Skin Manifestations and Biophysical Properties in Patients With Morbid Obesity and Changes After Weight Loss: A Two-Year Prospective Study

This two-year prospective study evaluated the skin changes in 31 patients with morbid obesity who underwent bariatric surgery (BaS). The patients, with a mean age of 38.35 years and a majority being male, were followed for an average of 18.10 months, during which they experienced a mean total weight reduction of 27.70%. Common skin findings before the surgery included striae, acanthosis nigricans (AN), and plantar hyperkeratosis. Post-surgery, improvements were observed in various skin manifestations such as striae, AN, acrochordons, plantar hyperkeratosis, hirsutism, lymphedema, pruritus, acne, finger pebbles, and chronic venous insufficiency. However, acute telogen effluvium, a form of hair loss, was observed in 54.84% of the patients. Biophysical skin properties like transepidermal water loss, skin hydration, and pH remained unchanged, but sebum production on the face significantly decreased at 3 and 6 months post-surgery, and skin elasticity decreased at 12 months. The study concludes that while BaS led to improvements in various skin conditions, hair loss was a common side effect, highlighting the importance of nutritional supplements in patients with massive weight loss.