What is a Body Lift surgery?

A Body Lift surgery is a body contouring surgery that effectively improves the appearance of your various body parts by removing and tightening excess folds of skin and fat that remain after a significant weight loss. The hanging skin could be due to a weight loss surgery, diet, exercise, aging, or post-pregnancy. During the surgery, often done in conjunction with liposuction, excess skin and fat are removed from the pre-determined body parts. After removing the fat using a liposuction procedure, the excess skin is removed and the remaining skin is placed on the newly created contours to create a toned and firm look.

When the skin on the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, back or other body parts loosens and sags because of significant weight loss, it causes those body parts to have a flabby and dimpled appearance. A Body Lift can correct this condition.

Undergoing a Body Lift surgery in Dubai at Hasan Surgery can restore tighter contours to your body. This will boost your confidence as your body image is improved. A Body Lift is popular with both men and women.

How is Body Lift surgery performed?

A Body Lift surgery in Dubai at Hasan Surgery is done under general anesthesia. During the body lift surgery, your body contouring surgeon will mark your various body parts to be treated and make incisions on the loose skin on those parts. The length and pattern of the incision typically depend on the amount of skin and fat that needs to be removed and from where it needs to be removed.

After making the incisions, your plastic surgeon will move on to tightening the underlying tissues. Often, Body Lift is combined with liposuction to remove more fat from the problem areas before stitching the underlying tissues together. After removing the excess skin, the remaining skin is draped over the new contours and stitched together to close the incisions.

 What are the different types of Body Lift surgeries?

There are multiple variants of a Body Lift, which depend on the treated parts.

Upper Body Lift – If your excess skin is mainly restricted to your upper body – from your upper arms to your upper back – you can opt for an upper body lift. This can help to improve the upper arms and armpits (via Brachioplasty/ arm lift surgery), breasts and nipples (via breast lift and breast reduction/ gynecomastia surgery for men -optional), upper back and sides (via a back lift).

Lower Body Lift or Belt Lipectomy or Circumferential Lipectomy – For many people, the lower body – thighs, hips, buttocks, groin, and lower abdomen are the problem areas with hanging skin that causes discomfort during movement. The Lower Body Lift, also called the Belt Lipectomy because of the incision that runs like a belt around the lower abdomen, can address this issue. It is often conducted along with a Mommy Makeover. The Lower Body Lift can involve a Buttock Lift or Thighplasty/ Thigh Lift, along with the removal of excess skin and tightening in the hips and lower abdomen area.

Mid Body Lift or Torsoplasty – A Mid Body Lift or Torsoplasty is the most common type of body lift performed. This procedure treats the torso – the main trunk of your body – downwards of the neck and up to the groin. It does not include the arms and legs. The procedures involved in a Torsoplasty may include breast lift, back lift, stomach lift, and tummy tuck. The Mid Body Lift is often combined with the Lower Body Lift to ensure a consistent body contour in the lower body. The Mid Body Lift incision is similar to a Lower Body Lift and runs around the front of the abdomen and to the back from hip to hip.

Total or Full Body Lift – Lastly, people who have had a massive weight loss and have excess skin extending all across their body might need to undergo the most extensive procedure, called the Total or Full Body Lift. This procedure may involve contouring and tightening the skin and tissue on your arms, breasts, back, abdomen, hips, buttocks, and thighs. The Full Body Lift may be done in stages for patient safety reasons. It is a significantly more intensive procedure, with more incisions and longer recovery time, but it does provide a massive rejuvenation to your overall appearance.

360 Body Lift – A 360 Body Lift is a surgery that simultaneously combines two procedures – a lower body lift and a tummy tuck/ abdominoplasty. It involves removal of excess fat and skin from the abdomen, lower back, flanks, buttocks, and may include the upper thighs too (thighplasty). This is followed by the tightening of the abdominal muscles (tummy tuck) in order to reshape and contour your midsection.

Who is an ideal candidate for Body Lift?

An ideal candidate is a healthy person who has achieved a healthy weight. They should not have fluctuating weight or any medical condition that could interfere with the healing of the wound.

He/she has excess, flabby, or dimpled skin in specific body parts and desires tighter contours and removal of such excess skin in those areas. The candidate should also have poor skin elasticity rendering them unsuitable for liposuction alone.

Before ensuring your candidature for the Body Lift, your plastic surgeon will review your medical history and past and present health condition. You will have to discuss your medication, including any herbal supplements.

As a possible Body Lift candidate, you must have realistic expectations about the resultant appearance after the procedure. You must stop smoking before and after the surgery, as tobacco can slow down the blood flow to the skin and thereby slow down the healing process.

The surgery will show desirable results only on people who are generally healthy and do not have any previous history of having cardiac issues, pulmonary emboli, excessive bleeding, seizures, immunodeficiency disorders, or deep vein thrombosis. People with such conditions are discouraged from undergoing this procedure due to a higher risk of surgical complications.

People who are on specific anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant drugs are also discouraged from undergoing a Body Lift surgery.

What is the cost of Body Lift surgery in Dubai?

The cost of Body Lift in Dubai depends on the following factors:

• Skill and experience of the plastic surgeon
• Standard of the clinic/ hospital where the surgery will be performed
• Amount of skin and fat to be removed
• Which areas are to be treated/ which type of Body Lift is to be performed
• Extent of body contouring involved
• Whether the procedure involves liposuction or other allied procedures
• Whether the procedure can be done in one session or requires multiple sessions

It is advised to get an initial consultation from a specialist plastic surgeon to know the cost applicable to your case and your eligibility for the procedure.

What anesthesia is usually given for Body Lift surgery?

At our accredited hospital in Dubai, Body Lift surgery is performed under general anesthesia.

When can I resume normal activities after my Body Lift surgery?

We recommend you schedule 2-3 weeks off from work after your Body Lift surgery. In the case of Total Body Lift, you may even need up to 4 weeks off from work. The complete healing and recovery after the surgery will need more time.

Most people can resume normal activities after 2-3 weeks. Take note that you might be required to avoid specific activities even after this period until you are fully recovered. For people whose work involves strenuous physical activities, you’ll need an extended time of another 4-8 weeks before resuming your normal activities.

What are the possible risks and side effects of Body Lift surgery?

Body Lift is a safe procedure with a skilled plastic surgeon, but the following complications may be seen:

• Swelling and bruising
• Prominent scarring
• Excessive bleeding
• Temporary numbness
• Temporary or permanent loss of sensation in the area of surgery
• Infection
• Skin or fat necrosis (deformation of skin/ fat cells)
• Seroma (fluid build-up under the skin)
• Contour irregularities

 What recovery and post-operative precautions are needed after a Body Lift surgery?

Most patients experience pain and discomfort after the surgery when anesthesia effects diminish. You will start to feel comfortable after a couple of days. You may need to stay in the hospital for 1-2 days.

Immediately after the Body Lift surgery, the incisions will be covered in bandages. These loosely wrapped bandages will help minimize the swelling. Sometimes, a small tube will be placed in your thigh to drain away the excess blood and lymph fluid. After removing the bandages and the tube, your plastic surgeon will recommend you wear a compression garment for a few weeks to aid the healing process and keep the swelling down. It is normal to feel some loss of sensation in the treated areas after your Body Lift surgery. This temporary numbness will go away once the sites are completely healed.

During your first week of recovery, you can expect issues with pain and bruising. The pain is managed with prescribed medications, and the bruising through cold compresses or Arnica gel. You should get plenty of rest during this time, though you should walk lightly to promote circulation and avoid blood clots. It would help if you slept in a position where you do not stretch the treated area. Pillows placed under the operated areas can help with this.

After the first week of recovery, it is necessary to do a follow-up visit with your plastic surgeon to monitor your progress— to check the incision sites. Attend all your follow-up visits to help with the complete recovery process.

For the first 6 to 8 weeks, avoid lifting any weights.

After the first month, you will have recovered enough to return to your routine, as long as it does not involve strenuous physical work. Pain is no longer a significant issue, and major bruising will have faded. At this stage, you can stop wearing your compression garment too.

It is advised to stay away from all physical and athletic activities which require stretching your operated areas for up to 8 weeks after the surgery. Take your oral antibiotics to prevent any infections.

Sun exposure should be avoided for up to 12 weeks after the surgery.

It is still best to do follow-up visits with your plastic surgeon for continuing post-surgical care.

When will the results of my Body Lift surgery be visible?

Post-surgery, there will be an immediate visible improvement in the shape and appearance of your treated areas. Most of the loose and sagging skin would have gone. After a month, most of the bruising and swelling will subside. The redness of the scars will diminish within 3 months. Within 6-12 months, you will see a noticeable improvement in the overall appearance of the body lift area and the scar appearance as well. The scars will continue to fade for some more time. The complete results may take up to 24 months to be fully visible.

How can I maintain the results of my Body Lift surgery?

For best results, strictly follow the care instructions of your plastic surgeon before and in the aftermath of the surgery. For lasting results, maintain a stable and healthy weight.