A Patient's Guide To A Body Lift Procedure In Dallas

Most of our Dallas body lift patients had multiple questions about the procedure, the types available, the surgical techniques, the average cost, and the recovery period. Body lift procedures can significantly vary depending on a patient’s situation and desires. It is therefore important that potential patients carry out research into the various procedures. This blog is designed as a patient’s guide to a body lift procedure and includes various information on the procedure, cost, and recovery.

What Is A Body Lift?

A body lift can be performed on various areas to remove excess skin and fat to contour the body. Many patients acquire large amounts of excess skin as a result of dramatic weight loss or fluctuations in weight, but sun damage, pregnancy, and genetic disposition can also cause loose skin to develop across areas of the body. A body lift procedure is designed to remove this loose skin and tighten areas of the body to restore a patient’s figure.

There are numerous procedures that are performed on specific areas of concern such as an Arm Lift, Thigh Lift, or Tummy Tuck Procedure, but a body lift is designed for patients whose concerns extend over multiple areas of their body. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgery, a body lift is often performed on the abdomen, buttocks, and thighs.

Although a body lift can remove excess fat, Liposuction is the procedure designed for patients who solely have concerns regarding unwanted fat deposits. A body lift is designed for patients with excess skin and who desire a lift to their body.

Body Lift Surgery

The surgery itself will vary for patients depending on the specific areas they wish to have the procedure performed on. However, the general surgical process will be the same for all body lift patients and involves:

Anesthesia- Often general anesthesia is necessary for a body lift procedure but some patients can receive different types of sedation. You can read our Sedation Page for more information and this will be discussed during your surgical consultation.

Incisions- For most body lift procedures, extensive incision lines are created using a scalpel so that the excess skin can be accessed and removed and areas of tissue can be tightened. The specific location of the incision lines will depend on the areas being treated and the specific needs of the patient undergoing the surgery. The incision lines tend to stretch across the entire span of the body when lifting the stomach or back so will be placed across the bottom of the abdomen or back running from hip to hip.

Procedure- Next the areas of excess skin will be removed from the body and in some cases, liposuction will be used to remove any excess fat deposits. Liposuction uses a cannula to suction out fat deposits from the body. The tissue can also be tightened before the incision lines are closed using sutures.

Circumferential / 360 Body Lift

A circumferential body lift is typically performed on patients who have lost a significant amount of weight and have loose skin across the circumference of their body. If a patient gains significant amounts of weight, the skin stretches. If this weight is lost, the skin retracts as the weight is lost. However, if a patient loses weight quickly or has poor skin elasticity, the skin does not properly retract and significant amounts of skin are left across areas of the body. There is not a solution for this sagging skin since it cannot be lost through dieting or exercise and so many patients decide to have it surgically removed so they can achieve a flatter and more even figure. The circumferential body lift is performed around the circumference of the middle region of the body and so removes any skin, fat, or tissue from the abdomen, the waist, the back, and buttocks to achieve a balanced result. The specific procedure will be tailored to each individual’s needs and the amount of skin or fat removed will completely depend on the patient’s goals and situation.

How Much Does A Body Lift Cost?

Dallas body lift procedures are rarely covered by insurance providers since the procedure tends to be performed for aesthetic reasons rather than to address medical concerns. However, large amounts of excess skin can affect some patient’s mobility and result in them qualifying for funding for their procedure. You should speak to your insurance provider to find out if you qualify for any funding under your specific policy.

RealSelf states that the average cost of a body lift procedure in the United States is $15,375 and the average price ranges from $2,950 to $29,000. The price of the procedure does drastically vary as body lift patients can undergo very different procedures on different areas and on a different number of areas. It is important to book a consultation with a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon to have your situation and surgical needs assessed so that you can find out the exact surgical procedure that is suitable and how much it will cost.

Upper Body Lift

An upper body lift is designed for patients who have concerns over excess skin and fat above their waistline. Most upper body lift patients undergo surgery on their arms, breasts and often their upper back. Some mommy makeover patients choose to undergo an upper body lift to have excess skin removed after their pregnancy. These patients often combine this procedure with a tummy tuck so that excess skin is also removed from the abdomen as well as a breast surgery. For more information on undergoing a breast lift you can view our Dallas Breast Lift Page.

Lower Body Lift

A lower body lift is suitable for patients who have concerns over excess skin below their waistline. This type of body lift procedure therefore tends to be performed on a patient’s buttocks, thighs, hips and in some cases their abdomen. An incision line is often created around the circumference of the waistline and then additional incision lines are often made down the thigh, usually the inner thigh.

Lower Body Lift Cost

The American Society of Plastic Surgery the average cost of a lower body lift procedure in 2020 was $7,924. However, they explain that this does not include the additional costs for the anesthesia or operating fees and so the overall cost for the procedure tends to cost more than the average figure stated. For information on the cost of various tummy tuck procedures you can read our blog ‘How Much Does a Tummy Tuck Cost in Dallas and How Can I Finance The Procedure?‘

Lower Body Lift Recovery

Undergoing a body lift procedure is an extensive surgery that involves multiple, and often large, incision lines across the body. Therefore, recovering from a body lift tends to take longer than for most other cosmetic procedures. RealSelf state that patients should look to take a month off of work to give themselves enough time to recover. Even after a month off work, it can take a few more months for patients to have fully recovered from their surgery and be able to return to all their normal activities.

Recovering from a lower body lift is often slightly faster and less intense than recovering from a full-body lift as less of the body tends to have been treated. However, it can still take Dallas lower body lift patients a few months to recover from the procedure and it is important that patients take the time to rest and get plenty of sleep so they can heal properly. Patients should make sure to keep their incision sites clean to prevent any infections from occurring and should drink plenty of water and eat healthily. Additionally, patients should avoid smoking or consuming alcohol during their recovery period as this can increase the risk of complications occurring after the procedure.

Body Lift Scars

Any type of body lift surgery will result in permanent scarring since relatively large incision lines must be made to carry out the procedure. Initially after the surgery these incision lines will be very obvious and will still have stitches which will dissolve during your recovery period or be removed in a follow up appointment with your surgeon. The specific areas that body lift patients will have scars on varies depending on the areas of the body that were operated on, and how much skin and tissue were removed. After a few months, the incision lines will be less obvious and will continue to fade over time. For specific information on breast lift scars, you can read our blog ‘Everything You Need To Know About Breast Lift Scars‘.

Many Dallas body lift patients will have scar lines that run between their hips on their abdomen or their back, but these scars tend to be covered by a patient’s underwear or bikini bottoms. Furthermore, patients who undergo a lift on their thighs or arms tend to have incision lines created in the inner part of their arms or legs so that any scarring is less obvious. Additionally, scar treatments can be undertaken to help your scars fade even more. For example, various oils or creams can be purchased which help scars to fade, or non-surgical treatments such as laser therapies can be used to reduce the appearance of scars.

Before And After Body Lift

Before and after images can be an important indication of how successful the results of a body lift procedure can be. Here is an example of a before and after photo of a male Dallas body lift patient who underwent a circumferential body lift with Dr. Liland.

Male Dallas Body Lift Patient

A 35-44-year-old man was treated with a Circumferential Body Lift. He was a weight-loss patient who desired to have the excess skin removed, to lift and tighten his figure.

Conclusion

This blog aimed to provide potential body lift patients with in-depth information on the various types of body lift surgeries available and who they are suitable for. Although this blog is a good start to researching a body lift procedure it is important to research the specific surgical technique you desire to undergo in more depth as well as research any potential risks of undergoing the procedure. Any potential Dallas body lift patients should see a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon to receive expert advice on the most suitable surgery for their needs.

Disclaimer

Please note: All materials on the Site, such as text, treatments, outcomes, photographs and images and any other material provided on the Site are for information purposes only and are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding treatments. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Site.

Though the content of this blog has been carefully prepared, the author of this content is not a medical doctor and the content has not been reviewed by a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon.

Unless specifically stated, patients referred to in this blog have not received a body lift procedure from Dr. Liland. This blog does not endorse the work of any doctors or surgeons mentioned. Stories relating to patients’ personal experiences of body lift procedures should be treated as anecdotal only.

Any application of the material provided is at the reader’s discretion and his, her, or their responsibility.

Body Lift Procedures Dallas, Texas