Body Lift Surgery

Also Serving Wellesley & Sudbury Patients

• What Body Lift Surgery Accomplishes
• What Body Lift Surgery Does Not Accomplish
• Body Lift Candidacy
• What to Expect During the Body Lift Consultation
• The Body Lift Procedure
• Recovering From Body Lift
• The Cost of Body Lift
• Safety Information
• Get the Body You Deserve

If you have recently lost a major amount of weight — either on your own or with the help of bariatric surgery — congratulations! You have put in a considerable amount of time and effort to reach your weight loss goals. Losing a substantial amount of weight is a significant accomplishment, one which will lead to a healthier, more fulfilling and possibly even longer life.

Unfortunately, losing a massive amount of weight does not always provide you with the tight, toned figure you desire — and deserve. You may be frustrated to find that you have loose excess skin that hangs off your body in folds. This is because once the skin has stretched out, it often loses its elasticity and can no longer shrink back to a smaller size and shape once the excess weight has been lost. In addition, genetic factors, pregnancy and even the natural aging process can contribute to poor skin health.

To help Boston, Wellesley and Sudbury patients like you achieve the fit figure they wholeheartedly deserve, Dr. William E. LoVerme of Accurate Aesthetics performs body lift cosmetic surgery.

What Body Lift Surgery Accomplishes

With body lift surgery, Dr. LoVerme removes excess fat and sagging skin from the middle to lower regions of the body. He also repairs the underlying musculature and other tissues to improve the tone and shape of the supporting structures.

Body lift surgery can address the following areas:

• The abdomen and flanks (“love handles”)
• The middle to lower back region
• Low-hanging, flat or unshapely buttocks
• The groin area, which may droop into the inner thigh region
• The inner, outer or back of the thighs, or the entire circumference of the thighs

What Body Lift Surgery Does Not Accomplish

Body lift surgery is not intended to be a tool for major weight loss. In fact, most of the patients who pursue body lift surgery have recently lost a major amount of weight and would now like to improve the look of the excess skin that is left over as a result of this significant accomplishment.

Also, body lift surgery is not designed for patients who are at or just slightly above their ideal bodyweight and only need to fine tune, or sculpt, specific “problem areas” that are plagued with localized fat deposits that are resistant to their healthy lifestyle efforts. For patients like these who have good skin elasticity, Dr. LoVerme will most likely recommend liposuction alone, a much less invasive surgical treatment that is performed to eliminate pockets of fat from under the skin. (Dr. LoVerme may, however, include liposuction in the body lift procedure to optimize the final contour.)

Body Lift Candidacy

Individuals considering body lift surgery should visit Accurate Aesthetics to determine their candidacy for body lift. In the meantime, however, appropriate candidates for the procedure generally include:

• Individuals with poor skin elasticity and loose excess skin as a result
• Those with a substantial degree of soft tissue laxity in one or several areas of the middle to lower body
• Healthy patients who do not have any medical conditions that would impair their ability to heal or increase the risks associated with surgery
• Those who have realistic goals for the outcome of body lift surgery
• Individuals who are prepared to lead a healthy lifestyle with proper diet and fitness habits
• Those who do not smoke or are prepared to quit smoking for several weeks before and after the procedure
• Those who are not currently pregnant and do not plan to become pregnant (as gaining a significant amount of weight can counteract the aesthetic effects of the procedure)

What to Expect During the Body Lift Consultation

During the consultation for body lift surgery, Dr. LoVerme inquires about patients’ aesthetic concerns and surgical goals. He reviews their medical and surgical history, including asking about drug allergies, current medications (including vitamins and supplements) and the use of alcohol, recreational drugs and tobacco.

The compassionate plastic surgeon also performs a physical examination and may take detailed body measurements. He uses all of this information to determine candidacy and formulate a treatment protocol that will satisfy the patient’s anatomical needs and surgical goals. Dr. LoVerme may recommend adjunct or complementary procedures, such as arm lift, breast lift or facelift surgery, to optimize the aesthetic effects of body lift surgery.

Finally, he explains the procedure in more detail and answers any questions you may have. It is important that you ask questions about Dr. LoVerme’s background, the procedure and any concerns you may have. At Accurate Aesthetics, we want you to feel safe and confident in pursuing body lift surgery.

The Body Lift Procedure

Body lift surgery is typically performed under general anesthesia, on an outpatient basis. Patients with extensive surgical needs may be required to stay one night in a medical facility, so qualified professionals can monitor the progress of their initial recovery.

The exact details of the body lift procedure vary by patient, based on each patient’s surgical goals and anatomical needs. This includes the length, pattern and positioning of the incisions. Generally, body lift surgery requires extensive incisions. However, Dr. LoVerme strategically positions the incisions so they are easily concealed within the natural folds of the body or by clothing.

One of the most common incision patterns used in body lift surgery looks like the bottom of a bikini and may extend around the entire circumference of the midsection. With this incision pattern, the Boston body contouring specialist can remove excess skin from and tighten the tissue structures in the abdomen, waist, groin, thigh and buttocks during a single operation. Again, Dr. LoVerme may also perform liposuction for optimal contouring.

Once he is satisfied with the newly contoured treatment area, he closes the incisions with sutures and dresses the area with soft bandages and an overlying surgical garment. The surgical garment minimizes swelling and provides added support to the tissues while they heal. Small, thin drainage tubes may also be placed in the treatment area to help drain any residual fluid. These will be removed a few days after the procedure, during a follow-up appointment.

Recovering From Body Lift

Before the day of surgery, patients are given complete postoperative care instructions, including which medications to take or apply to aid the healing process and reduce the risk of infections. The instructions also include details about how to care for the treatment area (including any drainage tubes that might be present) and when to visit Accurate Aesthetics for follow-up appointments.

Patients should arrange to take about two weeks off from their work or everyday activities. During this time, it is important to rest as much as possible, avoid strenuous activities and take short walks around the house periodically, as soon as possible, to minimize the risk of blood clots developing in the lower extremities.

Individuals who experience chest pains, shortness of breath or irregular heartbeats should seek medical attention immediately, as these may be signs of a serious complication.

The Cost of Body Lift

The final cost of body lift surgery can vary greatly, depending on how extensive the patient’s aesthetic goals, anatomical needs and procedure are. For instance, some patients may only require contouring throughout the thighs and buttocks while others may need to include contouring of the abdomen, waist and back as well.

The fee quoted by the team at Accurate Aesthetics is comprehensive and includes the surgeon’s fee, the operating room fee and the anesthesiologist’s fee. It also includes one surgical garment, all photos and pre- and post-surgical physician care. When comparing fees of different surgeons, be sure to inquire about what their final fee actually includes.

Although cost is an important consideration, it is also vital that the surgeon has extensive experience in body contouring procedures and that you feel comfortable and confident with him or her.

Safety Information

As with any surgical procedure, whether it is elective or not, there are inherent risks associated with body lift surgery. The following complications are rare, but could possibly include:

• Risks associated with the use of anesthesia
• Infection
• Bleeding
• Poor wound healing
• Accumulation of fluid
• Changes in skin sensation, such as numbness
• Pain
• Recurrent skin laxity
• Asymmetries
• Cardiac complications
• Possible need for revision surgery
• Loss of skin
• Unfavorable scarring

Individuals pursuing body lift surgery should understand the risks involved with surgery. However, suitable candidates for body lift surgery feel that the advantages of the procedure greatly outweigh the potential drawbacks.

Get the Body You Deserve

You have worked hard to lose the excess weight. Now it is time to get the body you deserve!

To schedule a private consultation with Dr. LoVerme to learn more about your body lift treatment options, contact Accurate Aesthetics by calling (877) 603-7874 toll-free now.