Factors and barriers influencing the decision to undergo body contouring surgery after bariatric surgery: A cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To identify the factors and predictors that play a role in shaping the decision-making process of post-bariatric patients when considering aesthetic surgery.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out at the Specialized Medical Center Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data collection for the study occurred between January and March 2023. To gather the necessary data, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed to participants through the messaging platform WhatsApp.

Results: Among the 445 responses analyzed, 71.2% reported having excess skin folds. A total of 62 (13.9%) participants underwent body contouring surgery, most of which was carried out in the trunk region (67.7%). Being female was associated with statistically significantly higher rates of body contouring surgery (82.3%, =0.002), as was achieving one's best weight after 2 years (37.1%, =0.003) or more than 2 years (14.5%, =0.003). Among those who did not consider body contouring surgery, the most important reason reported was the belief that such surgeries were not needed, accounting for 41.1% of responses.

Conclusion: This study found that female gender, achieving optimum weight within 2 or more years post-bariatric surgery, and a smaller median change in body mass index were significant predictors of future body contouring surgery. These findings are important for advising and educating post-bariatric patients regarding their options for body-contouring procedures.