Houston surgeon sees surge in body lifts following GLP-1 weight loss success

HOUSTON — The increasing use of GLP-1 medications for weight loss has triggered a corresponding surge in body lift surgeries, as patients seek solutions for excess skin following dramatic weight reduction. 

According to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey, approximately 6% of American adults are currently taking GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic. It was FDA-approved in 2021 for weight loss. While these medications help patients shed significant pounds, many are left with unwanted excess skin that creates both cosmetic and health challenges.

Social media influencer Tonya Spanglo, who lost 250 pounds, exemplifies this journey. 

“I was 430 pounds, and I did not stay on the scale long enough to see it go up anymore,” Spanglo said about her weight before beginning her transformation.

Spanglo shared that food became her escape mechanism early in life. 

“He was an alcoholic, and he was an abuser,” she revealed about her father, explaining the roots of her complicated relationship with food.

Like many others struggling with obesity, Spanglo tried numerous weight loss methods. 

“I bought Fen-Phen on the black market,” she admitted. “I would lose 40 and gain back 50. I always gained back more than I lost.”

In 2019, Spanglo underwent gastric sleeve surgery to reduce her stomach size. She had to lose significant weight to prove she could change her lifestyle and qualify for insurance coverage. On the day of surgery, she was 299 pounds. After that, she lost another 100 pounds but eventually regained about 40 pounds. That’s when she turned to GLP-1 injections. 

“I started doing Ozempic, which lots of people that have had weight loss surgery, they do a GLP-1,” she said.

The dramatic weight loss left Spanglo with significant excess skin that caused physical problems beyond appearance. 

“The rashes you get, the infections that you get, I would have to put a towel in between my stomach and my body because of the sweat, the smell,” she described.

To address these issues, Spanglo consulted Houston plastic surgeon Dr. Rukmini Rednam for a body lift.

“It’s the tummy tuck that goes all the way around,” Dr. Rednam explained. “We can easily be removing 20 to 30 pounds in just tissue skin.”

The procedure removed loose skin from Spanglo’s arms, back, buttocks, and stomach. 

“I also did a breast lift where I didn’t want to do implants, but she took the good fat from my stomach, my abdomen area, and put that into my breasts, and lifted my breasts,” Spanglo said.

Dr. Rednam noted the growing trend in her own practice.

“I would tell you almost 20% to 30% of people, if not higher on GLP-1 medications that are coming in for these procedures.”

Nationally, the Aesthetic Society reports that lower body lifts have increased by 43% and upper body lifts by 34% in the first four years since GLP-1 medications began getting approval for weight loss.

Dr. Rednam emphasizes that cosmetic surgery involves more than physical changes. 

“All of my patients get a mental health coach and these are all licensed professionals, they work with their dietitian,” she said.

Now, one year after her body lift, Spanglo exercises daily, works to maintain healthy eating habits, and continues using Ozempic to “quiet her food noise.” She has transformed her weight loss journey into a career, amassing nearly 2 million followers across TikTok and Instagram.

Despite the popularity of GLP-1 medications, Spanglo cautions against viewing them as an effortless solution. 

“There’s no magic pill out there. You have to work it,” she stressed.