Body Lift
What Is Body Lift?
A body lift is a unique operation and tends to be a combination of several other operations. In essence, a body lift is a combination of a tummy tuck, a thigh lift, arm lifts, and breast lifts. This is an operation seen in “The Swan” and “Extreme Makeover.” In these operations, the whole body is effectively changed. This is an operation that also is often offered to patients with massive weight loss following gastric bypass surgery.
Body Lift Procedure
The actual body lift procedure tends to be a combination of many operations that are completed in a staged fashion. We evaluate the patient and see which of the operations would benefit them most. In post-gastric bypass patients, for example, a circumferential lift or lipectomy is first entertained. In this operation, similar to an abdominoplasty an incision is made around the excess skin of the abdomen. However, unlike an abdominoplasty, the incision, in this case, is taken all the way around the body. This helps us get rid of all the excess skin both in front and in the back. For these patients, this is a better operation as opposed to a standard abdominoplasty. Once this first stage is performed, the patient is allowed to heal for about 6 weeks.
The next stage usually considered is the medial thigh lift is which the excess skin of the medial thighs is removed. We take care to place the incisions in the medial aspect of the thighs so that patients cannot see them when they look in the mirror. This helps to hide the incisions best.
Another stage that is considered is when the excess skin of the arms is resected. This is called a Brachioplasty. This stage is usually combined with the breast lift or breast contouring operation. In this stage, the excess skin of the arms are measured and the excess skin is resected. Like the medial thigh lift, the incisions are placed medially so that they can be hidden and not seen when a patient is in a standing relaxed position. As for the breast lift operation, a standard breast lift is done. This can be complemented with an augmentation as most patients complain that their breasts feel hollow after their weight loss. A mastopexy and augmentation is routinely done for these patients and can be done with the Brachioplasty procedure. The specifics of the mastopexy augmentation operation are discussed in the mastopexy/breast lift section.
How Painful Is the Procedure?
Like any surgical procedure, there is pain involved. Most patients comment that they have a moderate amount of pain. To help with the pain, we regularly give patients oral pain medicine upon their discharge from the hospital. In an attempt to also help with the more immediate post-operative pain, we place indwelling pain pump catheters. These are placed during surgery and enable a self-contained system to dispense local numbing medicine (Marcaine) into the area of the incision and help with anesthetizing the incision and wound area for the first 48 to 72 hours. The pain pump is heat-activated so as long as it is taped to the body it will work. It is a continuous pump and does not need to be activated or regulated by you, the patient.
How Long Do I Have to Take Off From Work?
Great question. Most often I suggest to patients that they consider taking about 2 to 3 weeks off from work. Each patient is different but in my experience, I have seen most patients be active and up to most of their usual tasks by 3 weeks after surgery. Again each person and each body is different. One thing I need to mention is that I would require as most plastic surgeons do that you wear an abdominal binder, a corset of types, to give you additional support during your recovery period. I would recommend you wear this binder for approximately 6 weeks time.
Am I a Good Candidate?
Plastic surgery is not for everyone. It involves certain risks like any operative procedure. As long as you are aware of this fact, you can be considered for the procedure. However, in every case, the patient is best served by a thorough evaluation of their history, their body, and their overall expectations. You as the patient have to be realistic and cognizant of what is possible and what is reasonable. Trust me I am from Beverly Hills and I have had the privilege of working with many of the famous groups of plastic surgeons in LA. I can simply tell you there is no magic. We offer an opportunity to help you with surgical procedures in correcting what you may think is abnormal about your body. Also please understand that for many patients no surgery is needed; just a friendly word of encouragement and confidence from the local plastic surgeon.