What are Body Lifts?

The term body lift evolved over the last several decades when the number of patients undergoing massive weight loss following Gastric Bypass surgery began to request assistance with their resultant excess skin and loose tissues. The previous more commonly preformed procedures, such as tummy tucks and breast lifts, were quickly noted to not be sufficient to treat all the areas affected by this weight loss. New procedures needed to be developed to treat the areas of sagging skin and tissue involving the arms, the outer chest, the back, the buttocks and the thighs. Although multiple techniques have been utilized to treat these areas, several procedures have become more useful than others.

Lower Body Lift

This procedure, which has various names including Circumferential Panniculectomy and Belt Lipectomy, basically involves making an incision that travels completely around the waist of the patient, lifting in one procedure, the areas of the lower abdomen, outer thighs and buttocks. This is a long procedure which is usually preformed in the hospital and involves an overnight stay. This same procedure can be divided into two halves, the front side as an extended Abdominoplasty and at a second stage a lateral thigh and buttock lift.  This allows for two smaller procedures that can be done on an outpatient basis.

Thigh Lift

Regardless of whether a lower body lift is preformed, sometimes loose tissue in the inner thigh needs to be treated separately. This loose tissue may also appear as an isolated problem and either way needs to be treated via a Medial Thigh Lift (Inner Thigh Lift). This involves an incision in the groin area that should be hidden within a bathing suit line. This procedure may or may not be accompanied by liposuction of adjacent areas.

Upper Body Lift

Recently the need to correct and remove the excess tissue following weight loss in the upper body (outer chest and upper back) has been recognized.  This can be done by extending the incision commonly used during a breast lift to travel completely around the upper body and meeting over the back bone. The scar is usually placed so that it is hidden underneath the bra strap.