Quick Facts
- Procedure: Outpatient
- Anesthesia: General
- Duration of Procedure: From two to seven hours, depending on the areas treated
- Initial Recovery Phase: Two to three weeks
- Results: Apparent immediately, but continue to improve for several months
Have you lost a lot of weight but are left with loose, excess skin? Are you longing to celebrate your new body but are discouraged by sagging skin that doesn’t look right in clothes? Or maybe you have hanging skin as a result of getting older or past pregnancy? If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, then body lift surgery may be the answer for you. With body lift surgery, Dr. Sean Maguire of Physician’s Center for Beauty in Louisville can help you get the body you have always envisioned.
What Will a Body Lift Accomplish?
After weight loss, pregnancy or aging, skin loses its elasticity and does not “spring back” after being stretched out from changes to your body shape. A body lift will remove excess, hanging fat and skin from one or more of the following areas: the arms, breasts, back, stomach, buttocks, groin, hips and thighs. A body lift will also smooth out the remaining skin to create an overall trimmer appearance. Body lift patients can expect to have their clothes fit better, their discomfort from heavy, sagging skin alleviated and their confidence boosted with this surgery.
Is Body Lift Surgery Right for Me?
In general, body lift surgery might be right for people who:
- Are in good health overall
- Are at a stable weight
- Have excess, sagging skin due to weight loss, pregnancy or other factors
- Have chafing skin or infection due to overhanging skin
- Aren’t planning on getting pregnant
What Happens During Body Lift Surgery?
Depending on the areas of the body being treated, the procedure may include an upper body lift (for the upper arms, breasts and back), a lower body lift (for the stomach, buttocks, groin, hips and thighs) or both. During a body lift procedure, the doctor will create an incision at the treatment area, remove excess fat and trim loose skin.
In an upper body lift procedure, one or more areas of the upper body will be treated. An incision is made in the armpit or back of the arm from which excess fat and skin is removed from the upper arm. A breast lift is accomplished by making three incisions in the breast: one around the areola, one from the bottom edge of the areola and down to the breast crease, and one horizontally across the breast crease under the breast. The doctor will then remove any excess skin from the breast and relocate the nipple to a higher location on the breast mound. To treat excess fat on the back, an incision will be made on each side of the mid-back through which excess skin will be removed.
In a lower body lift procedure, one or more areas of the lower body will be treated. An incision is made across the lower abdomen that extends around the waist to the mid-back, like a belt. Through this incision, the doctor will remove excess fat and skin from the stomach, thighs and buttocks and tighten the underlying tissue. The remaining skin on the buttocks and thighs and pubic area will be pulled taut for a lifted appearance. Incisions may also be made on the inner and/or outer thighs to remove fat and skin from the thighs and hip area.
What Can I Expect in Recovery?
Immediately following surgery, compression garments will be worn on the treated area or areas, and drains will be placed to remove excess fluids from those areas. There will be swelling that may last for weeks or even months after surgery. There will also be redness and possibly bruising in the treated areas, which should subside within the first couple of weeks. Any discomfort can be alleviated by doctor-prescribed medication. Patients can typically return to work two to three weeks post-surgery. For the first four to six weeks after surgery, the patient should refrain from strenuous activity, including lifting (after an upper body lift). Normal exercise can resume after six to eight weeks.
Lose Loose Skin and Gain New Confidence
To find out more about your body lift surgery options, schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Maguire by contacting Physician’s Center for Beauty.
