What is a Circumferential Body Lift?
A circumferential body lift, also known as a lower body lift or a belt lipectomy, is a comprehensive cosmetic surgery that aims to reshape and tighten the mid and lower body by removing excess skin and fat. This procedure is particularly beneficial for individuals who have experienced significant weight loss, such as after bariatric surgery, and are left with loose, hanging skin around their abdomen, hips, thighs, and buttocks.
Circumferential Body Lift Vs. Tummy Tuck
During a tummy tuck, your surgeon will remove excess skin and fat from your abdomen and your abdomen only. But during a lower body lift, the surgeon removes excess skin and fat from your entire circumference, treating your entire midsection, including your back, outer thighs, and buttocks.
Both procedures will result in repaired abdominal muscles, if necessary, and a flatter stomach. A lower body lift goes much further, however, since its focus isn’t limited to the abdomen.
Circumferential Body Lift Vs. Liposuction
A lower body lift and liposuction are two very different procedures with little in common. Liposuction removes excess fat but does nothing to address loose or sagging skin. A lower body lift removes both excess fat and skin, resulting in a more thorough procedure. Liposuction is a more subtle procedure, intended to sculpt and reshape parts of the body without removing large amounts of tissue.
A lower body lift always targets the body’s midsection. Liposuction, however, can be performed almost anywhere on the body. Lipo 360 is the most similar liposuction procedure to a lower body lift.
How a Circumferential Body Lift Works
Because every person is different, every lower body lift may be slightly different. The procedure generally follows these basic steps, however:
- Your surgical team will prepare you for surgery and then place you under general anesthesia.
- Your procedure will begin with your surgeon making an incision around the entire circumference of your body. You can think of this incision wrapping around you like a belt.
- The surgeon will cut away any excess skin and fat as necessary.
- After the excess skin and fat are removed, your surgeon will fine tune the remaining tissue, tightening the muscles as necessary to strengthen and smooth the remaining structures.
- Your surgeon will lift the remaining skin and pull it taut over your new body contours before suturing the incision closed.
- Your surgical team will bandage your incisions as needed and place you in a compression garment. They will then wake you from anesthesia and take you to the recovery room for monitoring as you wake up.
- When you have sufficiently awoken from anesthesia, your driver can take you home. Lower body lifts are performed as outpatient procedures at Mia Aesthetics.
Are You a Good Candidate?
To be a good candidate for a lower body lift, you will:
- Have lost a significant amount of weight that has left you with hanging skin
- Maintain a stable weight for six to 12 months prior to surgery
- Be in generally good health and have any chronic health conditions under control
- Not smoke
- Have no plans to become pregnant (Pregnancy after the procedure is safe but not recommended as it will alter your results.)
- Be committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle after surgery
- Have a support system of friends and family members who can help you as you recover
Frequently Asked Questions
Before undergoing a surgical procedure, it’s important to plan for your recovery. You will likely need help with everyday tasks for at least a few days. You will also have to plan for time off work and arrange for someone to drive you to and from your procedure. Planning is easier if you know what to expect during the recovery process.
When you wake up from surgery, you should expect to have a few surgical drains along your incisions. Your care team will show you how to empty and clean these drains, which your surgeon will remove at a follow-up appointment.
You will also be wearing a compression garment. You will need to wear this garment for around six weeks and it’s important that you do so. Wearing it reduces swelling and fluid buildup at the surgical site.
Although you should start walking as soon as possible after surgery to prevent blood clots, you won’t be allowed to bend at the waist or stretch that area for two to three weeks. Most exercise will be off the table for at least six weeks. If you have a sedentary job, you can return to it in two weeks if you feel ready. More strenuous jobs will require a longer rest period.
The typical lower body lift involves a continuous incision that runs around the entire circumference of the body just like a belt. This includes the lower abdomen, around the flanks, and across the lower back. The incision will be placed just above the pelvic area.
Every surgery is a bit different depending on your needs, but most patients are able to hide their scar easily when wearing underwear and swimwear. It’s important to remember that scars fade over time and will become less noticeable. You can help minimize scarring by protecting your incisions and the subsequent scar from the sun. Scar creams can also help as can massage techniques.
A lower body lift is a dramatic procedure, and you will notice a profound and immediate change right after surgery. Your new body contour will become even more apparent about three months after surgery when the swelling and bruising start to subside in earnest. Your final results will take about a year, however, to give your body time to fully settle into its new shape.
A lower body lift is an intense procedure, and it does result in significant discomfort. It is probably the most painful plastic surgery procedure that we do. But fear not—we’re certainly not about to leave you to face this on your own. We will prescribe pain medication to help keep you comfortable and advise that you stick to the dosing schedule.
We will also share with you any tips and tricks we have for keeping things comfortable after surgery. Many patients, for example, are most comfortable sleeping on their backs with both their head and legs elevated. Taking your medication as prescribed and following all of your post-op instructions carefully will reduce your discomfort and aid in the fastest recovery possible.