It’s no secret that sometimes it feels impossible to whip your lower body into shape. Despite following a healthy diet and exercising regularly, sometimes, you just can’t shift weight and tone up the buttocks, thighs, and stomach area.
This is especially true when genetics come into the mix. Whether you have lost a significant amount of weight, had a baby, or struggle to achieve the shape you want through diet and exercise alone, a lower body lift can be an attractive solution.
What is a Lower Body Lift?
A lower body lift is a surgical procedure designed to remove excess skin from the lower body, specifically the outer thighs and buttocks. In general, a lower body lift will consist of a tummy tuck, a lateral thigh lift, and a buttocks lift.
Overall, the procedure will lift your pubic area, buttocks, and outer thighs. At the same time, it will get rid of excess skin in the back and abdomen. The result is tighter skin and muscles with a more toned appearance.
Also referred to as a belt lipectomy, a complete lower body lift treats the lower body in one major procedure and is often part of a mummy makeover. A lower body lift extends a tummy tuck incision completely around your lower torso.
The surgeon then lifts and re-suspends the thighs, tightens the buttocks and executes an abdominoplasty. The type and length of the incision depend on how much skin needs removing and its location. A lower back lift is a major procedure with a permanent scar concealed below the bikini line.
Who Is a Good Candidate for A Lower Body Lift?
Even with exercise, diet and bariatric surgery, you may still not feel happy about your lower body appearance. Excess skin and fat on the lower abdomen, thighs and buttocks can cause a lot of frustration.
A belt lipectomy leaves behind a circumferential scar along the bikini line. However, it also helps improve areas with sagging skin and excess fat below the waistline. So how do you know that you are a good candidate for a lower body lift?
- You have lost a lot of weight after bariatric surgery and diet leaving you with excess skin on the lower body
- Ageing and pregnancy have left you with loose skin and cellulite below your waistline
- You have loose skin on your thighs, abdomen and hip region
- You’ve maintained a stable weight for at least a year without significant weight gains.
4 Areas of the Body You Can Treat With a Lower Body Lift
One of the most common reasons for getting a lower body lift is after you have lost a great deal of weight. Despite achieving your weight loss goals, you feel like you can’t fully appreciate the result due to excess skin hiding the true weight loss. Here are the areas you can expect a lower body lift to target.
1. Thighs
Thighs are often a trouble area that carry excess skin after significant weight loss. You can incorporate a thigh lift into a lower body lift to target excess skin and fat in the thigh area. Remove loose skin around the outer thighs and reveal a slimmer, more contoured leg shape.
2. Hips and Flanks
Your hips, flank or lower back area can be another priority area that a lower body lift can target. For this, your surgeon can remove hanging skin from the hips and flanks. As each person is unique, you will find that you have different needs. The techniques used in your lower body lift are designed to address your specific concerns.
3. Abdomen
One of the main areas a lower body lift can target is the abdomen. The procedure includes a tummy tuck. Many people struggle with loose skin around their lower abdomen that they just can’t shift through lifestyle choices alone. A tummy tuck leaves patients with a narrower, more defined waist and abdomen.
4. Buttocks
During the lower body lift, your surgeon can lift the buttocks and remove excess and loose skin. If you find that your bum is too flat, some patients opt to include a Brazilian butt lift alongside the lower body lift.
Lower Body Lift Options
A belt lipectomy involves many procedures. Each person’s needs are unique, and the extent of your surgery will depend on how much excess skin needs removing and what area of the lower body needs work.
Liposuction with Lower Body Lift
If you have a lot of excess skin and fat on your lower body, your doctor may decide to combine liposuction with a lower body lift. Liposuction can help smooth and contour the abdomen, thighs and hips before a body lift. Combining liposuction with a lower body lift guarantees the best possible contour.
Tummy Tuck and Thigh Lift
You can combine a belt lipectomy with lower abdominal contouring or a tummy tuck. You can also combine an inner thigh lift with a lower body lift if your abdomen doesn’t need contouring or if you’ve already had a tummy tuck.
Liposuction and More Weight Loss
During a lower body lift, the lower body is usually lifted and suspended. As a result, any excessive heaviness in the buttocks and thighs at the time prevents a long-lasting effect. In such a case, your surgeon may recommend that you lose more weight before you have a lower body lift. If weight loss is not possible, the surgeon may suggest liposuction to thin the buttocks and thighs.
Recovering From a Lower Body Lift
A lower body lift is a major procedure. You will experience some discomfort after the surgery that you can control with medications. The discomfort usually goes away after a week or two depending on the extent of the procedure. Your surgeon will prescribe some pain medication. They will also give you specific instructions on how to take care of the incision after surgery.
You will also have to wear a compression garment for a few weeks and follow a healthy diet. You will need to take at least 2 weeks off work and can’t resume normal activities for at least 6 weeks. When it comes to exercising, you should be able to resume that in 6 to 8 weeks.
Swelling will go down in a few weeks and should resolve completely in a couple of months. A lower body lift results in a permanent scar usually concealed below the bikini line. Lower body lift scars after a year will have faded a little but not completely disappear. Even after 5 years, there will still be a scar line that shows that you had a lower body lift, but your surgeon will do their utmost to conceal the scar.
Lower Body Lift at The Harley Clinic
The Harley Clinic features world-class facilities with gold standards and best practices. Dr Riaz Agha is an expert plastic surgeon and medical director who has published over 200 scientific papers.
Through expert knowledge of the human anatomy and using the latest techniques in plastic surgery, we provide personalised treatment and clinical excellence. If you have excess skin on your lower body after significant weight loss, you are a great candidate for a lower body lift. Get in touch with us today to book a consultation.
