Body Lift

Body lift surgery is an operation that helps remove excess skin and fat from the middle third of the body in a single or 2-stage procedure and with a single waistline scar as the only reminder. This procedure can remove a band of skin between 15 to 40 cm thick from around the body, similar to taking up a pair of trousers.

The body lift works on 3 different sites:

At the front: the abdomen which is flat and pulled down; the pubis which is reduced, flattened and lifted; the front of the thighs, which are lifted to mid-height; and the upper half of the inner thigh which is also somewhat lifted

On the sides: lateral skin folds that spill over the waist band; and the waistline, which becomes more pronounced

At the back: the "saddle bag" area which is flattened and pulled down; the hips which are fully flattened; the buttocks which are lifted and reshaped by enhancement or reduction; and the small of the back which is re-contoured

This operation is applicable in many cases with excess skin:

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The after-effects of significant weight loss after dieting, gastric ring surgery or a by-pass

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The after-effects of liposuction whereby the skin does not tighten after fat removal

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Patients over 50 with slackening skin often due to excess sun exposure

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Younger patients with slack skin from birth

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Patients with sagging buttocks

Although the scar may appear major, it is well accepted by patients if properly positioned and is thin/flat. The location of the scar can be chosen before the surgery in order to adapt as well as possible to the type of clothing worn by the patient. Currently, a low-lying scar is usually preferred in order to allow wearing of low-rising jeans. However, it is also possible to choose a higher placement for the scar in order to better adapt to low-cut 'Brazilian' style swimsuits.

The body lift is gaining more acceptance within the community mainly due to the very high patient satisfaction rate. The results are always remarkable since a large amount of skin and/or fat is simply removed. The effectiveness of a body lift is all the more striking in that it applies to areas difficult to slim down by dieting and hence more problematic for choosing clothing.