ABSTRACT
With advances in post-bariatric plastic surgery, more and more patients are requesting body contouring surgery to reshape their body, especially after extensive weight loss. These patients may need multiple surgical procedures to correct forearms, breasts, torso, back, and thigh laxity, with extensive incisions and undermining. However, often, optimal healing in this patient population is hampered by existing nutritional deficiencies that directly impact their wound healing process and immune response competency. Many of these deficiencies are well established and may have detrimental effects on the healing, even at subclinical levels. It is essential that health care providers who treat post-bariatric patients are aware of these nutritional deficiencies, which can be prevented by adhering to eating guidelines and supplemental prescriptions.
