Lower Body Lift

Sculpt a Firmer, More Toned Lower Abdominal Area, Lower Back, Thighs, and Buttocks in St. Louis, MO

Collagen and elastin are two important proteins in your skin, where they support its strength and elasticity. Unfortunately, when you experience significant weight loss, it can be difficult for the collagen and elastin fibers to shrink back to their original, pre-weight loss shape. Although your physical and mental state may feel better after you’ve lost a substantial amount of weight, the presence of saggy skin on the body can be discouraging. The underlying tissue structures may also be weakened. Even with the best exercise routine and diet, your skin won’t tighten on its own. A lower body lift at St. Louis' West County Plastic Surgeons will combine different procedures to address the unwanted, excess skin and fat on the lower body area to restore a more youthful appearance and tone. A lower body lift can often be the final step in your weight loss journey.

To learn more about the benefits of a lower body lift in St. Louis, contact our office to schedule a consultation. Call 314-996-8800 or fill out a contact form to request a consultation.

What Is a Lower Body Lift?

What is included in a lower body lift? Body lifts are cosmetic surgeries that address concerns below the neck. A lower body lift is a procedure that sculpts the abdomen, flanks, buttocks, lower back, and outer thighs to correct loose or sagging skin following massive weight loss. An incision is extended like a belt around the lower abdomen, sides, and back to help address loose skin in all of these regions. In addition to removing skin, a lower body lift involves the re-draping and re-suspension of your body’s tissue. A lower body lift can dramatically improve the contour of the waistline and lower body area after massive weight loss.

Who Is a Good Candidate for a Lower Body Lift?

How do you know if you need a lower body lift? A lower body lift may be best suited for patients who have loose skin around the waistline and buttocks, who have relaxed abdominal muscles, who maintain a stable and healthy weight, who are not bothered by having scars on the waist and lower back, who do not have medical conditions that could cause complications during recovery, and who are not smokers. Candidates may often have wrinkled skin on the thighs and buttocks area. Individuals who have experienced major weight loss can often be ideal patients.

You may not be a good candidate for this procedure if you have certain medical conditions such as cardiac or major respiratory illnesses or kidney and liver failure. When determining whether someone is a better candidate for a less invasive body contouring surgery, such as liposuction or a lower body lift, the laxity and age of the skin should be considered. The older you are, the more likely you are to need a surgical lower body lift.

How Do You Prepare for a Lower Body Lift?

How do you prepare for a body lift? It’s important to do your research, have a consultation, and ensure that you are in your best health possible before having a lower body lift. Avoid smoking and consuming alcohol for several weeks prior to lower body lift surgery as they can increase the risk of complications. Avoid taking medications or supplements that thin the blood, such as aspirin.

How Have Lower Body Lifts Become More Advanced in 2023?

Less Painful

We have done a lot of work at West County Plastic Surgeons trying to figure out how to speed up recovery after a lower body lift. We now employ an "Enhanced Recovery Protocol" to reduce pain after this body contouring procedure. Our protocol minimizes the need for pain medicine after surgery and speeds up recovery time—and we are proud to say it has won awards at international plastic surgery meetings and has led to several publications.

Fewer Scars

We use the Embrace scar management system that goes a long way to making lower body lift scars lighter and thinner than ever before.

Anesthesia: A lower body lift is performed with the patient under general anesthesia.

Length of procedure: 4 to 5 hours.

Estimated recovery time: You can return to work after 4 to 6 weeks and should avoid vigorous activities for 6 to 8 weeks. Visible bruising should clear up within 2 weeks, and swelling begins to resolve within 4 weeks. To learn how to prepare for a lower body lift and what to expect afterward, click here to download our patient instructions.

Side effects: Common side effects include bruising, swelling, a few spitting sutures, and some numbness, itching, and spasm of the abdomen, lower back, and sides. Drain tubes lasting 10 to 30 days are placed, and you will be required to walk gently flexed at the waist for about 5 days after surgery. An injectable blood thinner called Lovenox^® is generally used for at least 10 days after surgery to prevent blood clots. On occasion, delays in wound healing may occur Click here to download a detailed consent form from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons that lists the risks and benefits of body lift procedures.

If you have questions or would like to request a consultation to discuss a lower body lift in St. Louis, contact our office by phoning 314-996-8800 or requesting your consultation online.

What Are the Results and Long-Term Outlook for a Lower Body Lift?

After you have had a lower body lift, your torso area will be visibly slimmer, but it will take some time for the swelling and bruising to go down. It may take up to a year for the results to finalize, as the skin and tissues settle into their new position. This surgery gives the thighs and buttocks a more attractive appearance.

How long will a lower body lift last? Although the overall results from a lower body lift are long-lasting, you will need to stay in shape and retain a stable weight. Your body will also be affected by aging, which causes it to lose firmness over time.

Before-and-after photos of body lift results: Click here

Which Cosmetic Procedures Complement a Lower Body Lift?

There are other types of procedures you may wish to combine with or have as an alternative to a lower body lift:

Breast Lift (Mastopexy)

With massive weight loss, the volume of the breast decreases and this leads to a relative excess of skin. The excess skin can be removed, and the breast tissue, which has dropped, can be repositioned into a more youthful and cosmetically appealing position. A breast lift can be performed to improve the shape and position of the breasts.

Male Breast Reduction for Gynecomastia

Like women, the male breast skin can become excessive with weight loss. This is a form of gynecomastia that can be treated with skin removal and possibly debulking or ultrasound-assisted liposuction. The nipple-areolas can also be repositioned in order to place them in a more anatomically appropriate and cosmetically appealing location.

Buttock Augmentation

A lower body lift may flatten the appearance of the buttocks. To correct this, a so-called "Brazilian butt-lift" or buttock augmentation—typically performed with fat grafting from liposuction—can be an option for patients. Sometimes, the lower back and flank tissue can be repurposed to also augment the buttocks.

Total Body Lift

Although the lower body lift will address the front, sides, and the buttocks, it does not address redundant skin in the armpit and bra strap areas. To correct these areas, a second incision extending from a male or female breast lift through the armpit region and to the bra strap areas is performed. This upper body lift will tighten loose skin in these areas, and when combined with a lower body lift comprises the so-called total body lift. This lift is the most powerful cosmetic procedure available to contour the trunk after massive weight loss.

Non-Surgical Treatments

Sculpting your body shape can often involve more than just removing excess skin and fat with a lower body lift. CoolTone^™ is a type of muscle stimulating device that can improve muscle mass and definition.

Ready to discover more about a lower body lift in St. Louis? Call 314-996-8800, schedule your consultation online, or email us today if you would like to request an appointment.