Body Contouring Surgery | Tummy Tuck, Arm Lift, Thigh Lift, Butt Lift, Breast Lift, Augmentation, Implants, Reduction

Body Contouring

You exercise. You eat right. But sometimes there are stubborn areas that just look bigger than they should. Body contouring - using plastic surgery, liposuction or a combination of the two - can address these issues.

Even if your weight is normal, you may have areas where the fat seems to accumulate. Or you may have areas where there is excess skin or sagging skin. This can happen if you've gained and lost weight over the years. It can also happen with aging skin.

For the body, there are different plastic surgery procedures that can help to reshape the body. Many of these can also be combined with liposuction which removes excess fat from behind the muscle and skin, using a suction pump. It can be used on stomach or belly fat, as well as areas such as the rear end, and thighs. Among plastic surgery options, here are some of the more common ones.

Tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty)

This type of surgery can reduce the lose skin and fat from your midriff and tighten the underlying muscles. Areas of skin with stretch marks can also be eliminated. Abdominoplasty or belly fat surgery can also be combined with liposuction. The tumescent liposuction technique is a newer method designed to produce less post operative bruising, swelling and pain. A procedure called a panniculectomy may also be an option. This is simply the removal of excess skin. A dermatolipectomy , which takes out skin and fat but does not tighten the muscle, can be an option too.

In tummy tucks, the least amount of scarring occurs with the mini-abdominoplasty, which tightens the lower abdominal wall skin only. Sometimes a mini tummy tuck can be done through an incision in the belly button. An extended abdominoplasty or full tummy tuck tightens the abdomen and the flanks or sides (longest scar extending around the flanks onto lower back.) This surgery can be very uncomfortable, with a recovery period of six weeks or more. The cost of a tummy tuck starts at $4000, and this does not include the cost for hospitalization and anesthesia.

Lower body lift (belt lipectomy)

This is a procedure to remove skin and lift the upper thighs and buttocks, and can also include skin of the abdomen. This type of cosmetic surgery can be done on people after bariatric surgery to lose weight, or on people who have not had a great weight loss. It can also be combined with liposuction, for example to remove the fat causing the so-called love handles on the sides. The lower body lift is basically a combination of a thigh lift, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) and buttock or butt lift. Excess skin and fat from the entire middle section is removed, and then the area is re-shaped. You would need to talk with your doctor about whether belt lipectomy surgery should be done in one step or in stages. Recovery can take several weeks to a month. The cost of a lower belt lift starts at $10,000 but this does not include the cost for hospitalization and anesthesia.

Thigh lift (thighplasty)

This is designed to remove excess skin from the upper thigh to the knee. It can be appropriate for people who have lost weight, but still have extra droopy skin on the thighs, or people who are not happy with the contours of their thighs. There are several different types of thigh lifts, targeting different areas of the thighs.

• inner thigh lift - this targets the inner thigh.
• bilateral thigh lift - this is designed to tighten skin on the front and outside of the leg.
• medial thigh lift - this targets the upper portion of the inner thigh.

A thigh lift may sometimes be done in conjunction with liposuction to remove excess fat, for example, if the inner thighs are flabby. A thigh lift and liposuction combined can also help reduce so-called saddle bags on the outside thighs. A thigh lift is done under general or other anesthesia. Recovery is about 2 weeks. The cost of a thigh lift starts at $3000.

Buttock lift (butt lift) and buttock implants

This is surgery that will lift the buttocks by cutting a wedge of skin and then pulling the skin up tight so the butt is lifted. Your doctor will discuss with you the types of incisions to expect, depending on how much of the area is impacted. For example, in a Brazilian butt lift, fat is also injected into the buttock area. The fat can come from the lower back or hips. This will result in a rounder rear end. It is less effective if someone doesn't have a lot of fat on their body. It also will not greatly increase the size of the rear end. For that, butt augmentation would be used.

Buttock implants for rear end augmentation would result in a greater increase and a rounder rear end. Butt implants involve the insertion of silicone implants. Either the buttocks lift or the butt implants can be combined with liposuction if there is extra fat that should be removed first. It is important that not too much fat be removed at once. If the skin in sagging, a procedure called a butt wedge can be used to remove extra tissue at the crease of the buttock. Any surgery to lift, tighten or augment the butt has all the normal risks of cosmetic surgery. Also, in addition to the side effects of any cosmetic surgery procedure, surgery on the rear end means you will not be able to sit for several weeks without using a very soft or special cushion.

Plastic surgery on the buttocks is not cheap. A buttock lift can cost between $5000 and $15,000 or more, depending on how much fat is being removed and how much excess skin on the rear end there is. The cost of butt augmentation starts at $15,000.

Arm lift (brachioplasty)

This can help sagging underarm skin between your armpit and elbow. With the removal of fat and tightening of flapping skin, the arms can look better. Strengthening exercises can help loose underarm skin in this area as well. A brachioplasty can also be combined with liposuction to remove excess fat and skin.

An arm lift can leave a scar the length of the underside of the arm. It can also be done, in some cases, with a more minimal incision under the armpit. The length of the incision will depend on the amount of excess skin being removed. If there is a lot of saggy skin, the minimal incision may be less of an option. The cost of an arm lift or brachioplasty starts at $5000.

Breast lift | breast augmentation | breast reduction

There are several different procedures for the breasts. Recovery from these procedures can take two weeks or more. A breast lift (mastopexy) can be done with or without implants or augmentation. A breast lift may also help with stretch marks. There are different types of breast lifts, depending on how droopy the breasts are:

• crescent mastopexy - this removes a small crescent of breast skin and breast tissue directly above the areola, which is the colored area around the nipple). It leaves a small anchor shaped scar around the areola.
• circumareolar mastopexy, Benelli - this procedure (also called donut mastopexy) removes a circular piece of skin around the areola.
• lollipop mastopexy - here, the skin is removed around the areola and also on the lower part of the breast. It leaves a circular scar with a vertical line extending from it down the middle of the breast.

A breast lift can be combined with breast implants. The implants can be filled with silicon or saline, and the shape can be round or teardrop shaped. The surface can be smooth or textured.

The cost of a breast lift starts at $1000. A breast lift combined with implants can start at several thousand dollars.

Breast reduction surgery (reduction mammaplasty) can help women who feel their back, neck or other problems result from breasts that are too large. In breast reduction surgery, excess skin and tissue is removed, and the nipple can be moved to match the new smaller breast size. The surgeon may make a crescent incision around the areola and a vertical incision, resulting in the lollipop scar. Excess breast tissue and fat can be removed through this scar. Sometimes a horizontal scar in the crease of the breast can be needed. If a lot of fat and tissue is removed, the nipple and areola may have to be repositioned. Breast reduction surgery that is considered medical or reconstructive may be covered by health insurance.

Breast augmentation is surgery to increase the size of the breasts, using either saline or silicone implants. The cost of breast augmentation with implants starts at $6000.

Facial and neck contouring

When skin droops on the face and neck area, there are different options. For example, cosmetic fillers can help with some wrinkles. Facial cosmetic surgery can be an option too. Surgical lifts, such as face lifts, involve incisions, through which excess fat and skin are removed, and the skin is then contoured and re-draped. The face lift procedure removes excess fat, tightens underlying muscles, and redrapes the skin of your face and neck. Plastic surgeons say the best candidates for facial plastic surgery are those whose facial skin has begun to sag, but who still have elasticity in their skin, with strong bone structure.

Choosing a body contour surgeon

If you are thinking about plastic surgery for the body or face, you need to be realistic about what to expect. You also need to talk with a qualified, board-certified doctor, and be aware of potential risks such as hematoma, infection at the site of the incision and anesthesia complications. This type of surgery is done under general anesthesia, and that has potential risks. There is always a chance that implants, if used, can shift. After the procedure, you must follow the doctor's directions. For example, you may need to wear a special garment to control swelling (which can last for a month or more). It is not likely that this surgery will be covered by insurance. As the price for cosmetic surgery can range from several thousand dollars to ten thousand dollars or more, this can be a big factor.

Before surgery, make sure you have achieved a healthy weight and eat a healthy diet. Ask your doctor about any medications you might be taking, both prescription and over-the-counter. After any surgical procedure, it's essential that you use good sun protection, such as sunblock or sun protective clothing. This is important both before surgery as well as after.

Body contouring after weight loss

If you've lost a large amount of excess weight, either through willpower or bariatric surgery (weight-loss surgery), you should be feeling proud of yourself. But sometimes, when you lose that much weight, you are left with loose or sagging skin. This might appear on your stomach, arms, legs or even your face. But there are options that can help.

One of the problems when you lose a great deal of weight is that your skin doesn't spring back. If it's been stretched for a long period of time over the excess fat, it has probably lost much elasticity. This can create a great deal of sagging skin. Often the only way to remove it is through plastic surgery.

If you are thinking about body contouring, it's important that you've reached and maintained your ideal weight for at least a year. Two years is even better. It's also important that you don't expect to lose any more weight.

It's also important that you are following a healthy diet and getting enough exercise. If you are a smoker, quit. Make sure you don't have any other health issues. Often people who have been very overweight have other complications such as heart problems. But these complications can make cosmetic surgery dangerous.

Be realistic. Even with surgery, you may have loose skin. Understand the side effects. These can include excess bleeding, scarring, infection, dangerous clots, swelling, bruising, and numbness among others.

Removing a larger than normal amount of skin can be risky, so body contouring may be done in stages, rather than all at once.

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information:

verify here.

Thank you for visiting. Be sure to tell a friend and bookmark this page so you can return.

Updated May 2008

Site Map | Skin Care Resources