Bodylift Post Weightloss
Body lift is an aesthetic surgical procedure carried out to reshape the body and to achieve aesthetic contours of the body by removing overhanging skin and fat folds.
Patients who suffer from obesity leading to stretched out skin in different parts of the body desire to restore the curves of the body. Those who have undergone bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery) are the most common group who desire this procedure once their weight is stabilised.
Another significant group of patients are those who have lost weight with diet and exercise or those who have undergone large volume liposuction.
How is a Body Lift performed?
Skin can sag and lose elasticity as a result of being stretched for a long period of time and often fails to shrink back to its former size and shape. The body lift surgery typically involves single region of the body preferably done in one session. The procedure can be divided into:
- Lower body lift: involving circumferential abdominoplasty with or without a buttocks lift
- Upper body lift: involving breast ptosis correction or gynecomastia correction together with or without arm plasty
- Thigh plasty
- Medial arm plasty
The body life procedures are extensive and exhaustive and involve 4-6 hours of surgical time usually carried out under general anaesthesia by a team of 2-3 plastic surgeons specialised in this technique.
Pre operatively the patient needs to be counselled and thoroughly investigated to rule out and treat any metabolic, systemic disease or deficiency.
What results can I expect?
The results of a body life procedure are visible almost immediately. Healing and recovery may take a couple of weeks and the scar may take a couple of months to settle.
What is involved in recovery?
Following your body lift procedure, dressings or bandages will be applied to the incisions. A small, thin tube may be temporarily placed under the skin to drain any excessive fluid that may collect after the surgery.
Body lift is a major surgical procedure and requires significant recovery time. Pain and discomfort are managed with analgesic medications. A specific high protein diet is encouraged.
The Plastic surgeons at VASUDHAN will advise you to get a customised pressure garment to wear at all times except while bathing. It is to be worn for a period of 3 weeks to 3 months. The patient needs to be hospitalised for 2-3 days in the post operative period and advised to restrict exertive activities for a period of 2-3 weeks. Surgical dressings are generally removed two days after surgery with showering allowed at that time. Resumption of day to day activities may be deferred for 1-3 weeks depending on the nature of the procedure carried out.
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