You’ve had the gastric bypass or gastric band surgery, you’ve spent the last 18 months living on teeny tiny portions that would hardly feed a small kitten, and you’ve managed to lose almost 200 pounds in weight. But instead of looking fab, you look like you’re wearing an enormous, droopy nightgown that is in desperate need of ironing. What’s the problem?
The answer, as anyone who has lost an enormous amount of weight will tell you, is that for the vast majority of people, shedding the pounds means gaining excess flaps of droopy, saggy skin. You may think you’d look perfect if you could only lose 250 pounds. But in actuality, you’ll still look like the Michelin man – but with all the air and padding sucked completely away.
Luckily, there is a solution to get rid of this unfortunate legacy of massive weight loss: plastic surgery. Most people start by having a body lift, which is not a way to get rid of excess fat, but to lose all that surplus skin. In fact, some people who have body lifts manage to lose another 30 or 40 lb – overnight. Of course, you’d have to have the stomach to withstand such an op – but you do!
Beauty of the Body Lift
Despite the bizarre moniker, a body lift doesn’t involve either hydraulic cranes or truck suspension kits. They exist purely for people who want to lose extra skin following huge weight loss. While some surgeons encourage them for anyone who wants to tighten up their lower body, they work best for people who have loads of extra skin, not extra fat. In fact, if you continue to lose weight following body lift surgery, your skin may eventually sag even more - so what’s the point?
At present, there are three main types of body lifts:
- Belt Lipectomy
- Tumescent Body Lift
- Total Body Lift
Belt Lipectomy. The most common type, also known as a lower body lift. It’s actually a three-in-one procedure, wrapping together a thigh lift, tummy tuck and buttock lift into one. The operation can be done in stages or at one time, depending on your needs and wants.
Tumescent Body Lift. Similar to the above three-in-one, but with the added benefit of sedative injections designed to bring comfort and relief to the patient after the surgery, which is carried out under light anesthesia only.
Total Body Lift. Promotes being able to totally reshape the body, including chest, breasts, thighs, arms, waist, back, abdomen, hips and knees.
Please be aware that a cost of a body lift will vary greatly, dependent not only upon where you have it done but on how much skin you need to have removed etc. This is major surgery and the risks of infection, in particular, are not to be taken lightly. There are also small risks of clotting and other problems associated with general anesthesia, if that is what you choose, and you may be unhappy with the results or feel your body is asymmetrical.
To minimize both the risks and any discontent with the end result, do your homework beforehand and discuss all aspects of the operation with your doctor and plastic surgeon well in advance. And only use a surgeon who is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, or its equivalent.
Post-Bariatric Body-Contouring Surgery
If you feel that only a specific part of your body suffers from excess skin, you may want to have a specific procedure carried out instead of a complete body lift. Such procedures include:
- Breast Lift
- Thigh lift, or thighplasty
- Arm lift, or brachioplasty
- Panniculectomy, to remove excess hanging skin
Breast Lift. Known also as a mammoplasty, mastopexy or breast uplift, this operation doesn’t remove the breast tissue but instead gets rid of excess skin, to make the bosom appear raised, firmer and higher. Your nipples may be repositioned and, if desired, you can have implants put in at the same time.
Thigh lift, or thighplasty. No more thunder thighs! Excess, saggy skin that has lost its elasticity is removed, and in some cases liposuction will take place at the same time to get rid of any excess fat that stubbornly has remained. The end result is a thigh area that is smooth and contoured and will look swell in a swim suit (hopefully).
Arm lift, or brachioplasty. Say good-bye to that bat-wing look by cutting off all the excess skin on the underside of your upper arms. This is one op carried out commonly not only on folk who have experienced weight loss surgery, but also women who just want to look better and sleeker. Scars will be visible, so decide whether you can sleep easier with them or loads of skin before having this op.
Panniculectomy, to get rid of that apron of hanging skin on your belly. Different from abdominoplasty, which also tightens up the tummy muscles, this just gets rid of mainly skin and some fat. You must have your weight completely stable for at least 12 months to qualify for this procedure. Good to get rid of localized fat underneath the navel area; also used post-pregnancy for women to return to their sleek pre-baby selves.
Body lifts and other forms of post-bariatric surgery lifts can be great morale boosters for people who have lost significant amounts of weight. You can improve your overall appearance greatly by having a lift, which can also help your clothes fit better and more snug, and give you an overall impression of better health and well being. Loose, saggy skin can get in the way of having a normal life, and often surgery is the only answer.
If you are contemplating a body lift of any sort, make sure you discuss everything in detail with a medical professional first. But keep in mind that body lifts are not tools to help people lose weight, they are tools to help people look – and feel – better after the weight has already been lost. Good luck!
