BODY LIFT
At Gartner Plastic Surgery Center, we know that weight loss is hard work. When you have put your discipline and perseverance to the test, followed a healthy diet carefully and exercised relentlessly, seeing the weight come off and watching your measurements shrink is incredibly satisfying.
WHAT A BODY LIFT CAN DO FOR YOU
You’ve earned the right to feel good and look good. Often massive weight loss can have conflicting results, however. Losing large amounts of fat from your body rapidly can result in a large amount of loose skin which hides your new, leaner shape. You may also see pockets of unwanted fat which no amount of diet or exercise was able to remove, despite your efforts.
There are types of fat and tissue which do not respond well to natural weight loss methods. Remaining issues like loose, excess skin can be extremely frustrating and uncomfortable. Sometimes, hanging skin can cause discomfort and affect your movement or ability to exercise. Please know that you are not alone. These are common problems and though there is no quick, easy solution-you do have options and cosmetic surgery in the skilled, experienced hands of a board certified Plastic Surgeon is able to accomplish dramatic, transformative changes for your body.
YOU CAN EXPECT
One or more body lifting procedure can remove the loose skin resulting from rapid massive weight loss, such as following gastric bypass surgery. Eliminate the unwanted fat which contributes to bulges and rolls.
Your Body Lift may involve surgery to remove/excise excess tissues, or a non surgical option to remodel your skin and make it tighter.
YOU’LL EXPERIENCE
The ability to return to work right after a nonsurgical treatment. A swift recovery because of the innovative surgical techniques that Dr. Gartner uses so you can get back to work in a week or two if you’ve had a body surgery. No more irritation and discomfort caused by sagging skin. The freedom and joy of showing off your weight loss and firmer body contour. Further weight loss with significant skin removal- skin weighs a lot!
YOUR RECOVERY
Your recovery depends on the extent of your treatment. You will receive a list of post-treatment care instructions which you should follow carefully to help ensure that your body recovers efficiently. You can expect a longer recovery period if surgery in one or more areas was involved. However, if non-surgical methods were performed, then you may be able to get back to daily activities immediately after your treatment.
You are encouraged to move around leisurely after your treatment to help with your recovery and minimize the risk of blood clots. Gentle walking/strolling is encouraged. Dr. Gartner will advise you to avoid strenuous workouts however for a set amount of time.
After Surgery
Lowering the inframammary fold involves cutting significant ligaments that support the breast, adhering it to the chest wall. This has been found to increase the risk of “bottoming out”, a complication that causes the implants to become displaced and move unfavorably downward in the chest, making revision surgery necessary. In fact, this complication is one of the most common problems Dr. Gartner sees and fixes in patients who have had breast augmentation performed by other surgeons. For this reason, Dr. Gartner never lowers the inframammary fold, preventing bottoming out. You can retain your original breast fold for a more natural-looking result. This also makes wearing an uncomfortable compression garment or bra right after your surgery 24/7 unnecessary, since there’s no concern about the breasts dropping too low. The discomfort from breast augmentation is often related to the pressure of the implant lifting up muscle, and wearing a bra just creates more pressure and hurts more. You’ll only have to wear a bra once your breasts settle into position, and this is usually two to four weeks after surgery.
The scientific study, Effect of weight loss after bariatric surgery on the skin and the extracellular matrix[1], found that the skin quality of patients who experienced massive weight loss following bariatric surgery was poor, due to unhealthy collagen structure, low elastin levels, and stretch mark formation.
Your results
After swelling and bruising have subsided, you’ll finally be able to enjoy the aesthetic benefits of your massive weight loss without being hidden by sagging skin. You’ll join the ranks of our many other happy patients for whom the body lift surgery achieved quite a dramatic improvement in body contour. You will finally be able to move freely- step up your exercise routine and shop for some new, figure-flattering clothes!
CONSIDERATIONS AND RISKS
Those related to surgery:
Wound dehiscence, Seroma, Hematoma, Infection, Irregular scarring
Those related to non-surgical treatments:
Burns, Blistering, Swelling
