After losing a significant amount of weight, you have a final challenge: resolving the pockets of fat, skin, and tissue remaining on your abdomen, thighs, and buttocks. A body lift is often the final step in achieving your ideal figure. It combines the benefits of a tummy tuck with surgery to lift sagging thighs and buttocks for a slim, contoured figure.

Am I a candidate for a body lift?

To determine if you are a candidate for a body lift will require an in-person consultation and medical testing. Candidates for a body lift are:

Unhappy with the appearance of excess, drooping skin on the body
Are at a relatively stable weight
Do not smoke
Are in generally good health
Do not have a medical condition that could increase the risk of complications
Committed to continuing a healthy lifestyle after body lift surgery

What is a body lift?

A body lift, medically-termed a belt lipectomy, is a surgery to remove excess skin and fat on the front, sides and back your mid to lower body. Unlike a tummy tuck, focused on the abdomen, the incisions used in a body lift continue around the body to provide access to remove excess skin on the abdomen, thighs, and buttocks in one surgery.

A body lift can repair the following:

Sagging abdominal skin
Stretched or displaced abdominal muscles
Excess skin and tissue on buttocks
Sagging skin and tissue on the thighs

A toned, firm figure can be achieved with a healthy diet and consistent exercise. However, genetic factors and age can lead to loss of skin elasticity, and even with a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise, you may have developed sagging skin and tissue on your body that can be removed in a custom body lift performed by leading body sculpting surgeon, Dr. Khalifeh.

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Preparing for a custom body lift

To prepare for your surgery, a full evaluation of your condition will be performed, including:

Examine and take measurements of your body, which often includes detailed measurements
Consider pre-existing risk factors or health conditions
Discuss the options he feels are best to achieve your desired results
Take photos to place in your medical record
Discuss likely outcomes of body lift surgery and any risks or potential complications

What to expect with a body lift

A body lift is performed under general anesthesia or intravenous sedation. The surgery may take four hours or more to complete. Dr. Khalifeh will perform your surgery at our accredited private surgery center or at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington DC. The steps of the procedure include:

Anesthesia

You will receive medications to keep you comfortable during your body lift procedure with Dr. Khalifeh. You may be administered general anesthesia or intravenous sedation. Dr. Khalifeh will recommend the anesthesia technique that he feels is best for you during your body lift surgery.

Incision

The length and pattern of the incision Dr. Khalifeh uses depends on the location and the amount of excess skin that needs to be removed during your body lift. If you have a complete lower body lift, Dr. Khalifeh will treat your abdomen, buttocks, hips, waist and thighs during one body lift procedure. He will use a circumferential incision around the body. This removes the ‘apron’ of excess fat and skin. He then repositions and tightens the tissues.

Liposuction

To achieve the desired results, Dr. Khalifeh may perform targeted liposuction in combination with your body lift. If this is the case, he will use deep support sutures to help form your newly shaped contours.

Closing the Body Lift Incisions

Dr. Khalifeh may use sutures, tapes or skin adhesives to close the incisions created during the body lift surgery.

Contact Our Washington DC office about body lift surgery

If you are considering a body lift or any other plastic surgery procedure, contact Dr. Khalifeh today to set up your complimentary initial consultation. Dr. Khalifeh is a leading DC plastic surgeon who is known for his expertise in body contouring surgery such as liposuction, tummy tuck, body lift, and more. Call our Washington DC plastic surgery practice today to schedule a private consultation and evaluation.

Once your procedure is complete, your newly sculpted body will be visible immediately and will have a more contoured look. After the first month, the swelling will have faded, and you can start to enjoy your new look. The scars fade away over time, appearing as slim, silver lines in your skin, barely noticeable.

Recovery after a body lift

Once your body lift is complete, your incisions will be covered with bandages or dressings. A drainage tube may be placed beneath your skin to help drain any excess fluid or blood from your surgical sites to help reduce the amount of swelling you experience. You will need to avoid strenuous activity for four to six weeks, though you can expect to resume normal activities within a few days.

FAQ

How long will the results last?

If you continue to maintain your weight and incorporate exercise and a healthy diet into your lifestyle, the results of your body lift procedure will last for many years. Your skin will continue to age, but the overall slimmer, firmer body contour should last a lifetime.

Should I stay in the hospital for my first night?

Overnight hospital stays are not required, but you may wish to do so for peace of mind and for the support provided by nursing care.

Are there any risks associated with a body lift?

Body lifts are known to be very safe with a low risk of complications if post-surgery care and procedures are followed. In rare cases, patients have experienced infection, swelling, skin contour irregularities, changes in skin sensation, reopening of the incisions, and more.

Body Lift