A belt lipectomy or total body lift is an operation usually performed in patients who have lost large amounts of weight and are left with sagging skin at the lower abdomen, hips and lower back area. It is the best operation to tighten the lower body across its entire circumference. A body lift also has the advantage of lifting the outer thigh and mons pubis areas. Most massive weight loss patients experience significant buttock deflation. A body lift can accentuate buttock flattening, and is therefore best combined with gluteal (buttock) augmentation.
The Procedure
A lower body lift is a 5-6 hour operation performed under general anaesthetic in an accredited hospital. Dr Sanki and Dr Kotronakis will carefully draw the incision plans on the patient’s skin before they are anaesthetised. The operation then begins with the patient in the prone (face down) position to allow excess skin and fat from the lower back and buttock area to be removed. At this point, a “purse-string gluteoplasty” can be performed. This operation improves the projection and shape of the buttock area by contouring the patient’s existing lower back skin and fat into hemi-spherical flaps. The flaps are then tucked under the buttock skin, and the wounds are carefully closed.
The patient is then carefully turned to lie on their back while they are still anaesthetised. A classic or fleur de lis abdominoplasty will then complete the operation by removing excess lower abdominal skin, tightening the six pack muscle and reshaping and repositioning the belly button.
Recovery from Lower Body lift surgery
Most patients require 2-3 nights in hospital following this operation and are able to return to work after 3 weeks. While in hospital, a team of physiotherapists, nurses and anaesthetists will help guide the patient’s recovery. An abdominal binder is used to compress the skin flap down onto the muscle wall in its new location. This helps to reduce swelling and drainage. Drains are removed before the patient goes home.
what to expect at your first consultation
Dr Sanki and Dr Kotronakis, our body contouring specialists, will meet with you in a 45 minute consultation in our rooms in Kogarah. The consultation will address your concerns about the appearance of your body and your goals for treatment. The consultation will be performed with sensitivity to your opinions and thoughtfulness to your concerns. Your surgeon will then examine your body and skin and possibly take photographs. You will be educated about the procedure, its risks and alternatives and given an opportunity to ask questions. At the end of the consultation, our patient coordinator will discuss the booking process and quotation with you. A second consultation, called a “preop” will be performed a few weeks prior to your surgery to further answer your questions and discuss the do’s and don’t’s in your lead up to surgery.
combination procedures
A lower body lift is a long operation but can sometimes be combined with another procedure such as breast lift if the total duration of surgery does not exceed 6 hours. It is not recommended to have a lower body lift at the same time as thigh or arm surgery as your limbs are important for helping you to move when your body is sore.
What the procedure involves
A Lower body lift or belt lipectomy is performed under general anaesthetic in an accredited, licensed hospital including St George, Hurstville or St Luke’s private hospitals. You are initially turned to lie on your tummy in order to remove the wedges of skin from the lower back or upper buttock area. These wounds are closed in three layers of dissolving sutures before turning you face up to complete the tummy tuck. The front part of a lower body lift is exactly the same as a classic abdominoplasty in that the belly button is detached from the surrounding skin, the loose lower abdominal skin is removed, any muscle separation is repaired and the wounds are carefully closed.
Where to get more information
A consultation with a qualified Plastic Surgeon is the best place to get the right advice. More information on facelift is available online at the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons and Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons websites. You can view a video of the procedure there.
Body Lift Examples
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