, with excess, sagging skin. A friend had liposuction, but I’m not sure it’s the right thing for me. What are some other options I can look at? SueEllen M

Hi SueEllen, congratulations on your weight loss.  For the extra skin and stretched stomach muscles, a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty, can be recommended.  This surgery flattens the abdomen by removing extra fat and skin, and tightening muscles in your abdominal wall.  However, if you’re planning to have children, then you may want to postpone a tummy tuck until you’re done having them.  Reason being that during surgery, your vertical muscles are tightened, and future pregnancies can separate those muscles.  You may want to discuss scars after the tummy tuck – scar placement and length, should be discussed with your surgeon.  If the weight loss has left you with an “apron” of skin, a panniculectomy   can be considered. This is when a pannus is surgically removed (excess skin and adipose tissue), or an “apron” that hangs down over ones genitals and/or thighs.  Liposuction can be an add on procedure while you’re having either the abdominoplasty or panniculectomy – this will be to remove any excess fatty deposits.