BODY LIFT

During your consultation, be prepared to discuss:

• Your surgical goals
• Medical conditions, drug allergies and previous medical treatments
• Current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco and drug use
• Previous surgeries

Your surgeon will also:

• Evaluate your general health status and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors
• Examine and measure your body, including detailed body measurements
• Take photographs
• Discuss your body lift options
• Recommend a course of treatment
• Discuss likely outcomes of body lift surgery and any risks or potential complications

Prior to surgery, you may be asked to:

• Get a lab test or a medical evaluation
• Take certain medications or adjust your current medications
• Stop smoking
• Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding

Body lift surgery may be performed in an accredited office-based surgical facility, ambulatory surgical center or hospital.

Body lift is a surgical procedure and requires extensive incisions. Incision length and pattern depend on the amount and location of excess skin to be removed, as well as surgical judgment. Advanced techniques usually allow incisions to be placed in strategic locations where they can be hidden by most types of clothing and swimsuits.

One common technique of complete lower body lift uses incisions similar to a bikini pattern to tighten the abdomen, groin, waist, thigh, and buttock in one procedure. An incision around the circumference of the body removes an apron of excess skin and fat while repositioning and tightening tissues. A combination of liposuction and surgical body lifts may be necessary to achieve an improved contour. Deep support sutures within underlying tissues help to form the newly shaped contours. Sutures, skin adhesives, tapes or clips close the skin incisions.

Step 1 – Anesthesia
Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. The choices include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best choice for you.

Step 2 – The incision
A complete lower body lift treats the buttocks, abdomen, waist, hips and thighs in one procedure. A circumferential incision around the body removes an apron of excess skin and fat and repositions and tightens tissues.

Step 3 – Closing the incisions
Sutures, skin adhesives or tapes close the skin incisions.

Step 4 – See the results
The results of a body lift are visible almost immediately. It may take as long as one to two years for the final results to fully develop.

After your body lift procedure is completed, dressings or bandages will be applied to the incisions. Small, thin tubes may be temporarily placed under the skin to drain any excess blood that may collect.

You will be given specific instructions that may include how to care for your surgical site(s) following surgery, medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the risk of infection, specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in your general health, how to care for your drains, and when to follow up with your plastic surgeon.

Be sure to ask your plastic surgeon specific questions about what you can expect during your individual recovery period:

• Where will I be taken after my surgery is complete?
• What medication will I be given or prescribed after surgery?
• Will I have dressings/bandages after surgery? When will they be removed?
• How should I bathe after surgery?
• Are stitches removed? When?
• When will the drains be removed?
• When can I resume normal activity and exercise?
• When do I return for follow-up care?

When you go home:
If you experience shortness of breath, chest pains or unusual heart beats, seek medical attention immediately. Should any of these complications occur, you may require hospitalization and additional treatment.

RESULT

The results of a body lift are visible almost immediately. However, it may take two years or more for the final results of the body lift procedures to fully develop. Some visible scars will remain, but the overall results are long lasting, provided that you maintain a stable weight and general fitness. As your body ages, it is natural to lose some firmness. However, most of your initial improvement should be relatively permanent.

Although good results are expected from your procedure, there is no guarantee. In some situations, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single surgical procedure and another surgery may be necessary.