A Facelift for your Body

Dissatisfied with that loose skin after massive weight loss? Get a facelift - for your entire body.

After dieting or from liposuction and other forms of surgery, unwanted loose skin can be removed with the cosmetic surgical procedure known as the body lift. A body lift is usually performed on the lower torso, belly, hips, back, buttocks, outer thighs, and upper legs. It is also known as a belt lipectomy.

A belt lipectomy should not be considered part of a weight loss program. This type of cosmetic surgical procedure is not a motivational tool, and subsequent extreme weight loss after one can result in further tissue sagging. Specifically, the belt lipectomy involves the shaping and contouring of sagging skin around the waist and lower body, and may work in conjunction with other forms of cosmetic surgery like liposuction. It's designed to contour the body after weight loss and not precipitate the loss itself.

Unusual Areas

While the body lift is designed to contour the body to reflect a patient's desirable image, some of the procedures involved may seem a little off the beaten path. For example, part of the body lift procedure includes buttock augmentation, which helps to define the silhouette. It usually takes on one of two forms: grafting or implants.

In micro-fat grafting, body fat is taken from one area and injected into the buttocks to give a more muscular appearance. For those people who don't have enough fat to redistribute, implants are the answer.

The calves are another area where a patient may look to surgical body contouring to achieve the desired level of definition. Ideal implants are solid, pliable, and generally composed of silicone. Calf augmentation generally takes one to two hours.

Ideal Candidates for a Body Lift

Because a body lift requires more extensive surgery than most other cosmetic procedures, the best results are typically achieved by individuals meeting specific standards. These include those who have lost between 60 and 350 lbs and are left with excess skin on their face and other parts of their body. The loss of large amounts of weight often leaves behind sagging skin that doesn't tighten back.

The Body Lift Procedure

The actual procedure may vary from patient to patient depending on requirements, but normally, a body lift starts at the stomach. The physician will remove excess skin from the belly button to the pubic area. Then, the abdominal walls are tightened. Excess skin is removed and/or muscles are tightened in other areas as well. The procedure can take up to ten hours depending on the extent of correction desired.

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Information about Body Contouring and Belt Lipectomy

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