Hate Your Belly, Butt and Thighs? A Lower Body Lift May Be the Answer

According to recent statistics provided by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 10,000 Americans had lower body lift surgery in 2006 alone, a 19 percent increase from 2005’s numbers. A lower body lift, also known as a belt lipectomy, is like a facelift for the center and lower body. Addressing problems of the abdomen, hips, thighs and buttocks, this surgery promises a dramatic transformation of the mid and lower body. Broken into its surgical components, the lower body lift includes a tummy tuck, a thigh lift, and a buttock lift.

Also known as torsoplasty, circumferential torsoplasty, central body lift, circumferential panniculectomy and circumferential lipectomy, a lower body lift works by removing the excess skin and fatty tissue resulting from time or extreme weight loss. Performed under general anesthesia and taking anywhere from 3 to 7 hours to complete, the surgery involves a number of steps beginning with the stomach. In this process, the doctor removes skin and fat from the stomach, then the hips, thighs and rear, suturing the skin in place once completed. During the surgery, it is not uncommon for the surgeon to perform liposuction as well, especially on the outer thighs.

Recovery from a body lift can be painful and extended. Frequently, patients will have tubes and drains left in their skin for one to two weeks post surgery in order to drain any tissue, fluid, or blood. Although it may be uncomfortable, they are also encouraged to walk right away, moving more as the days pass. Despite the fact that patients can usually resume light activity or work after a couple of weeks, normal activity is not recommended for at least four to six weeks following the operation.

The cost of a body lift can vary drastically from patient to patient and surgeon to surgeon, however, according to infoplasticsurgery.com, an online provider of cosmetic surgery facts and figures, the average cost of body lift surgery in the United States today is $14,500.

Despite the drastic nature of the surgery and significant post-operative downtime, lower body lift surgery does offer almost miraculous results, as is apparent in THESE photos. To find out more about body lift surgery, consult your plastic surgeon.