AbiliTech

Surgery After Weight Loss And Body Lift Procedures

In the United States today, approximately 31% of the population (59 million people) is obese, defined as roughly 30 or more pounds over a healthy weight. Nearly 65% of the US population is considered either obese or overweight, defined as weighing 10 to 30 pounds over a healthy weight. Numerous health problems can arise as a result of obesity, including diabetes, heart disease, and many others.  There are a variety of ways to achieve weight loss, all starting with the self commitment to improve how we both look and feel.  A proper balanced, healthful diet combined with regular exercise is the cornerstone of weight loss and achieving health and fitness.  Surgical procedures, known as bariatric surgery, surgery for weight loss, or obesity surgery, can also be performed.  

After the tremendous achievement of weight loss, and particularly massive weight loss, many people are troubled by the excess loose and sagging skin and fat that remains.  The wonderful accomplishment of weight loss is often, and unfortunately, counterbalanced by the excess of the body, arms, and thighs that are both unsightly and symptomatic.  Thankfully, there are treatments that reduce or remove the excess skin and fat after weight loss, allowing people to truly reach their goals of both feeling and looking better.

The “body lift” describes a series of procedures that are tailored to the individual’s needs after massive weight loss. The Lower Body Lift, the Upper Body Lift, and the Thigh Lift are all body lift procedures that can be performed after extreme weight loss.

The Upper Body Lift removes excess skin and fat from the arms, underarms, chest, breast, and back.  Thigh Lifts remove excess skin and fat from inner thighs, and often outer thighs, and knees.  Every individual’s distribution of excess skin and fat, and their particular desires, are unique, and the different body lift “tools” can be tailored with the appropriate body lift procedure to satisfy one’s particular goals.

Lower Body Lift

The Lower Body Lift removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen, thighs, flanks, and back, while also tightening the torso and lifting the buttocks and thighs.  It is also known as a circumferential abdominoplasty, or dermolipectomy.  Liposuction is often performed as well.  Not only can excess skin and fat be removed with this body lift procedure, but the body can be contoured and “sculpted” to improve appearances dramatically.  This body lift surgery often requires an overnight stay in the hospital.

Upper Body Lifts

The Upper Body Lift can incorporate arm lift (brachioplasty), breast lift (mastopexy), and removal of excess skin and fat from the side of the chest wall and back.  Breast enlargement (breast augmentation with breast implants, or augmentation mastopexy) can also be performed should the individual desire. This type of body lift surgery is most often performed as an ambulatory procedure.

Thigh Lifts

Thigh Lifts remove excess skin and fat from inner thighs, and often outer thighs, and knees, and may incorporate the Lower Body Lift incisions. A Lower Body Lift is most often performed before the Thigh Lift.

Is a Body Lift Right For Me?

Body Lift surgery is only performed after you have reached a weight loss “plateau”.  It is important that nutrition and health are optimum prior to body lift surgery.  Once these are achieved, after thorough consultation with your plastic surgeon the specific body lift procedure and combination of techniques will be selected for your particular needs.

About the Author

Dr Kolker, MD is a board certified plastic surgeon in New York city specializing in body lift procedures with advanced plastic surgery techniques.

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