What’s Included in A Body Lift?
What's Included in A Body Lift?
A body lift combines several surgeries in one procedure to remove extra skin and related fat deposits after significant weight loss, often from a bariatric surgery such as gastric bypass. An upper body lift, lower body lift, or a combination of the two provides the most dramatic body contouring results of any skin tightening procedure, while reducing the discomfort that can be caused by excess skin. Results are immediate and permanent, as long as you maintain a stable weight.
As more people have had weight loss surgery, the popularity of lower body lifts has risen by nearly 4,000% over the past 20 years, according to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The satisfaction rate for this procedure is also extremely high.
What's Included in A Body Lift?
Body lift surgery involves making an incision at the waist or slightly below it and removing excess skin and closing the skin under some tension. The incision length and pattern depend on the amount and location of excess skin to be removed. Most commonly, a body lift treats both the abdomen and the back area and is therefore circumferential.
A complete lower body lift treats the buttocks, tummy, 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 tissue.
Your plastic surgeon may recommend a combination of liposuction and body lift procedures to achieve an improved overall contour. Support sutures deep within the skin help form your newly shaped contours. Overall skin reduction may be done in stages, over a period of years, as often only one or two areas of the body are addressed at one time. Your plastic surgeon will make recommendations about the best strategy to address all of your needs in the safest and most efficient manner.
Body lift surgeries are performed under general anesthesia with a one-to-two-night hospital stay. The amount of time it takes to complete the surgery varies widely depending on your individual needs.
What Results Can I Expect?
The results of body lift surgery are visible almost immediately, but final results may take several months to fully develop depending on your individual needs. While scars will remain, the overall results are long lasting through maintaining a stable weight and exercise.
What Is Involved in Recovery?
Following your body lift surgery, dressings or bandages will be applied to the incisions. A small, thin tube may be temporarily placed under the skin to drain any excess blood or fluid that may collect after the surgery.
Body lift surgery is a major surgical procedure and requires significant recovery time. Pain and discomfort are first managed with intravenous or intramuscular medications, and later with oral pain medication. A specific diet may be encouraged and your plastic surgeon will guide you on how to reduce the risk of complications.
Your plastic surgeon may also provide you with a medical compression garment to wear at all times except while bathing. Surgical dressings are generally removed two days after surgery with showering allowed at that time.
Your post-surgery activities will be restricted until you have had plenty of time to recover. Restrictions may include avoiding exercise and lifting of five pounds or more. Walking is encouraged after surgery; however, further exercise is not recommended until sufficient healing has occurred.
Most people require four to six weeks of recovery time before returning to normal activities, and generally, they should wait from six to eight weeks before exercising. There cannot be any pressure placed on the treated area. Approximately 75 percent of the swelling subsides at six weeks and 90 percent at three months.
What Are the Pros and Cons of a Body Lift?
Pros
. A surgical body lift procedure is the only way to remove a significant amount of loose skin after massive weight loss.
. People report an increased sense of self-confidence after having a body lift. Often, it feels like the culmination of a long weight-loss journey.
. Results are visible immediately, and clothing fits better once the excess skin has been removed.
. A body lift will reduce the appearance of stretch marks (though it can't accomplish much when it comes to cellulite).
Cons
. Recovery time after body lift surgery can be quite lengthy—a month or more—because of the large amount of skin removal and tissue lifting involved.
. Complication rates are relatively high for this type of plastic surgery.
. You’ll have extensive and permanent scars from the surgery, though they’ll fade over time and become less noticeable.
. For some people, removing excess skin can flatten the buttocks, which might create a desire for butt augmentation.
. A body lift may make your torso look boxier. While a boxy figure pre-op contributes to a boxy waistline post-op, a body lift procedure can be performed in various ways—for instance, by placing the incision higher—to maximize the chance of creating an hourglass shape.
Is A Body Lift Safe?
All surgical procedures carry some risk. Because of the significant amount of skin removed during body lift surgery, there are greater associated risks than with standard cosmetic surgery.
Risks include:
. Bleeding
. Infection
. Separation of incision
. Skin laxity (looseness)
. Skin necrosis (tissue death)
. Abnormal scar formation
. Formation of a seroma (a mass or lump caused by fluid buildup in a tissue or organ)
. Asymmetry (unbalanced appearance)
. Unsatisfactory results.
Rare risks include:
. Deep vein thrombosis (blockage caused by restriction in a vein, possibly leading to the formation of a clot)
. Pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung)
. Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
. Pneumonia.
Side effects include:
. Swelling
. Bruising
. Soreness
. Pain
. Numbness
. Scars
. Depression.
About Iranian Surgery
Iranian surgery is an online medical tourism platform where you can find the best doctors and plastic surgeons in Iran. The price of Body Lift in Iran can vary according to each individual’s case and will be determined by an in-person assessment with the doctor.
For more information about the cost of Body Lift in Iran and to schedule an appointment in advance, you can contact Iranian Surgery consultants via WhatsApp number 0098 901 929 0946. This service is completely free.
Source:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/cosmetic-plastic-surgery/procedures/body-lift
https://www.realself.com/surgical/body-lift