Lower Body Lift
Lower Body Lift
A lower body lift is a surgical procedure that tightens
the thighs and buttocks by removing excess tissue from the
lateral hips and inner thighs. This procedure is often performed
in conjunction with an abdominoplasty
(tummy tuck) or LipoSelection.
Lower body surgery is a procedure primarily designed for
people who have lost large amounts of weight and are left
with saggy and unattractive skin in their lower body. The
doctors at The
Metropolitan Institute for Plastic Surgery can work
with you to determine the correct procedure for you and
to ensure a safe and pleasing surgical outcome.
Are You A Good Candidate for a Lower Body Lift?
Lower body lift surgery is best suited for people who are
generally healthy and in relatively good shape, but have
loose lower body skin and/or significant amounts of lower
body fat that does not respond to dieting or exercise. You
may be a good candidate for this
procedure if you have one or more of the following conditions:
· Excess or loose, sagging lower body skin
· Lower body muscles that have been weakened by pregnancy or aging
· Excess fat that is concentrated beneath the lower body skin.
If you have not yet reached your desired weight, you should most likely postpone your lower body lift surgery because you may need another procedure to remove excess skin that results from additional weight loss.
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Meeting With the Doctor
Prior to scheduling your lower body, you will meet at length
with the doctors and staff at The Metropolitan Institute
for Plastic Surgery to evaluate your physical health, to
discuss your specific goals for the procedure, and to ensure
that you have a realistic view of the results that can be
achieved with a lower body lift. In addition, the doctors
at the Institute will work closely with you to determine
which combination of procedures will most likely give you
the surgical results you desire.
The Metropolitan Institute for Plastic Surgery
doctors and staff will:
· Review the various lower body treatments with you
· Clearly discuss the potential risks of the lower body lift procedure
· Outline in detail how the surgery is performed and what you can expect before, during, and after the procedure
· Provide detailed cost, insurance (if applicable), and
payment information
· Answer all your questions
You will be asked to provide:
· Details about your medical history
· A list of all medications you currently take including over the counter medications such as aspirin, vitamins, and herbal supplements
· Information regarding your tobacco and alcohol use
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How The Procedure Is Performed
Your surgery will most likely be performed at the hospital, where you will spend one to two nights recovering after the surgery. The procedure is performed using general anesthesia and takes about four to five hours to complete depending on the extent of the work being done and whether or not any additional procedures such as a tummy tuck are being performed at the same time.
The nature of the surgery requires the doctor to make long
incisions; the length of the incisions depends on the amount
of excess skin being removed. Depending on the extent of
the procedure and your individual anatomy, the scar may
stretch across the upper buttock and the outer and inner
thigh. Whenever possible, the incisions are positioned in
the most inconspicuous positions possible and, in many cases,
you will be able to wear a bathing suit without the resulting
scars being visible.
Once the incisions are made, the doctor removes crescent
shaped segments of skin and fat from the buttock and thigh
areas. The remaining skin and tissue are lifted to achieve
a tighter and smoother affect. The doctor then stitches
the incisions closed and gauze dressings are placed over
them. Temporary drains may be put in place to help drain
excess fluid from the area of the surgery. A firm fitting
body garment is placed over the surgery site to provide
support to the area.
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What To Expect After Your Surgery
| Activity | When |
|---|
| Shower | Two to Three Days After Surgery |
| Back to Work | Two to Three Weeks After Surgery |
| Driving | Two to Three Weeks After Surgery |
| Strenuous Activity | Six to Eight Weeks After Surgery |
| Fading of Scars |
Several Months to One Year |
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Immediately After Your Surgery
You will spend one to two nights in the hospital recovering
from your lower body lift. It is important that you have
someone to drive you home and to stay with you for the first
few days you are at home. There may be moderate pain during
the first few weeks after your surgery. Pain medication
will be prescribed to alleviate as much post-surgery pain
as possible. Though you may not be able to stand up completely
straight for at least a week after surgery, it is important
to start moving and walking within a day of surgery.
The First 24 to 48 Hours After Your Surgery
During the first 24 to 48 hours after your procedure, you
will feel tired from the anesthesia and will experience
a good deal of discomfort in the area of the surgery. Pain
medication will alleviate much of the discomfort. There
will be visible bruising in the area of the surgery and
swelling will be severe; the bruising and swelling may take
three to four months to completely disappear. Your discomfort
level will improve rapidly after the first two days.
To
facilitate the healing process, it is important to start
moving and walking within a day of your surgery. You will
wear an elastic body garment for four to six weeks after
your surgery to provide gentle, healing pressure, to provide
stability, and to help reduce the risk of blood clots.
The First Two Weeks After Surgery
You will notice a marked improvement in your discomfort level during the first few weeks after your surgery.
The drains that were inserted into the surgical area will be removed within five to ten days of your surgery. Upon release from the hospital, you will be instructed on how to take care of the drains, which are used to allow fluid to drain from the surgical area. Most of the stitches used are dissolving; any non-dissolving sutures used will be removed within five to ten days after surgery.
Small amounts of bleeding and oozing are normal in the first few days after surgery. If you see more than just a slow staining of the gauze dressing, apply pressure to the area with your hand for 20 to 30 minutes to stop the bleeding. If this does not stop the bleeding, call The Metropolitan Institute for Plastic Surgery. Heavy bleeding is rare; however, if it does happen, call the Institute right away.
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Resuming Your Normal Routine
Everyone heals at different rates and you are the best judge
of when you are ready for certain activities, but the following
are general guidelines:
· Swelling and bruising gradually disappear within three to four months of surgery.
· You can most likely return to work or school within two to three weeks after your procedure. If your work is strenuous, plan to stay home from work for four to eight weeks, depending on how you heal and the type of work you do.
· You can most likely return to your physical exercise
program within six to eight weeks of your lower body lift.
Our patients are encouraged to plan an exercise program
and discuss it with the staff prior to resuming exercise.
· The scars caused by the incision should be protected from sunlight for at least a year after surgery.
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Things To Be Aware Of After Your Surgery
· Your scars may actually appear to worsen during the first
three to six months after surgery; this is a normal part
of the healing process. Within about nine months of your
surgery, your scars will flatten and lighten in color.
· Healing does not always occur evenly from side to side and your thighs may heal at different rates and in different ways.
· You may experience a loss of sensation or numbness in the area of your surgery. This is entirely normal and may take several months to disappear.
· The skin in the area of your surgery may appear shiny due to swelling. Within a few weeks, the swelling will disappear and the skin will return to a normal appearance.
· You may notice a tingling sensation in the surgical area. This feeling is a result of the healing Ed_Healing.doc) of the nerves in the area and will go away within several months of your procedure.
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What Are Possible Side Effects or Risks?
Like all surgical procedures, there are risks associated
with lower body lifts. During your initial consultation
with the doctors and staff of The Metropolitan Institute
for Plastic Surgery, your individual risks will be assessed
and discussed. As with any surgery, you can help reduce
the risks by closely following the pre and post-surgery
instructions provided to you. And the doctors and staff
of the Institute will be with you every step of the way
to ensure a safe and pleasing outcome.
Most likely risks include the following:
· Infection
· Loss of sensation
· Damage to sensory nerves
· Areas of wrinkling or slight depression in the skin
· Changes in the asymmetry of the thighs
· Scarring
How Long Will the Results of Your Lower Body Lift Last?
Lower body lift surgery can dramatically tighten sagging thigh, hip, and buttock tissue to nicely enhance the appearance of the hips, flanks, buttocks, and upper lateral thighs. The results are generally permanent; however, large weight gain or pregnancy will affect how long the results last.
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Questions You May Have
· Are there other procedures that could be done along with lower body lift surgery to enhance the overall appearance of my buttock and upper thighs?
Abdominoplasty, or tummy
tuck (link to Body_Tum Tuck.doc) surgery, is often performed
in conjunction with lower body lift surgery. LipoSelection
is sometimes used in addition to lower body lift surgery
to enhance the overall appearance of this area. The doctors
at The Metropolitan Institute for Plastic Surgery are the
first specialists in the Washington DC area certified to
perform LipoSelection,
a much gentler form of liposuction that can be used to remove
fat in the lower body region.
· Will my insurance coverage pay for my lower body
lift?
Except in rare cases where lower body lift surgery is considered essential to future health, lower body lift surgery is considered cosmetic surgery and, therefore, is not covered by insurance. You are responsible for the full payment of the procedure. Cost and payment information will be fully discussed with you during your initial consultation.
· Are there alternatives to lower body lift surgery?
Options for improving the look of your buttock and upper
thigh region include weight loss and exercise,
especially toning exercises. LipoSelection may also greatly
enhance the look of your lower body.
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