A recent study published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery has found that patients who undergo “tummy tuck” surgery (abdominoplasty) to remove excess skin and tissue after weight loss continue to lose weight in the months and years after surgery. The study, which followed 188 patients for up to five years after their procedure, found that many of these individuals were able to achieve significant and sustained weight loss.

According to the researchers, who were led by Dr. John Y.S. Kim from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, patients who underwent abdominoplasty surgery experienced an average weight loss of between five and six pounds at three to six months after their procedure. This weight loss continued over time, with an average loss of about five pounds between one and four years after surgery.

By the time of their five-year follow-up, patients had lost an average of nearly ten pounds, which is a significant reduction in body mass index (BMI). The researchers also found that about 60% of patients experienced weight loss during this period. Furthermore, they discovered that older patients, those who underwent liposuction or lipectomy at the same time as their abdominoplasty, and those who had never smoked were more likely to continue losing weight after surgery.

While the study’s findings are encouraging for individuals considering abdominoplasty surgery, it is essential to note that the researchers could not definitively explain why patients continued to lose weight after surgery. However, they suggested that patients may have developed healthy habits centered around nutrition and exercise that contributed to their long-term weight loss.

Overall, this study provides valuable new evidence that post-abdominoplasty weight reduction is a quantifiable phenomenon and highlights the need for further research into factors associated with sustained weight loss in patients who undergo abdominoplasty surgery.

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Microbes on Our Skin: The Hidden Heroes Against Sun Damage

Researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery about the skin microbiome, revealing that certain bacteria can protect us from the bad effects of sunlight by metabolizing cis-urocanic acid using an enzyme called urocanase. This enables our skin to fine-tune its response to UV radiation.

The study, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, demonstrates the ability of the skin microbiome to remodel host immune functions. Lead investigator VijayKumar Patra, PhD, explains that many internal and external factors influence the composition of the skin microbiome, including individual parameters such as race, gender, age, hormone levels, diet, and hygiene.

Researchers used a combination of microbiome sequencing, immunological assays, in vitro cultures, and gnotobiotic mouse models to study how skin bacteria respond to UVB radiation. They discovered that certain skin bacteria specifically metabolize cis-urocanic acid, a photoproduct of a major UV-absorbing chromophore of the stratum corneum, using an enzyme called urocanase.

Co-investigator Marc Vocanson, PhD, notes that this is the first time a direct metabolic link between UV radiation, a host-derived molecule, and bacterial behavior affecting immune function has been demonstrated. As interest grows in microbiome research and personalized medicine, understanding these microbe-host interactions could reshape the way we think about sun protection, immune diseases, skin cancer, or even treatments like phototherapy.

Co-investigator Peter Wolf, MD, concludes that these findings open the door to microbiome-aware sun protection, where we not only protect the skin from UV radiation but also consider how resident microbes can alter the immune landscape after exposure. In the future, topical treatments that modulate microbial metabolism could be used to minimize, maintain, or enhance UV-induced immunosuppression when clinically beneficial.

Noted expert Anna Di Nardo, MD, PhD, comments on the findings, saying that this pivotal study shows that microbial communities are not passive victims of environmental stress but dynamic regulators of immune responses. This newly uncovered role of microbial metabolism in modulating UV tolerance reshapes our understanding of the skin barrier – not just as a structural shield but as a metabolically active, microbially regulated interface.

With increasing concerns about UV exposure, skin aging, and cancer, a deeper understanding of this axis offers promising avenues for therapy and prevention.

For decades, medical researchers have been searching for ways to prevent organ transplant rejection. Current treatments focus on suppressing T cells, part of the adaptive immune system. However, this approach has its limitations. A new study from Mass General Brigham sheds light on a previously untapped area: the innate immune system. Researchers identified a natural “brake” within this system – the inhibitory receptor Siglec-E (SigE) and its human counterparts, Siglec-7 and Siglec-9. This receptor plays a crucial role in preventing overactivation of immune cells that drive rejection.

When this brake is missing or malfunctioning, inflammation worsens, leading to faster rejection in preclinical models. Importantly, transplant patients with higher levels of Siglec-7 and Siglec-9 showed better graft survival, highlighting this pathway as a promising target for new therapies. Results were published in Science Translational Medicine.

“For decades, we’ve focused almost exclusively on controlling T cells to prevent rejection,” said Leonardo Riella, MD, PhD, medical director of Kidney Transplantation at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). “Our research shows that the innate immune system plays a pivotal role. By harnessing natural inhibitory pathways like Siglec-E, we can develop safer, more precise therapies that protect transplanted organs without compromising overall immune health.”

To conduct their studies, the researchers used mouse models of heart, kidney, and skin transplantation to study the roles of SigE. They found that recipients deficient in SigE had accelerated acute rejection and increased inflammation. The researchers also looked at the levels of the receptors in samples from human transplant biopsies, finding that higher levels of the receptors were associated with improved allograft survival.

“This discovery paves the way for next-generation treatments that address both arms of the immune system, offering hope for longer-lasting transplant success and reducing the need for lifelong immunosuppression,” said Riella.