When Zehra, a 52-year-old from Essex, lost more than eight stone after weight-loss surgery, she expected to feel like a new person. But while the number on the scales dropped, she was left dealing with an unwelcome side-effect she hadn’t anticipated: significant loose skin that affected both her confidence and how she felt in her clothes.
‘I was quite overweight at just over 18 stone when I had a gastric sleeve operation three and a half years ago,’ she says. ‘Afterwards I lost eight and a half stone and was left with lots of loose skin which I wanted to address.’
Like many people who experience major weight loss, Zehra found that the changes to her body were multifaceted. While both weight-loss surgery and drugs often lead to dramatic fat loss, this often leaves behind excess skin around the abdomen, arms and body, which can be difficult to shift.
Zehra found she was struggling with excess skin after transformative weight loss
This excess skin is usually the result of the skin being stretched for a long period of time and losing its ability to bounce back
This excess skin is usually the result of the skin being stretched for a long period of time and losing its ability to bounce back. Proteins like collagen and elastin, which keep skin firm and elastic, naturally decline with age and prolonged stretching, meaning the skin can’t fully retract once the weight is lost.
The likelihood of its prevalence also increases with more rapid or significant weight loss, such as after surgery, as the skin doesn’t have time to adjust gradually. As a result, areas like the stomach, arms and thighs are often left with loose skin that exercise alone can’t tighten.
After researching her options, Zehra sought advice from a specialist, recommended by word-of-mouth. In October 2024, she met with surgeon Mo Akhavani, co-founder of The Plastic Surgery Group, who suggested a combination approach to address multiple areas at once.
‘He explained that in order to address the excess skin the best course of action would be a 360 Lipo Body Lift with fleur de lis, internal muscle repair of the abdominal wall and a breast lift with fat transfer,’ Zehra says.
A fleur de lis is a surgical technique used in body contouring procedures, most commonly after significant weight loss, to remove excess skin more effectively. Unlike a standard tummy tuck, which only removes skin horizontally, a fleur de lis approach removes skin both horizontally and vertically, allowing surgeons to address loose skin not just in the lower abdomen but also across the middle of the stomach. This creates a more defined, contoured shape, particularly for patients with large amounts of excess skin.
The surgery and recovery
Zehra underwent the five-hour procedure in July 2025. ‘The next day I was up and walking again,’ she says, adding that the recovery process was more manageable than she had expected. ‘Back at home the aftercare was incredible. The nurses are extremely knowledgeable which really put me at ease.’
Zehra underwent fleur de lis Body Lift surgery, which took five hours, with dramatic results
Her excess skin was largely removed, improving her confidence. Her recovery took around six weeks
She had to attend frequent follow-ups over the following weeks. ‘I visited the clinic every three days for two weeks to have my dressings and wounds checked and cleaned. I also had regular phone calls from the nurses to check in on me.’
Her overall recovery took around six weeks, and Zehra was immediately delighted. The biggest change was in how her body felt and looked day-to-day. ‘My results were amazing,’ she says. ‘The apron of skin that I had at the front was removed, my waist was smoothed and contoured, my buttocks were lifted so I didn’t have a saggy bottom any more and my breasts were lifted.’
But while the surgery addressed several areas, there were still parts of her body she felt self-conscious about. ‘My sagging bingo wings still bothered me and stopped me wearing short-sleeve tops.’
Follow-up surgery
In October 2025, she returned to the clinic for further treatment. ‘I went back for a brachioplasty to remove the excess skin on my arms. I also had breast implants put in at the same time.’
The follow-up surgery targeted the excess skin on Zehra’s arms. She also had breast implants
Zehra says the difference is noticeable both physically and emotionally, and the confidence the surgeries have given her is ‘amazing’
Now, she says the difference is noticeable both physically and emotionally. ‘The scars are already barely visible and look fantastic. Even more so, the confidence these surgeries have given me is amazing. It’s not just about me being able to wear the clothes I’ve always wanted to wear – even though that’s an amazing feeling – but it’s given me internal confidence that means more than anything.’
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According to Mr Mo Akhavani, the key to these kinds of transformations is taking a tailored approach. ‘For patients who have lost a lot of weight, there needs to be a proper assessment of all the affected areas and this is what we do,’ he explains. ‘We also ask the patient what their priorities are.’
That can vary significantly from person to person. ‘Each individual person has their own requests; however you have to assess everything and determine what treatment will have the best outcome for their specific body and priorities.’
In Zehra’s case, the decision to perform a fleur-de-lis body lift was based on the pattern of excess skin. ‘The reason why Zehra had the fleur-de-lis body lift is because she had both horizontal excess skin on the abdomen which meant that the apron needed to be removed, but she also had vertical excess skin which is where the fleur-de-lis came in, because that’s the only thing that would remove excess skin in the middle.’
He adds that the procedure is so transformative as it can address multiple areas at once. ‘The body lift also helps to address the excess skin at the back by removing it and by the very fact that it’s maximum skin removal at the side it also helps with the love handles but more importantly gives you a lateral thigh lift.’
