Reasons to get a Body Lift

Patients who have achieved massive weight loss after successful bariatric surgery or other personal efforts are left with large folds of unwanted, redundant looking skin. The skin, along with maldistributed fat, needs to be surgically removed from the upper and lower torso, and the residual skin lifted, and restored back to its normal position. The procedure can also benefit patients with sagging skin due to pregnancy, ageing or hereditary conditions. 

Excess Skin Problems

Excess skin is uncomfortable and heavy, causing difficulties for patients such as poor posture, aching in the back and shoulders, and being impeded in walking and exercising. Personal hygiene challenges are many, including body odour and chronic rashes and infections in skin folds due to an inability to thoroughly clean the affected areas. Low self-esteem often eventuates. A body lift enhances the appearance of the mid-section, markedly improving their ability to walk and undertake physical activities, improve hygiene and comfort. 

Body Lift Procedure

Body lift surgery is a highly personalised procedure. The surgery is performed as two procedures to ensure the safe limits of the operation. The first stage is a tummy tuck procedure. Excess skin is removed from the lower abdomen before drawing skin down from the upper abdomen and suturing it along the lower fold. The navel is preserved and repositioned, usually higher on the abdomen. For patients who have significant skin laxity/redundancy, an additional vertical incision up the abdomen is offered which is highly effective in removing all skin laxity and creating a more desirable waistline. During the second stage of body lift procedure, the lower back and buttock skin laxity is addressed with a horizontal incision. A period of 4-6 months is required between each procedure to ensure there is adequate time to heal between each stage.

Body Lift Recovery

Both stages of body lift surgery usually involves a four to five-night stay is hospital. The recovery phase for each procedure is about four to six weeks, and our team will meet with you regularly to ensure you are healing well. A compression garment must be worn for six weeks to support the operated site. Activities involving heavy lifting, swimming, strenuous exercise and sports will need to be avoided until advised by your surgeon.

Body Lift Expectations and Results

It is important that you approach body lift surgery with realistic expectations about the results. The procedure is ideal for patients that have reached their target weight and have maintained it for at least 12 months. Scarring from the surgery may be more prominent than you anticipated, even after successful surgery and good healing. Our team will work with you to minimise scarring and treat resultant marks to assist in repairing the skin. Numbness around the operated area is temporary in most cases and will resolve over several months. Your consulting surgeon will talk you through all of the risks and possible complications involved in body lift surgery. 

Make an appointment with Dr Turner and her team to have an in-depth discussion about the outcomes you want to achieve through body lift surgery. 

Read further information about body lift surgery on the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons' website here