Lower Body Lift
[Circumferential Abdominoplasty]
The lower body lift surgical procedure tightens loose, sagging skin in the abdomen, buttocks, hips and thighs. It utilizes the incisions for an abdominoplasty but extending around the hips to the back in order to lift the buttocks and thighs as well as to tighten the abdomen. The loose skin, as well as underlying fat tissue, is removed from below the incision to allow suspension of the remaining tissues to stretch and smooth the lower body, especially the buttocks and thighs. The surgery begins in the back and requires repositioning during the surgery to address the hips and outer thighs and front of the thighs and abdomen. Often liposuction is utilized to further contour and lift the lower body tissues. In addition, when lifting the buttocks we usually use the patient's own fat to further contour and enhance the shape and projection of the gluteal area. If a previous tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) has been performed or is not needed, the lower body lift can be extended to tighten the inner thighs.
The incisions are designed to be hidden by clothing and sportswear or to lie in normally occurring anatomic folds. Layered suture techniques are used to carefully close the area of incision in order to maintain the lift, tightening and smoothing the remaining skin.
Swelling, which is commonly seen after body lift surgery, is controlled by compression garments and the use of drains, sterile collection tubes used to evacuate excess fluid. Weekly follow up visits help to achieve an optimal outcome by allowing adjustments based on visible progress which varies among patients. Full healing of the circumferential incisions may take four weeks or even longer.
Am I a good candidate for lower body lift surgery?
Patients who benefit from lower body lift surgery have:
•Loose skin in their buttocks and back of their thighs
•Loose skin in their hips and side of their thighs
•Loose skin in the front of their thighs
•Loose abdominal skin
•Acceptance of the thin scars around the waist
•Patients who have had massive weight loss
Each patient’s anatomy and proportions of loose skin vary from individual to individual. The decision to utilize lower body lifting techniques depends upon your goals and expectations as well as an examination at our office. This will help determine whether the lower body lift will achieve a satisfactory outcome for you.
Other Considerations of Lower Body Lift Surgery
Since the operation achieves tightening of the lower body by excising loose tissue (skin and fat), the lower body lift should be performed when the patient is as close to their desired or ideal body weight as possible. If, for example, the patient has tightening of their lower body and then loses weight, the tightened skin will loosen and become saggy. Conversely, post operative weight gain will either stretch the skin which has been tightened or undo the improvements of the body lift.
Lower Body lifts are the most extensive procedure performed by most plastic surgeons, particularly in massive weight loss patients. Because of this the recovery time is long, usually about one month. Generally, we only recommend this procedure for the most motivated patients and those with the time and support for the long recovery process.
Insurance
Lower body lifts are sometimes covered by health insurance if they can be shown to be medically necessary. We work with your doctor and your health insurance to provide proper documentation in order to authorize these procedures. In cases where procedures are not medically necessary or we cannot obtain authorization, the costs of the cosmetic procedures may be defrayed by doing medically necessary procedures (such as gynecological procedures or hernia repair) at the same time.
