Body Contouring
The following procedures are offered under Body Contouring:
Tummy Tuck
Abdominoplasty, known more commonly as a "tummy tuck," is a major surgical procedure to remove excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen and to tighten the muscles of the abdominal wall. The procedure can dramatically reduce the appearance of a protruding abdomen. But bear in mind, it does produce a permanent scar, which, depending on the extent of the original problem and the surgery required to correct it, can extend from hip to hip.
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Thigh Lift
Thighplasty, commonly referred to as a thigh lift, refers to the excision of excess skin and fat from the thighs. After weight loss, excess tissue can persist in the upper and lower portions of the thighs. This can be treated in several different ways depending on the amount and location of excess skin and fat.
Procedure
If most of the excess is in the upper part of the thigh, the a medial thigh lift can be useful. An incision is made in the upper inner part of the thigh along the lower part of the groin crease and the upper thigh tissue is excised and gentle lift performed. This will only address the uppermost portion of the thigh. To adequately address lower thigh excess, a longitudinal incision along the inner aspect of the leg may be necessary. An ellipse of skin and fat is taken and then securely closed with layers of suture. A drain is placed in the tissue spaces of the thigh to allow for sufficient drainage of fluid. Occasionally, the surgeon will perform a judicious amount of liposuction on both medial and lateral aspects of the thigh for contouring (being careful to preserve blood supply to the lifted thigh tissue). The scar in the groin-medial thigh junction is generally high enough so that it is discreetly covered by undergarments. But the scar can widen over the time and pull on the neighboring genital tissues. The scar that runs down the length of a longitudinal thighplasty can be visible if skin above the knee is uncovered. The procedure typically takes 1-1.5 hours for a shorter scar medial thigh lift and 2-3 hours for a longer incision thighlift.
Inner Thigh Lift
Significant weight loss can result in major loosening of the skin. Inner thigh skin excess can result in cosmetic and functional difficulty. Patients may complain of rubbing while walking, skin rashes and hygiene difficulty. Lifting of the inner thigh is most commonly performed with an incision that follows a groin crease towards the lower buttock crease. Often liposuction is done before and/or during the procedure for the best possible result. Inner thigh lifting often can lead to a major improvement in comfort and appearance.
It is important to understand a number of potential limitations to weight loss plastic surgery.
The scars for the procedure can drift down, but are typically concealed by undergarments. It is possible that some of the scars maybe visible with various bathing suits and/or underwear garments alone. The procedure can be done in combination with other procedures, but your doctor will always make your safety the number one priority. Please make sure that your surgeon knows your expectations before the procedure and you understand the small but real risk.
Outer Thigh Lift
Laxity of the outer thigh and buttock areas can cause significant discomfort and difficulty with clothing, due to excessive hanging skin. As a result patients will often complain that the ability to feel comfortable in or out of clothing is significantly impacted due to the cosmetic deformity. Often liposuction is done before and/or during the outer thigh and buttock lift, in order to optimize the result. The outer thigh/buttock lift can lead to a major improvement in comfort and appearance.
It is important to understand that the goal of these procedures is to improve the overall appearance while minimizing the risk for complications. The scars that result from the outer thigh/buttock lift typically follow the waistline and are well covered by bathing suits and or undergarments. It is important to note that the scars that result from these procedures can be quite variable. In addition, surgery of this nature is very involved and there are inherent limitations to the degree of improvement. Your surgeon will not be able to remove every single fold and or wrinkle, however major improvement can be attainable. In select cases, the outer thigh/buttock lift can be combined with an abdominoplasty to create "lower body lift". The patient must be a suitable candidate to undergo a lower body lift and/or buttock lift. It is extremely important for you to understand the risk and benefit as well as the limitations of this procedure. Ultimately, it will be necessary for you to express your expectations to your surgeon. Your surgeon will always make your personal safety his or her number one priority.
Post-operative Care
Typically, patients are asked to begin gentle mobilization and ambulation right after surgery. Graduated increase in activity is then started; however, too much activity can place tension on the suture lines and create problems with wound healing. A gentle wrap is kept in place and patients can wash and re-dress their wounds after 24 hours. The surgeon will typically see you one week after surgery. If there are other surgeries combined with the thighplasty, then the surgeon and the patient may decide to spend a day or two in the hospital.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I exercise after these procedures?
It is always important to walk a bit around the house and even outside for a few minutes after prolonged surgery so that the risk of blood clots is minimized. For thigh lifts however, significant walking should be limited for the first 2 weeks until you have been seen in clinic and your surgeon has determined that you are healing reasonably well. Strenuous exercise such as swimming, contact sports or weightlifting using the arms or legs should be avoided for the first 3-4 weeks until you have received specific clearance from your surgeon.
Are drains used and if so, how long will they remain in place. How do I take care of them?
Drains will generally be used in both arm and thigh lifts. These drains are important to prevent the buildup of excess fluid after surgery. The constant removal of such excess fluid will help preserve a good outcome. The drains will need to be emptied twice a day and their outputs carefully recorded. The nurses will show you how to handle the tubes and the canisters that make up the drain. Typically the arm drains are removed on the first post-operative visit and the thigh drains may remain in place for 1-2 weeks.
Arm Lift
Brachioplasty, commonly referred to as an arm lift, refers to the excision of excess skin and fat from the upper arms. The basic procedure involves making a long elliptical excision along the inner part of the upper arm. Often this is done in conjunction with liposuction.
Procedure
Your surgeon will make an incision that will taper to a point at the elbow and occasionally extend into the armpit area. The surgery for this typically takes one and a half to two hours to complete and drains may be placed. Typically this is done with other surgeries, but if done in isolation, is considered an outpatient procedure. A gentle wrap is kept in place and patients can wash and re-dress their wounds after 24 hours.
Post-operative Care
The first post-operative visit is a week to ten days after surgery. The scar will extend along the entire length of the upper arm and into the armpit area and is generally hidden when the arms are kept at the side. The major issue with this surgery is the scar itself„while it will fade in color over time, there can be occasional widening and elevation of the scar. Normal function of the arm is generally not affected after the acute healing period (and until that period lapses, vigorous exercise should be avoided). The procedure typically takes 1.5-2 hours.
Back Lift
Excess skin after weight loss and pregnancies can develop in the upper back, and the contours can be quite apparent due to the elastics of a supportive bra. A "back lift" aims to improve the skin contours of the upper back. Scar placement is typically in the bra line. The procedure is typically well tolerated, and can occasionally even be performed as an office procedure.
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View pre and post-operative photos
of a back lift.
May contain graphic images.
