Lower Body Lift – Belt Lipectomy

What is a lower body lift – belt lipectomy?

A lower body lift or belt lipectomy can be performed in combination with several cosmetic procedures into one all-encompassing surgery to remove excess skin after significant weight loss. It may involve combining belt lipectomy or abdominoplasty with procedures such as thighplasty, liposuction, mastopexy, and brachioplasty.

The procedure can be catered to each patient, depending on where they experience the extent of excess skin. Therefore, the exact surgery and techniques involved in your procedure will be customised to fit your goals and needs.

What can a lower body lift or belt lipectomy achieve for you?

A belt lipectomy or other similar surgeries can:

• Eliminates excess skin, helping to achieve aesthetic goals
• Reduce health issues such as skin infections, rashes, and inflammation
• Help improve your physical movement, making exercise easier
• Can reduce the visibility of some stretch marks

Please note that results will vary, and each patient will need to weigh the risks and benefits in their own case.

Am I a suitable candidate?

Lower body lift surgery is predominantly for individuals who have been overweight and experience a significant reduction in their weight, leaving behind excess skin. It is only recommended for patients who have reached their goal weight or are close to achieving it. To qualify, patients need to have a significant amount of excess skin or looseness in one or multiple areas, lead a healthy and active lifestyle to help maintain the results of their weight loss, and have a positive outlook with realistic goals for what they would like to achieve with the surgery. Belt lipectomy and associated procedures are not designed as weight loss surgery; therefore, morbidly obese individuals are unsuitable candidates.

Consultation with Dr Matt Starr

During your initial consultation with Dr Matt Starr, you will discuss your reasons for wanting a body lift or belt lipectomy, your expectations, and what you hope to achieve with such a procedure. You will need to discuss your weight loss journey with Dr Starr, detailing your medical history, current health and lifestyle regime, and any medications you may be on or previous surgeries you may have had. Dr Starr will assess your areas of concern, evaluating the amount of excess skin and laxity present to be able to design a procedure plan. It is an opportunity to discuss your concerns and ask any questions you may have. Dr Starr will endeavour to provide vital information about what to expect before, during, and after your surgery. Dr Starr will also ensure you have a steady diet and exercise routine. All information you provide during your consultation is crucial in helping Dr Starr determine the best course of action that addresses your desired outcomes, health, and lifestyle.

The procedure

A lower body lift procedure can take several hours to complete and is performed under general anaesthetic. It can be done as a single procedure involving a circumferential body lift or belt lipectomy, or it can include a combination of surgeries designed to target multiple areas where excess skin is present. The precise details and varieties of surgeries are different for every patient as each procedure is customised to their individual needs and will require an overnight or several nights stay in hospital. The following procedures can be combined into the belt lipectomy procedure:

Belt lipectomy (circumferential lower body lift)
Sometimes referred to as a lower body lift, this procedure involves an incision made around the circumference of the waist or just below it, giving Dr Starr access to any excess skin that needs to be removed. Once the desired amount is removed, the rest of the skin is tightened. It commonly addresses concerns about excess skin in the abdomen, thighs, hips, and buttocks and allows for a large amount of skin removal. For some patients, liposuction may also be required during this procedure to reduce any remaining fat deposits.

Abdominoplasty
Abdominoplasty can be performed in place of a circumferential body lift for individuals whose skin laxity is not as severe. The procedure involves an incision from hip to hip around the lower abdomen area, where excess skin is removed, and the remaining amount is pulled up to tighten the area. This is often performed in combination with other surgeries.

Liposuction
Liposuction can be included in your procedure. Patients who have lost most of their excess weight may not only experience lax skin but may still have stubborn pockets of fat in some areas.

Mastopexy
A breast lift or mastopexy procedure is designed to address breast ptosis and excess skin in and around the breasts, which can occur after massive weight loss transformations in women. The goal is to remove the excess skin and tighten the remaining skin, lifting the breasts to a higher position.

Thigh lipectomy
A thigh lipectomy or thighplasty procedure targets loose skin around the inner and outer thighs, another typical area where weight loss patients experience excess skin. The procedure can be performed in several different ways, depending on whether the excess skin is on the inner or outer thighs.

Brachioplasty
Excess skin around the upper arms is another common area of concern for patients where fat can be stored, and once the weight is lost, excess skin occurs. The procedure aims to remove the excess skin, tightening and firming the remaining skin.

Swelling and bruising will occur and remain for up to three months after your procedure. Therefore, the final results of your body lift may take a few months to develop, but these results are generally permanent, provided you maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

Recovery & aftercare

As mentioned, immediately after your surgery, you will experience bruising and swelling, along with pain and discomfort. A belt lipectomy is considered a major surgical procedure, requiring several days in the hospital to monitor your healing and manage your discomfort. You may be fitted with compression garments to help ease your discomfort, support your new body contours, and have drainage tubes inserted in the surgical sites to prevent excess fluid or blood from accumulating. You may also be prescribed pain medication to lessen the pain.

You may need two to three weeks to properly recover at home before resuming most of your daily activities. Exercise should be limited to walking for the first four to six weeks after your surgery or until Dr Starr advises. Although your exercise will be limited, it is essential in preventing blood clots and other complications. You will need to wear your compression garments for at least six to eight weeks, and around the six-week mark, most of your swelling should have subsided, but it can take as long as three months.

Scar management and aftercare are also vital to your recovery. Since a belt lipectomy is a significant surgery with large incisions, some scarring is expected. Therefore, using products as prescribed by Dr Starr and following your wound and scar management instructions are essential in helping reduce the visibility of scarring.

What risks or complications are associated with a body lift – belt lipectomy?

As with any operative procedure, cosmetic or medical, risks and complications are involved. They may not always occur and ensuring you follow your aftercare plan can help mitigate the potential for any of these risks to arise. Specific risks and complications associated with a belt lipectomy include:

• Poor wound healing
• Poor scarring
• Fluid accumulation
• Persistent swelling
• Skin discolouration and changes in skin appearance
• Numbness around surgical areas
• Loss of fat and skin (necrosis)
• Haematoma
• Anaesthesia complications