- read about thigh buttock lift-belt lipectomy
- see before and after photos
- alternatives, risks, benefits & recovery
The thigh and buttock skin can be elevated by removing a section of skin that lies under what is normally covered by underwear or a bathing suit-a Thigh Buttock Lift or Belt Lipectomy. This procedure lifts the thighs and buttocks by removing a circumferential segment of skin. The remaining scar lies across the lower abdomen and just above the buttocks on the back. It is basically an abdominoplasty tummy tuck that is extended around the back and is designed to be hidden by a bikini type brief. Skin striae or stretch marks if present preoperatively will not disappear but are usually dramatically diminished. The major effects of the belt lipectomy procedure are buttock tightening, diminishing or completely removing thigh cellulite and removal of back rolls or excess back skin after losing excessive weight. A simple way to test for the result of such a procedure is to widely pinch the skin just above the hips on both sides while looking in the mirror. The effect on cellulite is readily evident.
This 34 year old, 5’7″ tall, 205 lb. (after gastric bypass weightloss surgery) patient was left with excess skin around the buttocks. This is very effectively addressed by the belt lipectomy.
This 55 year old, 5’10” tall, 180 lb. patient had a significant but lesser weight loss. The amount of tattoo missing indicates the amount of excess skin removed. 150cc of fat was also injected into each buttock as a free fat graft injection or Brazilian butt lift to improve buttock contours. The majority of this fat graft has survived producing a lasting result without any of the long term problems associated with buttock implants. The side view in this case shows the effect on the buttock contour 8 months after surgery as does the tracing of the buttock outline below. This makes the procedure a valid alternative to buttock silicone implants.
Read Dr. Stone’s blogs about abdominoplasty and belt lipectomy surgeryAbdominoplasty, thigh buttock lift and belt lipectomy
Cellulite
Abdominal Muscle Tightening and Diastasis Repair
The Difference between Panniculectomy and Abdominoplasty – Tummy Tuck
Belt lipectomy surgery can enhance your appearance and your self confidence. Realistic expectations are important to be happy with any surgery. As each patient is an individual, different results can be expected in each patient.
Alternatives
In these cases there is so much skin excess that there are no good alternatives to abdominoplasty or belt lipectomy. It can only be removed by surgery.
Risks
As with any type of surgery there is the risk of infection or bleeding. Additionally there is the risk of seroma or blood fluid collections under the skin, bruising and skin loss especially at the lower edge of the abdominal skin below the belly button and the middle of the lower back. Smokers and those who have undergone massive weight loss prior to surgery are at particular risk for skin loss or clots in the major leg veins. This risks are minimized by careful surgery, use of drains, medical optimization of at risk patients before surgery, early ambulation after surgery and adherence to postoperative instructions.
Constipation is a frequent problem following muscle tightening surgery and opioid pain medications after surgery. Dr. Stone has his patients routinely take stool softeners beginning a few days before surgery to minimize this problem.
Just removing the skin and fat of the lower back immediately of the buttocks can cause a flat buttock and problems wearing pants. This is prevented by fat grafting to the buttocks at the time of surgery or only removing skin immediately above the buttocks while folding the remaining fat under the buttock skin to retain a normal round shape.
The appearance of the skin incision scars after surgery is highly variable from patient to patient. With good scar control regimens after surgery the visible scarring can be minimal even in Afro-Americans.
Benefits
The benefits are not being self conscious in a bathing suit at the beach, when wearing midrif exposing shirts or when being intimate and achieving a more hourglass shape for women. Being pleased with your new appearance can be a major incentive to changing your lifestyle, diet and exercise regularity in order to maintain your new look.
Abdominoplasty patients are among the happiest plastic surgery patients because this is one of the few cosmetic procedures that is permanent. You only need one in your entire life if you maintain a pregnancy free healthy lifestyle. Facelifts and breast surgery unfortunately do not last a life time.
Massive weight loss patients have the added benefit of resolving recurrent rashes and infections under the overhang. In fact if they have such a condition before surgery some portion of the surgery is covered by health insurance.
Recovery
Most patients require an overnight stay with nursing care for 1 night after surgery. Some patients opt for 2 nights. If the overhang lies below the genitalia before surgery the patient stays in the hospital for 2 to 3 nights after surgery and is partially reimbursed for this by health insurance. A urinary catheter is left in place overnight and the drains are removed within 3 to 7 days of surgery in most cases. The main factor affecting complication free recovery is the amount of muscle tightening that is performed at surgery. If the muscles were very lax before surgery you may not be able to walk upright for 2 or 3 weeks after surgery. There are exercise and activity restrictions for 3 to 4 weeks after surgery after which patients gradually return to their pre-surgery exercise routines.
Dr. Aaron Stone
Call today for a consultation!
9700 Venice BlvdCulver City, Los Angeles,CA 90232
Many people who are interested in Plastic Surgery decide not to seek treatment because of the prices associated with cosmetic plastic surgery. What they may not know is that financing plans can help manage the costs and bring cosmetic surgery within the reach of nearly every budget.Many patients choose their cosmetic surgeon based on prices for plastic surgery rather than credentials. It is important to thoroughly research your doctor to ensure that he or she has the requisite training, experience, and facility. Making sure you get the results you desire the first time around could mean lower cosmetic surgery costs in the long run. Choosing an inexperienced surgeon could jeopardize your safety and result in health problems or the need for follow-up surgeries.Dr. Stone offers patients a range of payment options to help cover plastic surgery costs, including cash, check, and credit cards. In addition, he offers plastic surgery financing plans to help patients set up an affordable payment schedule by breaking up the costs of Plastic Surgery treatment into affordable monthly payments through
You can finance 100% of your cosmetic surgery and select the plan that works best for your budget. There are no upfront costs, no annual fees, and no pre-payment penalties. So, you can schedule your procedure today and conveniently pay with low, monthly payments. Many of Dr. Stone’s patients use the financing option and their is no stigma attached to doing so. Everyone is treated equally regardless of whether their procedure is paid by financing, up front cash or credit card. We encourage all prospective patients to feel free to discuss financing options during their office consultation.Please remember not to choose your cosmetic surgeon based solely on prices for plastic surgery rather than credentials. It is important to thoroughly research your doctor to ensure that he or she has the requisite training, experience, and facility. In addition you should feel comfortable with the Plastic Surgeon you choose. This is important because should any problems arise after surgery you need to feel you can easily call and speak with your surgeon to treat any such problems as quickly as possible. Having a good surgeon that intimidates you or that you feel uncomfortable speaking with does not help the situation. Making sure you get the results you desire the first time around could mean lower cosmetic surgery costs in the long run. Choosing an inexperienced surgeon could jeopardize your safety and result in health problems or the need for follow-up surgeries.
