Body Lift

The rise in weight loss or bariatric surgery has seen a linked rise in surgical procedures designed to deal with the implications of massive weight loss. These often come under the title of body lift surgery but are actual a combination of a number of procedures that can include a tummy tuck, breast uplift and/or breast reduction, thigh lift and buttock lift.

Body Lift: Am I suitable?

This surgery is ideal for those who have lost large amounts of weight and are left with excessive saggy skin on the breasts, thighs, abdomen and buttock area. You need to have maintained a stable weight for anything up to a year and if you’re planning children then it is best to postpone surgery till afterwards.

Your consultation with your surgeon will determine whether body lift will give you the results you are expecting. Also a full medical history will be taken to check whether you’re physically able to undergo the procedure.

Body Lift: What do I have to do to prepare?

Your surgeon will give you instructions to help you prepare for body lift surgery and these may include guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking or avoiding certain vitamins and medications. While making preparations, be sure to arrange for someone to drive you home after having body lift surgery and to help you out for a few days, if needed.

Body Lift: What’s the treatment like?

A lower body lift (belt lipectomy) involves the tummy, thighs, buttocks and back, while an upper body lift focuses primarily on the breasts, chest and middle back areas. If lower and upper body lifts are combined in one or two stages, the treatment is known as a total body lift. Obviously if you’re having a number of different procedures then this can be quite a lengthy op.

For a lower body lift, a belt-like incision is made above the outer thighs and buttocks and excess fat and skin is removed and the underlying tissue is reshaped. Then a horizontal incision is made along the pubic area for the tummy tuck and the excess skin and tissue is removed and the stomach muscles tightened. Liposuction may be performed at this stage to remove any remaining fat. The skin is then redraped and the belly button repositioned.

An upper body lift removes any fat on the upper back. This may be combined with a breast reduction for both men and women.

Other procedures that can be included or performed as follow-up procedures are a thigh lift and arm lift.

Body Lift: What about after?

Body lift is major surgery and will involve a prolonged recovery period. Walking is encouraged post surgery to reduce the risk of blood clots but it will take four to six weeks before normal activities are fully resumed.

There will be swelling but once that subsides you will be able to see the results of the surgery.

Body Lift: Are there any risks or side effects?

There is the risk of complications with any surgical procedure but the most common complications associated with body lift surgery include seromas, small skin separations and the possibility of reduced sensation in the treated areas.

Scarring is also an issue with this procedure but most people are so happy with their improved body contour that they consider the scarring a small price to pay.