Body Lift

Achieving and maintaining a considerable weight loss requires exceptional commitment, whether you manage it through bariatric surgery or with diet and exercise alone.   For many people, losing a significant amount of weight is not only an extraordinary accomplishment, but also an important step towards a healthier lifestyle and improved self-esteem.   But despite all the hard work that goes into achieving weight loss goals, many people are left with excess skin and muscle laxity that prevents them from realizing their ideal body shape.  Unfortunately, no amount of exercising and calorie-counting can repair over-stretched muscles or tighten excess skin.  Body lift/lower body lift surgery can help create the beautiful and natural contours you deserve after substantial weight loss.  The body lift/lower body lift procedure is designed to lift and shape the entire midsection of your body by removing localized fat, trimming excess skin, and tightening lax muscles in the abdomen, thighs, and buttocks.

Because body lift/lower body lift surgery is a reconstructive procedure with tremendous cosmetic implications, you should seek a surgeon with both technical and aesthetic expertise.   Incision placement is paramount, as is a sense of natural balance and proportion.  Dr. Levine combines the most advanced surgical techniques with the eye of an artist to help patients complete their body transformation.

Procedure

Ideal Candidate

People with excess skin, muscle laxity, and localized fat deposits in the abdominal region, the thighs, and the buttocks may be good candidates for body lift/lower body lift surgery.  Often, people who have lost a significant amount of weight€” whether through diet and exercise alone, or in combination with bariatric weight-loss surgery €” can benefit from a lower body lift procedure to remove excess skin and improve body contours.  Body lift surgery is ideally performed after you have achieved your weight loss goals and reached a plateau.    If you are continuing to lose weight, you should wait before having body lift/lower body lift surgery.  Dr. Levine will gladly meet with you to discuss whether you are a good candidate for body lift/lower body lift surgery. 

Body lift/lower body lift surgery removes excess skin and tightens muscles, while lifting and reshaping the entire midsection of the body, including the tummy, thighs, and buttocks.  Body lift surgery includes three main components:  a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), circumferential thigh lift, and buttock lift, with or without augmentation.  During the body lift/lower body lift procedure, excess fat is removed from the abdomen, thighs, and buttocks.  Abdominal muscles are tightened, and any excess skin is removed.  Liposuction may be used in targeted areas to help sculpt and shape natural contours.  In certain cases, the buttocks may be augmented by using your own tissue.  

Incision Placement

Incision placement will vary, depending on the specific corrections needed, but all incisions will be placed carefully where they will be least noticeable.  Most commonly, a horizontal incision is made across the bikini line, which may be extended around the hip area and hidden in the gluteal crease (known as a circumferential incision).  Meticulous care is taken to hide incisions and, in most instances, they can be camouflaged beneath two-piece bathing suits and low-cut jeans.   In a small number of cases, a vertical fleur-de-lis incision may be needed to address significant excess skin in the upper abdominal area.  Often this vertical incision can be made using a pre-existing incision from previous gastric bypass surgery. 

Other Procedures

In most cases, body lift surgery is done as an isolated procedure.  In a small number of cases, patients may elect to combine body lift surgery with other procedures, such as liposuction, breast lift, breast augmentation, and facial rejuvenation.  Dr. Levine will discuss with you which procedure or combination of procedures may best suit your specific needs. 

Preparation

During your initial consultation, Dr. Levine will examine your abdomen, thighs, and buttocks to determine the amount of excess skin and muscle laxity present.  He will also address your medical history and discuss other factors that may affect body lift/lower body lift surgery, such as previous surgeries and history of weight fluctuations.  He will thoroughly discuss your goals and expectations, including possible risks and the best way to prepare for your surgery.  He will let you know what to expect before, during, and after your procedure, and he will answer any questions that you may have. 

Anesthesia Types

We recommend general anesthesia for body lift/lower body lift surgery.  You will discuss your procedure thoroughly with both Dr. Levine and our board-certified anesthesiologist to determine the best type of anesthesia for your needs. 

Expectations

Body lift surgery is performed in the hospital.  The length of your procedure will depend on the extent of the correction needed, but on average, the surgery usually takes 4-7 hours.   You will stay overnight in the hospital for 1-2 days after your procedure.* 

Post Procedure

Every surgery is different, and you will receive detailed post-operative instructions for your specific needs.  In general, you can expect to have swelling in the midsection for several weeks after surgery.  Most patients report moderate pain after the surgery, which is usually well-tolerated with medications.*  At Plastic Surgery & Dermatology of NYC, our concern for you doesn’t end when you go home.  We’re dedicated to providing ongoing care to ensure a fast, safe, and smooth recovery.  Dr. Levine will see you for post-operative visits, and he and our staff stand ready to answer any questions you may have about your recovery, as well as your overall health and well-being. 

Results

One of the many wonderful qualities that sets us apart at Plastic Surgery & Dermatology of NYC is our ability to use a multidisciplinary approach to optimize results.  With expertise in both plastic surgery and dermatology, Dr. Elie Levine and Dr. Jody Levine work together to help prepare, protect, and treat the skin before, during, and after your procedure.  As one of New York’s leading dermatologists, Dr. Jody Levine will customize a skincare regimen that includes pre-surgical measures to optimize your skin, as well as post-surgical skincare that can help prevent irritation, alleviate bruising and inflammation, and promote faster healing.   Unlike other practices, we include these unique pre- and post-surgery skincare packages as part of your surgical plan.  Our pre-surgery facials and microdermabrasion treatments help prepare your skin for surgery and ensure the best recuperation.  Post-operative packages include lymphatic massage with our skilled medical aesthetician in order to enhance circulation, support healing and improved immunity function, and leave the skin looking radiant and healthy.*  With our extensive array of lasers, we are able to provide post-surgical laser treatments to best accelerate your healing.  The Drs. Levine will be happy to discuss with you the best skincare approach for your specific needs. 

Contact

Dr. Elie Levine will be happy to meet with you to discuss post-bariatric weight loss procedures. Please call our office at (212) 988-1800, or make an appointment online for a personal consultation in our New York City offices.