Post-weight loss surgery can play an important role in fully taking control of your body. Though bariatric surgery can help to significantly reduce excess fat, oftentimes patients will be left with a large amount of loose or sagging skin. In addition, due to years of carrying extra fat both around and within the abdomen, many post-bariatric patients have overstretched abdominal muscles that cannot be returned to their original shape with exercise and diet alone. A body lift is designed to eliminate loose, excess skin around the lower body as well as tighten the underlying abdominal muscles for a more tightened, toned appearance.
The Body Lift Procedure
Ideal candidates for a body lift have maintained a stable body weight for at least 18 months. Our experienced plastic surgeons at the Plastic Surgery Center of Austin can use a body lift to not only eliminate this excess skin, but also tighten loose abdominal muscles that have been stretched beyond their ability to repair themselves. Your surgeon will perform a circumferential abdominoplasty, which can provide you many of the same advantages as an average tummy tuck with the added benefit of lifting and tightening the skin of the thighs and buttocks. Liposuction may also be used to remove isolated pockets of fat that have proven resistant to your diet and exercise efforts. Body lift surgery is typically performed under general anesthesia and often requires an overnight stay in the hospital.
Results of Body Lift Surgery
After your body lift surgery, you will be asked to wear a compression garment for several weeks to aid in the healing process. Most patients rest for two or three weeks before returning to work, though you should be able to move around your house the day after your surgery. Our doctors typically recommend waiting three weeks before resuming light exercise and six to eight weeks before resuming normal levels of exercise. Four to six weeks after your body lift surgery, you should notice a substantial difference in your body and begin to enjoy a tightened, more youthful-looking figure. To optimize their results, some of our patients choose to undergo additional post-weight loss surgeries, including thigh lift, arm lift, breast lift, or breast reduction. To learn more about your post-weight loss options, please contact our office today to schedule a consultation.
