A body lift procedure raises and tightens areas of excess skin, including the thighs, buttocks, hips, groin, waist, and abdomen. Generally, this procedure involves removing excess skin from the front and back of the mid-section, and tightening the underlying muscles to create a more comfortable and desired body.
Anesthesia is first administered to facilitate comfort during the procedure. Next, body lift incisions are made. Incision length and pattern depend on the amount and location of excess skin to be removed. After the excess skin is removed and repositioned, the incisions are closed with stitches and bandaged.
Body lift patients are usually those who have lost weight but continue to have an unsightly physical appearance and potentially some physical problems due to the extensive amounts of loose skin, primarily in their mid-sections. The best candidates are non-smokers in good health, who have maintained a stable weight, and who have realistic expectations of the procedure.
Recovery time always depends on the individual patient, but in general, after two to three weeks most patients can return to work. After four to six weeks, patients may resume exercise or more strenuous work. As in many cosmetic procedures, while the initial results are immediate, final results may not be apparent for one to even two years.
While there can be significant weight lost from a body lift procedure--anywhere from five to ten percent of the total amount of weight originally lost--the amount of weight lost varies, depending on each individual procedure performed.
The body lift procedure may be combined with other sculpting procedures, such as arm lift (brachioplasty), breast lift (mastopexy), facelift or other procedures of the face, in order to maximize the improvements.
