BODYLIFT

Bodylift is the name given to a procedure done for massive weight loss where not only the abdomen is pendulous or has a lot of loose skin but the loose skin extends laterally around the hips and buttock area. The resultant scar of a bodylift is a circumferential scar which anteriorly mimics a radical abdominoplasty scar but then extends around the hips and the scars end up meeting just above the top of the buttock cleft. This is a very good procedure with very happy patients. The only downside is the acceptance of the circumferential scar. The bodylift operation takes approximately six hours with patients staying in hospital from 2-7 days. With massive weight loss, most bodylift patients require other sites to be improved and the main areas are the arms, with the loose skin being fixed with an operation known as a brachioplasty. Medial thigh skin also does not take up very well and a medial thigh lift is usually performed as well.

Depending on the breast condition in females or the chest condition in males, either skin excess is excised from the lateral chest wall or implants are inserted as the breasts become very empty with the loose skin hanging.

It is my experience that people who have had massive weight loss, are only too happy to accept scars to get rid of the troublesome and lax loose skin. The scars generally heal very well, most patients accepting the scars very well and all being very happy with the final outcome. With massive weight loss, the buttocks are usually very flat and with a lower bodylift a lower augmentation flap of fat is used to gain more buttock fullness. This can be done and is done in most cases.