Body Lift New Jersey
Body Lift
This personalized procedure can help free you from the burden of excess, hanging skin on your body after losing a lot of weight, helping you feel more comfortable & confident in your slimmer body.
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Quick Facts
- Scars will always be present after a body lift, but should fade well with proper care
- Tummy tuck, thigh lift & upper arm lift are common post-bariatric procedures
- Patients should be at a stable, healthy weight for at least 3 to 6 months before surgery
- 9,098 patients body lift surgery in 2018**
Cost & Recovery
- $8,000 to $19,000
- Body lifting procedures are highly personalized, so recovery times vary. Patients typically can expect to recover for 2 to 4 weeks before returning to normal activity.
** Statistical information listed here is drawn from 2018 ASAPS data
With the growing popularity of bariatric surgery to treat obesity, we have seen a dramatic increase in patients seeking body contouring surgery after this procedure. Likewise, patients who have lost weight through diet and exercise or following pregnancy may want to address excess, sagging skin that remains after they achieve their goal weight.
Our goal with post-weight loss body contouring surgery is to remove the extra skin in affected areas and leave scars which are as inconspicuous as possible. Following your body lifting procedures, you’ll have tighter, smoother skin that both looks and feels better in clothing.
What is Body Contouring Surgery? Sorting Out the Terminology
Body contouring procedures after weight loss are not the same for every patient. It may be best to think of “body contouring surgery” as an umbrella name for a collection of plastic surgery procedures that lift and tighten specific areas of the body. For some, a tummy tuck alone achieves the desired improvements, while for others a tummy tuck, body lift, and inner thigh lift all are needed.
Below we have tried to clarify the terminology for you:
Post Weight Loss Surgery vs. Post-Bariatric Surgery
Post weight loss surgery refers to any plastic surgery procedure or procedures performed to address excess skin and sagging tissues after massive or significant weight loss. Since many patients have had bariatric surgery to lose the weight, it is also called post-bariatric surgery. However, the same procedures can be used for patients who lost that weight through diet and exercise. Some need a lower body lift; others only need a single procedure, such as a tummy tuck. Other patients, based on their individual desires and anatomy seek multiple procedures.
What is a Body Lift?
When surgeons refer to a body lift, they are typically referring to a surgical procedure which lifts and tightens the skin of the thighs, buttocks, hips (flanks), groin, waist, and abdomen. Other names for a body lift include circumferential body lift or a 360 body lift.
Options for Body Contouring After Weight Loss
No two patients have the same goals or needs with body lifting surgery. At your consultation, Dr. Parker will listen closely to understand what you hope to achieve, evaluate your areas of concern, and explain your options to make your desired changes.
Why liposuction by itself is usually not an option
While Dr. Parker may use it to enhance the results of a body lifting procedure, liposuction alone will rarely achieve the desired results. Liposuction reduces unwanted fat only, and for post-weight loss patients, excess skin, not fat is usually the main problem. In fact, for a patient with poor skin elasticity, liposuction without surgery to remove the excess skin may worsen the sagging appearance.
Tummy Tuck Alone
If the excess skin remaining after weight loss is mainly concentrated around the abdomen, a tummy tuck alone can provide excellent results. During this procedure, Dr. Parker tightens lax, protruding abdominal muscles (medically called the “rectus abdominus” muscles, commonly referred to as the “abs”) and removes the excess skin for a firmer, flatter midsection. For many patients, he will combine a tummy tuck with liposuction (if appropriate), called lipoabdominoplasty, to sculpt a more natural, slim contour to the entire belly and hips.
Before & After Tummy Tuck Following Weight Loss*
This 38 year old patient had lost 50 pounds through diet, exercise, and treatment of a thyroid condition. Dr. Parker performed lipoabdominoplasty, along with liposuction of the hips, to address the excess skin and muscle laxity and sculpt a nice contour to her abdomen. She is very excited about her improved appearance after surgery.
Body Lift
Weight loss affects each patient differently, and for some excess skin hangs from the buttocks and thighs, causing a wrinkled, aged appearance. By performing a body lift, Dr. Parker can remove the excess, sagging skin and tighten the remaining skin to restore a smoother, firmer appearance. If the buttocks have also lost definition, Dr. Parker can perform auto-augmentation, transferring fatty tissue normally discarded from the hips to create a rounder, more aesthetically pleasing contour of the buttocks. An incision around the body removes an apron of excess skin and fat and repositions and tightens tissues.
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Before & After Outer Thigh & Buttock Lift Following Weight Loss*
This 41 year old patient, who lost 55 pounds through diet and exercise, was bothered by sagging skin in her outer thighs and buttocks. Dr. Parker performed a body lift to address these issues, and the patient now feels much better about her appearance.
What is Involved with Body Lift Surgery?
Prior to surgery, Dr. Parker will carefully draw the proposed incisions on the patient in a standing position. He will review these markings and the surgical plan once again with the patient in front of a full length mirror. The patient is then brought to our operating room. Our our anesthesiologist administers general anesthesia to the patient. The patient is carefully turned into prone position, painted with an antiseptic solution and draped with sterile sheets. Dr. Parker will make incisions with a scalpel through the marked incisions. He will then remove a pre determined amount of skin and fatty tissue. He uses a laser like device called a cautery to seal all blood vessels. Despite the extent of the surgery, there is typically very little blood loss in his patients with this surgery.
Once the desired amount of skin and fat have been removed, the incisions are closed in multiple layers with dissolvable sutures to make the scars heal so that they are as thin as possible. Over 100 sutures are likely inserted in this closure to make it as perfect as possible. A medical version of Crazy Glue called Dermabond is then applied to the skin incision and seal it allowing the patient to shower the next day.
The patient is then carefully turned onto their back for the tummy tuck portion of the procedure. The patient is again painted with antiseptic solution and new sterile towels use to cover them. Dr. Parker now makes an incision in the lower abdominal skin marking with a scalpel and lifts the skin and underlying fatty tissue from the underlying muscles. If the muscles are loose (called “diastasis recti”), he will tighten these muscles with several layer of sutures. He then removes the stretched out skin and again closes the abdominal incision with multiple layers of sutures, just like the one on the back. He will make a small incision over the belly button, bring this out through the skin to make the patient an attractive, normal looking belly button.
Inner Thigh Lift
For many patients, significant weight loss results in an excess of skin that gathers on the inner thighs. This unwanted, sagging skin can be removed with a crescent inner thigh lift or a more aggressive vertical thigh lift procedure. Dr. Parker will discuss these options with you during your consultation. Most of his patients opt for a crescent inner thigh lift because the scarring is more concealed. With a crescent inner thigh lift procedure, the excess skin is removed through an incision hidden in the groin crease leaving a scar hidden in that well concealed location. This creates a smoother, slimmer contour of the inner thighs.
Before & After Crescent Inner Thigh Lift Following Weight Loss*
This 47 year old patient had gradually lost 115 pounds through diet and exercise, and requested improvement in the appearance of her inner thighs. Dr. Parker performed a crescent inner thigh lift to remove the excess skin. The patient loves the improved contour and appearance of her thighs.
A vertical inner thigh lift aggressively removes more loose skin and fat than a crescent inner thigh lift. With a vertical inner thigh lift, a vertically oriented V shaped incision is made over the excess skin and fat on the inner thigh. This unwanted tissue is removed and the incision closed with sutures leaving a vertical scar on the inner thigh. More skin and fat is removed with this procedure so the contour is slimmer than a crescent inner thigh lift but the scar more apparent.
Body Lift After Weight Loss
Many patients who lose a lot of weight, either through post-bariatric surgery or diet and exercise, are left with significant amounts of excess skin around the torso and thighs. Abdominal muscles may have become lax and protruding. A body lift combines a tummy tuck and outer thigh & buttock lift together to reduce excess skin, tighten abdominal muscles, and restore a smoother, more natural body contour. The most extensive of all post-weight loss procedures, a body lift can achieve the most dramatic results.
Before & After Body Lift Following Weight Loss*
This 37 year old, referred to Dr. Parker by another patient, requested body contouring after LAP-BAND surgery. Subsequent to this she had lost 70 pounds. With her weight now stabilized, she requested improvement with her hanging abdominal skin as well as the fullness and laxity in her hips, buttocks and thighs. Dr. Parker performed a combined lipoabdominoplasty along with an outer thigh and buttock lift. He also re-positioned her LAP-BAND port in a less conspicuous location. The patient recovered very quickly after her surgery. She is delighted with her markedly improved body contour.
Are You Ready for Body Lift Surgery?
For your safety and to ensure the best possible results, it’s important that you are at a stable weight before undergoing plastic surgery after weight loss. Typically, Dr. Parker recommends waiting until one year after bypass surgery or when weight loss has plateaued for 6 months.
Your Body Lift Consultation & Imaging Session
Consultations at the Parker Center are special. Dr. Parker will spend extra time with you, ensuring that he understands your goals and that you are fully educated about each potential solution. Additionally, our imaging expert will help you see the possibilities with digital photo imaging or Vectra 3D imaging technology, depending on your interests. Patients who are comparing providers often tell us our consults are the most thorough and informative they’ve ever experienced!
About Your Surgery at the Parker Center
Dr. Parker performs body lifting surgery in our fully accredited surgical facility. Your surgery will be performed under general anesthesia, administered by our board certified MD anesthesiologist. Time in surgery depends on the exact procedures you are having. Patients who are having more extensive procedures typically stay overnight in our recovery suite, where our experienced surgical and nursing staff can monitor the initial recovery.
Body lifting procedures can be extensive cosmetic surgeries and typically require a more lengthy recovery, particularly if you are having a tummy tuck or other procedure that involves muscular repair. Dr. Parker will explain the details of recovery for each procedure you are considering, so you can decide what’s best for you.
*Results may vary
Our Rapid Recovery Program
We know your recovery experience is important to your well-being as well as to achieving optimal results. We also want to help you get back to your normal routine as soon as possible! That’s why we have developed special protocols to optimize your post-procedure experience.Learn more about our Rapid Recovery Program »
Our “pain management protocol,” a key part of our Rapid Recovery program, is helpful in minimizing pain. Patients begin walking the day after surgery and many can resume normal activities within seven to ten days. Depending on the body lifting procedures performed, light exercise can often begin at two weeks and return to full exercise at six weeks. During both your consultation with Dr. Parker and in your pre-op education visit with our Nurse Educator, your anticipated recovery will be discussed in detail.
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