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Body Lift

THE CONSULTATION

A personal consultation is the first step for every patient considering a lower body lift. During this meeting, I 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 me 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.

THE PROCEDURE

Before going into the operating room you will be marked for incisions and areas for liposuction in the standing position. You then go to the operating room and are placed under a general anesthetic. A horizontal incision is placed just above the pubic area and the excess anterior abdominal skin is removed, the underlying abdominal wall is tightened with sutures in the strong fascia of the abdominal wall if needed. You are then rolled onto your side and the incision is extended around to your back and excess lateral thigh/buttock skin and fatty tissue is excised after doing some liposuction lifting the lateral thigh and buttock areas. If the inner thigh has excess skin and fatty tissue an incision can be place in the groin area and excess skin resected and liposuction performed lifting this area also.

THE RESULTS

As with a full abdominoplasty all of the skin and underlying fat from above the belly button to the pubic hair is removed. The belly button will be brought out a new opening. The lateral thigh and buttock areas and possibly inner thigh areas are lifted tightening the skin and excess fatty tissue suctioned out. Giving you a flatter abdomen and thigh areas with tighter skin.

THE RECOVERY

Day of Surgery
After your surgery you will spend several hours in the recovery room then be transferred to an overnight stay room where nurses will monitor you. Most patients can go home the next day and you will have prescriptions for pain pills and an antibiotic. You will have two drains left in that the nurses will show you how to empty. You will have a compressive garment that helps control the swelling from the surgery. Your abdomen and thighs will feel tight and you should rest with several pillows behind you to keep our abdomen flexed to relax it.

Day 1 (After Surgery)

Leave the garment on. Try to walk a little but mainly just rest. It is not uncommon to notice a little drainage on the garment. You will still be very sore. Record the drain output on a daily basis. Your abdomen and thighs will slowly feel less tight.

Day 2 - 7 (After Surgery)

You will slowly feel better with discomfort gradually improving. You may gradually increase your activity. Do not lift anything over 5 pounds. You will be asked to come to the office about 7 days after your surgery for suture and drain removal. You can shower 1 day after drain removal. Do not drive.

After 1st Week

Pain and swelling continue to improve. Most people would feel like returning to a desk job after 2 weeks. Continue to wear the garment unless you are going to shower for a total of 4 weeks. If your swelling is minimal some people do like to switch to snug fitting bike shorts after 2 weeks. You will be asked to come back to the office about 2 weeks after suture removal for a follow-up visit.

After 1st Month

You may resume most activities but I would still take it easy for another month. Mild exercise programs my be resumed. No lifting over 15 pounds. The garment can be left off. You will be asked to come back to the office for another follow-up visit about 7-8 weeks from the date of your surgery. After this visit you will have no restrictions.

 

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