Body Lift

While some patients develop excess fat and skin in one or two problem areas, there is a portion of the population that have loose skin on several areas of the body. If you have an abundance of extra skin on your body, it may cause significant physical and emotional discomfort. Embarrassment about the appearance of your skin can affect your self-confidence and make you avoid wearing clothes that expose your skin. Further, the inhibited airflow and build up of sweat contributes to chronic rashes and infections under skin folds. Kennesaw surgeons Marcus Crawford and Steven Bailey can relieve these problems with body lift surgery. Body lift surgery is designed to remove sagging fatty tissue, tighten excess skin, and smooth out skin depressions.

Types of Body Lift Surgery

Body lift surgery is commonly performed on patients that have lost a significant amount of weight due to pregnancy or bariatric surgery. Depending on your individual case, our surgeons will perform lower, upper, or total body lift surgery.

• Lower Body Lift: Lower body lift surgery, also known as belt lipectomy, involves the removal and tightening of skin on the abdomen, lower back, hips, buttocks, and thighs. The treatment typically begins with the creation of a horizontal incision that runs from the outer area of the left thigh, along the back of the waist, to the outer area of the right thigh. The surgeon then reshapes and removes underlying fatty tissue as needed, then tightens the skin to produce a smooth and toned appearance. During the final stage of the procedure, the surgeon will perform the tummy tuck procedure to address loose and wrinkled skin on the stomach.
• Upper Body Lift: In upper body lift surgery, skin tightening techniques focus on the chest, breasts, and middle of the back. This technique requires an incision that is made along the bra line, through which the surgeon can remove excess tissue and fat from the back, under the breasts, and on the ribcage. Once a sufficient amount of fatty tissue is removed, the skin is pulled up and tightened.
• Total Body Lift: If you have excess skin throughout the body, you may need to undergo both upper and lower body lift surgery; this is known as a full body lift or total body lift. When total body lift surgery is needed, the surgeon will often divide your treatment into several surgeries.  This approach is usually chosen for patient safety. You may also choose to undergo breast augmentation, inner thigh lift, or arm lift surgery in combination with the body lift.

Body Lift Surgery Recovery

If you elect to undergo the body lift procedure, it is important to know that it is a serious surgical procedure that requires at least a couple weeks of recovery time. You can expect to spend one to three days in the hospital, and drainage tubes will be in place for up to two weeks after surgery. For the first couple weeks, you will want to take it easy, take your pain medication as prescribed, and wear compression garments. Strenuous activities and exercise should be avoided for one to two months after surgery.

The normal side effects associated with body lift surgery include pain, swelling, bruising, and some bleeding. The more serious risks of surgery are serious pain, excessive bleeding, infection, and delayed wound healing.

Body Lift Consultations

To schedule your appointment with our surgeons, contact us today. We will schedule your body lift consultation at your earliest convenience.