Orange County, California
Body Lift
A body lift is the perfect way to enhance and rejuvenate the look of your whole body rather than just one area. Skin surfaces will look smoother, tighter and firmer for a more youthful, shapely appearance.
Liposuction is often used in conjunction with a body lift for best results.
Who’s a Candidate?
The best candidates for body lift are those who despite diet and exercise have not achieved firmer and youthful body. Aging, sun damage, pregnancy, and weight fluctuations plus genetic factors contribute to poor skin elasticity, giving sagging of the abdomen, buttocks, and thighs. In addition, those who are restricted in their activities and have physical discomfort from excess fat and loose skin in those areas of the body are good candidates. This operation is especially useful in those with skin laxity which will not conform to new contour by liposuction alone. In addition, this is a good operation for those with cellulite, or dimpled skin. You must be dedicated to a healthy lifestyle including proper nutrition and fitness in order to maintain your weight.
What Are the Risks of a Body Lift?
As with any surgery, there is always a possibility of complications, including bleeding, infection, fluid collection, prolonged swelling, fat necrosis, blood clots, or reaction to anesthesia. The procedure will leave noticeable, permanent scars, while poor healing and wider scars are more common in smokers. It can also leave you with slightly mismatched lower extremities or hip or waist contour. Numbness and sensory changes of the skin in addition to recurrent looseness of skin requiring revisional surgery is a possibility.
Preparing for Surgery
Your surgeon will examine and measure your body, abdominal wall, flank, waist, buttock, and back areas. He or she will discuss the variables that may affect the procedure such as your age, the size and shape of your body, and the amount of fat and quality of your skin.
The Surgery
Body lift is usually done as an inpatient (with an overnight stay in the hospital) or outpatient procedure. The surgery usually takes three to six hours, under general anesthesia.
Incision pattern depends on the amount of tissue that is being excised and it usually rests in the natural contour of the back, buttock, and thigh regions. The underlying fat will be excised and the skin will be reduced and reshaped for a firmer, smoother contour lower body.
In a complete lower body lift, buttocks, abdomen, waist, hips, and thighs are treated in one procedure. This uses a circumferential incision around the body to remove excess skin and fat to tighten tissue.
After Your Surgery
Following surgery, you will be wrapped in an elastic bandage or compression garment over gauze dressings. A small tube may be placed on each side of the abdominal wall to drain off blood and fluids for the first couple of days. You may feel some pain for first few days, especially when you cough or move around. Your surgeon will prescribe pain medication. The bandages will be removed within a week after surgery, although you’ll continue to wear the compression garment around the clock for several weeks, until the swelling and bruising subside. Your stitches if not absorbable will be removed in one to three weeks.
Avoid excessive force, abrasions, motion for the first month. Most patients can return to work (if it’s not too strenuous) and social activities in about two weeks. In case of shortness of breath or chest pains, seek medical attention immediately.
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