The most important thing someone can do for their health is to maintain a healthy body weight. Obesity is increasingly common not just in the United States but around the world. Unfortunately, if you’ve lost a lot of weight, and have managed to keep it off on your own or with the help of gastric bypass surgery, there is still going to be a significant amount of excess skin that can only be addressed surgically. There is no non-surgical way. A less invasive procedure like an abdominoplasty or even an extended abdominoplasty would only take care of the tummy area and maybe the thighs. Only a full body lift would also remove skin from other areas like the buttocks and thighs.
What Is a Body Lift?
A body lift is basically a combination of the previously mentioned tummy tuck (adbominoplasty) along with, depending on the extent of the excess skin, lifts of other areas like the buttocks, thigh, back and hips. The goal is to achieve a balanced look. Depending on the patient,the procedure can take anywhere from six to eight hours.
The surgery is done under general anesthesia. It is performed by making a circumferential incision to remove the excess skin and fat. This does leave a residual scar that will go all the way around the lower abdomen and back. It will be just above the buttocks. But because of its low placement it’s usually well hidden by most underwear and bathing suits.
Recovery time is usually about two weeks.
Compression garments are often prescribed to provide support and promote the reduction of swelling and the healing of bruising. Drainage tubes which are put in after surgery are typically removed sooner, within five to 10 days of surgery.
Dr. Vitenas performs the body lift at the Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital and its affiliated outpatient facility, the Day Surgery Center, with an overnight stay for the patient’s comfort. Click here to see some pre-op and post-op photos of Dr. Vitenas’s previous body lift patients.
Contact Us and Book a Free Consultation
Please contact us by phone at 281-484-0088 if you would like to schedule a complimentary consultation during which Dr. Vitenas will go over your complete medical history, take the time to understand your goals, and answer all of your questions. Computer imaging will be used to help you visualize your own personal results. Dr. Vitenas will discuss reasonable and expected outcomes and explain the details of the procedure including the technique, the recovery, the risks, the costs and financing options.
Our office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can also email us here and a patient coordinator will get right back to you. Our office is conveniently located in the heart of Houston. If you are not a local, we can schedule an online consultation. We can assist with travel arrangements.
Dr. Paul Vitenas, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S. is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and founder of Vitenas Cosmetic Surgery. He has practiced in the Houston area since 1990, and has been named one of Houston’s Top Doctors and America’s Top Plastic Surgeons. He’s also been awarded Houston’s Most Compassionate Doctor and named a Top Doctor for Women. Read more about the Vitenas Cosmetic Surgery and the Fine Art of Natural Cosmetic Surgery at our website.
