Lower Body Lift

What is a Lower Body Lift?

Just about every person who has undergone a drastic weight loss from diet and exercise or has experienced dramatic weight loss due to bariatric surgery comes to Dr. Slenkovich at Colorado Plastic Surgery Center concerned about the large amount of excess skin.

Unfortunately, when a person experiences significant weight loss, the skin does not shrink to meet the new body. This excess skin around the abdomen, thighs, and buttocks often doesn’t match the person you feel like inside. Dr. Slenkovich routinely performs body lift surgery, a plastic surgery treatment, to remove the unwanted excess skin.

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Lower Body Lift Thighs And Buttocks

When a person gains weight, the skin, as well as the underlying connective and fat tissue, expands, also called the “Body Suit” by Dr. Slenkovich. With weight loss and deflation of the fat layer, the tissues in this Body Suit can appear saggy or misshapen. The sagging skin often affects the abdomen, buttocks, and thighs.

After dramatic weight loss, there is commonly an excess of skin surrounding the trunk area of the body. This is actually good because the abdomen is often one of the areas that Dr. Slenkovich thinks it's important to address first.

One reason is that if there are large amounts of excess skin hanging along the lower abdomen, a condition called “intertriginous dermatitis” can develop. The skin becomes red and irritated, often painful. It may bleed or become infected. If the skin can be kept dry, this may be able to be kept under control, but it is frustrating and normally only a temporary solution.

Thighs and Buttocks can be operated on simultaneously as the abdomen. When done in combination, we call this a body lift, also known as a circumferential body lift. A body Lift is often the foundation for a comprehensive rejuvenation of the abdomen, trunk, hip, waistline, buttock, groin, and thigh area, providing circumferential lifting and tightening of a lax “Body Suit”.

The Body lift is a body contouring procedure that includes a tummy tuck, as well as buttocks and thigh lift by excising skin and cellulite of the thighs and buttocks to leave a smoother, more contoured shape. By continuing the lifting from a Tummy Tuck around to the outer thighs and buttocks, a Body Lift provides powerful additional rejuvenation below the waistline to provide lifting and tightening of the thighs and buttocks. This is one of Dr. Slenkovich’s most popular procedures following weight loss.

Lower Body Lift Incisions

For a complete lower body lift (tummy, thighs, and buttocks), the scar is an extension of the Tummy Tuck incision (which goes from hipbone to hipbone across the lower abdomen) around to the back, keeping the scar low in the underwear area (for women, under the bikini-line or panty-line; for men, under the underwear line). These incisions, while longer, offer extensive lifting and re-contouring power while typically being hidden in most types of clothing.

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Recovering from a Body Lift

Following a Body Lift, you will have a recovery period that requires significant downtime, including time off work. While the necessary recovery period differs from patient to patient, you can expect two to three weeks for a Body Lift. You may require a longer recovery period if your occupation is physically demanding or requires heavy lifting.

Some patients do not require a full body lift to correct sagging skin. In this case, they may be candidates for an abdominoplasty, in which Dr. Slenkovich not only removes excess skin but also tightens the muscles of the abdomen. For additional information on abdominoplasty, please visit our Tummy Tuck page.

Patient Testimonial

For my body lift in 2015, I remember walking in to the OR, stepping up on a step stool towards the table, then OUT. I was SUPER anxious for that procedure, but woke up after surgery all smiles. My breast lift in 2016 was a breeze, although I was highly emotional the morning of surgery for reasons only doc, my husband and I know. I don’t even remember the OR and had a simple, beautiful recovery! Can’t wait to see you tomorrow!

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