A Body Lift is usually performed on mothers as part of a Mommy Makeover or on people who have lost a significant amount of weight, such as from bariatric surgery. A Body Lift is essentially a circumferential Tummy Tuck, extending the abdominoplasty around the back. In the process, Dr. Munasifi removes excess skin, sagging fatty tissue, and cellulite on the front, sides, and back of the abdominal area, as well as the buttocks and outer thighs. The buttocks are lifted at the same time.
A Body Lift is not a weight loss procedure. Patients should be near their ideal weight but have loose skin and pockets of fat that cannot be reduced through diet and exercise alone.
Dr. Munasifi will listen to your concerns about your body’s appearance and create a customized surgical plan for you. He has a host of techniques available to him, and he will choose the ones that are best for your anatomy and the results you want.
What areas does a Body Lift treat?
A Body Lift with Dr. Munasifi will dramatically reshape your abdomen, waist, upper and lower buttocks, and outer thighs. Patient results may vary.
How long does a Body Lift last?
Dr. Munasifi’s Body Lift techniques are long-lasting, but some fat and loose skin can recur. The best way to maintain your results is to keep your weight steady.
What kind of anesthesia is required for a Body Lift?
The surgery is performed using general anesthesia and usually requires one or two nights in the hospital. Anesthesia is always provided by a Board-Certified Anesthesiologist.
What happens during a Body Lift?
Dr. Munasifi makes an incision around the torso from front to back. Depending on your needs, additional incisions may be necessary under the crease of the buttocks and/or in the groin area. He then excises loose skin, tightens muscles in some cases, and uses Liposuction to remove excess fatty tissue. For this part of the procedure, a small tube called a cannula is inserted into an incision and attached to a suction device, which removes precise amounts of fat. This process also improves cellulite.
The incisions are sutured and bandaged, and you are given a compression garment to wear for a period of time.
When can I return to work after a Body Lift?
Most patients return to the office within 3-4 weeks. If you have a job that requires lifting or physical work, you may need 4-6 weeks off.
What is recovery like after a Body Lift?
Dr. Munasifi is very particular about patient care after procedures, so he will meet with you multiple times throughout the recovery process to monitor your healing. All surgical follow-up appointments are provided free of charge, as he wants you to feel comfortable with bringing up any concerns or questions you have.
Drains are usually inserted into incisions to capture post-surgical fluids. We will show you how to care for them, and they will be removed in a few days.
The sutures are removed in 1-2 weeks. For the majority of the bruising and swelling to subside, however, recovery takes several weeks. The swelling will resolve last, but the compression garments will keep swelling to a minimum.
It’s normal to experience soreness, bruising, tightness, numbness, itching, and swelling after surgery. We will give you a prescription for pain medication and an antibiotic.
Since strenuous activity can increase blood pressure, it’s very important to avoid heavy exercise for at least 6 weeks. However, being completely inactive is one of the worst things you can do after a procedure. Dr. Munasifi will let you know when you can begin to take regular walks. You should be able to resume light exercise after about 6 weeks.
Scars will become less noticeable after enough time has passed for them to mature. We will give you strategies to help the scars heal faster and better.
Rest assured that we will give you detailed instructions for your recovery, and we will be available to answer your questions and monitor your progress during follow-up examinations. Dr. Munasifi believes in providing the attention you need to feel comfortable about your procedure, and he loves getting to know his patients.