Body Lift

Body lifts are ideal for people who have a significant weight loss, either from diet and exercise or a gastric bypass procedure and have been left with unsightly loose rolls of excess skin. It is the most effective technique to restore firm, youthful contours to the body. While exercise is an excellent way to burn calories and lose weight and to improve muscle mass and tone, it has no effect on loose, hanging skin.  Body lifts are essentially considered "facelifts for the body." Lower body lifts can address the thighs, buttocks, abdomen, waist, and hips all in one stage. The added benefits are an overall improvement in dimpling and cellulite, as well as an elevation of the pubic area to a more youthful status. Body lifts may also be performed after previous liposuction. If there is skin excess after fat removal, a thigh lift or body lift may be performed to reduce the amount of loose tissue.

 

Liposuction of the abdomen, back and upper arms may also be performed concurrently with the body lift. Aftercare recuperation is recommended. Patients start to ambulate and physically move around almost immediately, with gradual increases in activity during the next several days. Usually two weeks is required for recovery

 

In addition to providing comprehensive treatments for patients seeking a body lift in Gainesville, Dr. Brill specializes in a range of other body contouring procedures. He is proud of his reputation as one of the best Florida liposuction surgeons and tummy tuck specialists. Dr. Brill also has years of experience helping women acheive more feminine body contours by receiving breast implants. Please visit the respective pages to learn how these sophisticated treatments can help you achieve your aesthetic goals

 

 

Consultation

A personal consultation is the first step for every patient considering a body lift. During this meeting, Dr. Brill will assess your physical and emotional health and discuss your specific cosmetic goals for the procedure. The quality of your abdominal and thigh skin, amount of excess fat and status of the underlying abdominal wall will be assessed at your initial consultation. This exam will allow Dr. Brill to determine if you just need an abdominoplasty, abdominoplasty with outer thigh/buttock lift or a full lower body lift with an abdominoplasty, outer thigh/buttock lift and inner thigh lift.  He will get a complete medical history, give you specific instructions preparing for surgery, including guidelines for eating and drinking, and taking or avoiding vitamins, supplements and medications.  As with any surgery, please be sure to inform us:

·        About any allergies you have (to foods, drugs, environmental elements).

·        If you have been exposed to significant amounts of radiation, have a history of unusual or poor scarring, or cold sores– like herpes or shingles.

·        If you have any serious medical conditions.

·        About all medications you are taking (both prescription and non-prescription).

·        If you have had previous plastic surgery.

Dr. Brill will assess your physical and emotional health and discuss your specific cosmetic goals for the procedure. The quality of your skin as well as amount of excess fat will be assessed at your consultation.  Dr. Brill, in some cases, orders routine laboratory tests prior to surgery.  During your consult, take this time to ask all the questions you have about the surgery you are considering.  He will be happy to address any concerns you may have such as:

 

 

A  Good Candidate:

A good candidate for a Body Lift surgery has:

·         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 or in their inner thighs.

·         Relatively thin layers of fat below the skin of these areas.

·         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 body lifting techniques depends upon your goals and expectations as well as an examination by Dr. Brill.  This will help determine whether the lower body lift will achieve a satisfactory outcome for you.

 

 

Procedure D etails /Expectations:

 

Our body lift techniques tighten the buttocks, back of the thighs and hips/outer thighs.  Loose sagging skin below the incision is removed.  The remaining skin in the buttock and thighs is pulled upwards, and the skin is repaired, suspending the tissues and tightening them.  This requires positioning the patient on their tummy or side during the procedure. Incision closure is performed in multiple layers over drains, to control stretching and swelling.  Once the back and sides of the patient have been addressed, the front of the patient is treated with the patient positioned on his/her back.  Two options are available.  These options should be discussed with you preoperatively and are chosen based upon your choice.  One option is to combine the body lift with abdominal contouring, otherwise known as tummy tuck (abdominoplasty).  The other option is to combine the body lift with an inner thigh lift, if the abdomen does not require contouring, or if the patient has had previous abdominoplasty.

 

These techniques utilize the removal of skin, or excision of skin, to tighten loose, sagging tissue.  It can include the removal of the fat layer under the excised skin to lessen fullness and padding in the lower body.  Candidates for body lift surgery all have extra skin which must be removed by excision.  This differs from liposuction, in that liposuction removes only fat through small quarter inch incisions, but no skin.  However, liposuction may be done in conjunction with body lifting techniques to smooth and contour areas separate from the effects of the body lift excisions.  Again, a thorough discussion with Dr. Brill and your examination are essential to determining a comprehensive surgical plan.

 

 

Recovery:

The recovery from a body lift procedure is very similar to a tummy tuck.  It is important to walk as soon as possible after surgery to reduce the chance of blood clot formation in your legs. The swelling is mild to moderate, and peaks at two to three days.  Surgical drains may be placed for several days following the procedure that will have to be emptied.

For the first week following surgery, you must avoid bending or lifting.  Usually the incisions are covered with adhesive steri-strips, and surgical gauze.  Due to the location of the incisions for a thigh lift, it may be impossible for you to avoid lying on them. Changing position at least every 30 minutes and moving around carefully will limit stress on the incision lines.

You will likely have several layers of stitches with body lift procedures. Some will be re-absorbed by the body and some may need to be removed by your surgeon or medical staff. You will usually be able to shower on the third day after surgery.  Moderate pain can be anticipated after this procedure.  Areas of numbness near the incisions may occur but usually disappear gradually over several months.  Although most bruising and swelling will disappear within three weeks, some swelling may remain for six months and up to a year. After thigh and buttocks lifts, you cannot resume rigorous aerobic exercise like jogging or contact sports for approximately six weeks.

  

Other Options:

An additional procedure that may enhance the result is Liposuction of the upper arms or axilla.  Many people suffer from both surplus fat and surplus skin on their arms. In these cases one option is to treat by liposuction alone.  The healing process causes some tightening of the skin, but patients need to be aware that this tightening is only enough to compensate for the amount of fat removed.  This is the preferred option for patients who want to avoid the necessary scars associated with skin excision.  The other option for this group is to carry out liposuction combined with an Arm Lift-skin excision (brachioplasty).  This procedure causes extra contraction of the skin for smoother tighter arms.

 

 

Cost / Insurance:

 

This procedure is considered cosmetic and therefore not covered by insurance.

 

Approximate Cost Range: $8,000-$15,000.  This price is only an average as fees vary according to patient needs.  At your consultation, you will be given exact fees, which include but are not limited to surgery, operating room, anesthesia related fees, and follow up visits.

 

** This is only an Average.  Fees vary according to patient needs.**

 

 

Risks / Complications:

The specific risks and the suitability of a body lift for a given individual can be determined only at the time of consultation.  All surgical procedures have some degree of risk.  Minor complications that do not affect the outcome occur occasionally.  Major complications are rare.  Most lifts require fairly lengthy incisions and scarring is an important consideration.  The incisions can usually be hidden under clothing, and most bathing suits. In some patients, fluid can collect beneath the skin that may need to be aspirated with a needle.

 

Bleeding, infection and wound healing complications including delayed healing and skin loss may occur after body lift procedures.  Swelling is significant and will take several months to settle down fully.  An inherently safe procedure, there are risks involved and they are mentioned below:

 

·        Fluid Collection: Either blood or serous fluid could accumulate in a pocket

under the skin.  Small collections your body will absorb; however, larger ones

may need to be aspirated in the office with a needle.  This treatment usually

solves the problem and rarely is further treatment needed.

 

·        Scars: These are very small and usually not noticeable. They may remain

pink for a few months.

 

·        Waviness or wrinkling of the skin: After liposuction, the skin contracts or

shrinks down at different rates, which may cause some uneven skin contours

which may be visible.  With time, resolution of any swelling, and light

massage, a lot of these improve.

 

·        Asymmetry: This can happen even if identical amounts are suctioned from

both sides. Our bodies have a lot of asymmetry to begin with (one 
            side bigger than the other).  When a patient lies down on an operating
            table these discrepancies are not visible.  A few months after the procedure,
            if there continues to be marked asymmetry, a touch up may be necessary.

 

The specific risks and the suitability of this procedure for a given individual can be determined only at the time of consultation.  All surgical procedures have some degree of risk.  Minor complications that do not affect the outcome occur occasionally.  Major complications are unusual.

 

 Notes:

You are also at increased risk for complications from body lift surgery if you have diabetes, poor circulation, heart, lung or liver disease, smoke, have a family history of blood clots, take certain medications, etc.  You'll want to discuss your medical history thoroughly with Dr. Brill before you choose to undergo body lift surgery.

 

 

 

HOME		Blah		Links
Contact Us		Blah

 

 

The information on this web site is only intended as an introduction to this procedure and should not be used to determine whether you will have the procedure performed nor as a guarantee of the result. The best method of determining your options is to consult with Dr. Brill to answer specific questions related to your situation.