Successful weight-loss can be associated with two types of side-effects:

>> The skin is too loose: this can be a major issue. The tension and elasticity of the skin vary greatly from one person to another. A 25 kg weight-loss can be as troublesome as a 80 kg one, depending on the patient.

The quality of the skin will also vary on different parts of the body. Many patients find the abdomen to be their major area of concern, although the arms, the interior side of the thighs, or breasts can be just as troublesome.
The whole experience of having to dissimulate excessive amounts of cutaneous tissue can seriously affect the morale of the patient.

>> Fat is still present in some areas of the body: It is important to remember here that there are two main types of obesity:

- The android type which mainly concerns men, but also sometimes women. Here, the accumulation of fat is concentrated in the upper part of the body, mainly on the abdomen.

- The gynoid type which mainly describes women's obesity. The fat is concentrated in the lower part of the body, i.e. beneath the hips. If weight-loss occurs, it mainly occurs in the upper part of the body. The goal of plastic surgery is to re-harmonize the two parts of the body by removing excess fat and skin.