Ahmet R. Karaca, MD

Ahmet R. Karaca, MD

After significant weight loss following weight reduction surgery, a body lift procedure is often required in order to lift, tighten and tone excess sagging skin from the abdomen and lower body. For men and women who struggle with the post-weight loss reality of excess skin, a body lift completes their total transformation.

What is a Body Lift?

A lower body lift is a surgical procedure performed on male and female patients who have undergone extreme weight loss that has left behind excessive amounts of loose, sagging skin around the torso. This procedure may also be combined with others to include liposuction and breast augmentation for a total transformation.

Benefits of a Body Lift

While undergoing dramatic weight loss is the first step toward looking and feeling better, and bariatric surgery will improve and in some cases fully resolve medical conditions related to obesity, the resulting loose and sagging skin left after the operation is an aesthetic concern that may also cause discomfort. In patients who were obese for many years, the skin may be stretched to the point where it cannot tighten around a new, slimmer body. Additional body sculpting procedures, such as a body lift, may be required to achieve a total transformation. A body lift procedure provides the following benefits:
  • Flattens and tightens the abdomen and midsection
  • Lifts and reshapes the derriere
  • Smoothes and tightens skin in the belly, thighs, and buttocks
  • Eliminates folds, creases and irregularities, such as cellulite
  • Eliminates infections and irritation that result from hanging skin folds
  • Creates a tighter, more defined body contour
  • Contributes to improved self-confidence, body image and self-esteem

Who Is An Ideal Body Lift Candidate For a Body Lift?

The lower body lift procedure is most suitable for patients who were once obese and have finally achieved a more normal Body Mass Index (BMI), but who still have excess, loose skin to remove after weight loss. Body lift patients must be adults in overall good health. This procedure is suitable for almost anyone who has excess loose and sagging skin in the area of the abdomen, flanks, buttocks or thighs, however, it is important to maintain realistic expectations when undergoing any cosmetic procedure about what is and isn’t possible through a cosmetic procedure. You may discuss these at length with Dr. Karaca during your initial consultation.

Body Lift procedure

A body lift involves a circumferential incision completely around the body, typically following around the lower abdomen and above the buttocks. A lower body lift is most suited for patients who want to tighten specifically the lower abdomen, groin, waist, thighs and buttocks. This procedure is performed through an incision located below the bikini line. Once the incision is made, excess loose skin and clumps of fatty tissue are extracted from the abdomen, lower back, and hips, and the remaining tissue is pulled taut, creating a tight, defined silhouette. Immediately following the procedure, a dressing is placed over the incisions, and temporary drain tubes are placed along the abdomen. The patient is instructed to wear a support garment for several weeks following the procedure.
A body lift may be combined with other cosmetic procedures, such as liposuction to contour and tighten the body, a buttock lift to augment, enhance and lift the buttocks and lower back, or a breast augmentation or breast lift procedure to enhance, augment and/or lift the bust.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is a Body Lift different then Liposuction?

Liposuction is a far less invasive, non-surgical procedure that only extracts small deposits of fat and does not tighten the muscle, remove sagging skin or eliminate cellulite. Conversely, a lower body lift tightens the skin and underlying muscle, while also eliminating stretch marks and cellulite. If you are unhappy with random deposits of fatty pockets that have stubbornly built up in problem areas, liposuction may be used in combination with a lower body lift procedure to achieve optimal results.

When can I resume exercise after a Body LIft?

Following a lower body lift, it is recommended that you avoid strenuous physical activity for at least six weeks and return to your regular physical activities gradually over time. Because the lower body lift affects large and sensitive areas of the body, it is critical that these areas be provided with sufficient rest and time to heal properly.

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