Each year, thousands of Americans turn to body lift surgery to transform the contours of their physique and reclaim their confidence. For many, a body lift is the only solution to remove the excess, sagging skin that frequently remains after significant weight loss. Although it’s easy to write off the benefits of a body lift as being wholly centered on a physical transformation, many patients are ecstatic to discover a whole world of new, positive impacts their surgery has on their lives, many of which they never anticipated!
“When your plastic surgeon tells you that a body lift will transform your life, we don’t just mean your body,” says Dr. Christine Stewart, a board-certified plastic surgeon and partner at Edina Plastic Surgery. “The benefits of a body lift can go way beyond the aesthetic realm and be truly life-changing on multiple fronts. Although it can be a long and intense surgery for a plastic surgeon, many of us count body lift among our favorite surgeries because of the dramatic change it achieves for our patients’ bodies and overall quality of life.”
5 Major Benefits of Body Lift Surgery
#1 – Improved and Balanced Body Proportions
Significant weight loss, whether due to diet, exercise, or bariatric surgery, can result in an abundance of loose, sagging skin throughout the body. The most frustrating of this skin is often found around the midsection, where it can create heavy folds of skin that hang over clothing and distort the true proportions of the body.
“Losing a significant amount of weight is a huge accomplishment,” states Dr. Stewart. “However, many patients are disheartened to find that even after losing 60 or more pounds, their true body shape remains hidden by folds of skin on the abdomen, lower back, buttocks, and thighs. By removing this excess skin with body lift surgery, we can restore beautiful balance and proportionate contours back to the body’s overall shape.”
#2 – Enhanced Physical (and Mental) Comfort
Those who have never dealt with excess sagging skin may not appreciate how uncomfortable it can be. Loose skin can cause chaffing and irritation against clothing and even lead to limitations in body movements and infection. By removing this skin, body lift surgery allows for better mobility and enhanced physical comfort.
“Constantly having to try and hide and manage excess skin can be emotionally distressing for body lift patients before surgery,” explains Dr. Stewart. “Many patients spend years using various compression garments, restrictive shapewear, and even uncomfortable wrapping and bonding techniques in their effort to smooth lumps, folds, and bulges. The relief and freedom patients feel after having this skin removed can dramatically improve their quality of life and empower them to feel comfortable in their own skin again.”
#3 – A BIG Boost to Self-Confidence
Unfortunately, a disheartening dichotomy can exist between massive weight loss and positive self-image. Why? Just when it seems like someone should experience a colossal increase in self-confidence from their weight loss success, they find they have almost traded one concern for another. The battle against excess fat is now replaced with the struggle of dealing with sagging skin. Body lift surgery helps patients fully complete their transformation after a dramatic weight loss. Being freed from this excess skin and the shame many patients feel surrounding it not only improves body contour and proportions, it boosts self-image and a greater sense of well-being.
#4 – Improvements in How Clothes Fit and What Styles Can be Worn
“Many patients I consult with for body lift surgery comment on how challenging their excess skin makes it to find clothing that fits well and flatters their body,” says Dr. Stewart. “There is such a strong correlation between how a person looks and how they feel. Although it may initially seem insignificant, how we choose to dress is a form of self-expression. When we feel limited by our wardrobe options due to excess skin that we are trying to hide, it can be incredibly frustrating and even stifling to how we really want to present ourselves to the world. Body lift surgery helps patients return to a broader range of clothing options. With a smoother, firmer body contour, they can confidently wear form-fitting clothing and enjoy a much more diverse selection of styles. This newfound fashion freedom further enhances patients’ overall satisfaction with their surgery results and quality of life. Many proudly comment on how they had to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe when I see them three months after their body lift surgery!”
#5 – Results are Long-Lasting When Maintained With Lifestyle Changes
Body lift surgery requires a significant commitment from the patient that spans their recovery and into life after surgery. The results are long-lasting, but they are also very much in the hands of the individual.
“It may take some patients by surprise to learn how integral their actions are to the overall success of their body lift surgery,” says Dr. Stewart. “Starting with how well you prepare your body for surgery to how strictly you adhere to your post-surgical recovery instructions, you, the patient, are very much in control of a large portion of your results and how long they last. I encourage patients to feel empowered by this and use their surgery as a catalyst to embark on a new, healthier lifestyle after surgery.”
Following body lift surgery, it is essential that patients embrace a healthy lifestyle to maximize the longevity of their results. This includes eating a clean, nutritious diet, exercising regularly, weight training, managing stress, and addressing any negative behaviors that may have led to their initial weight gain. If all these healthy lifestyle factors are incorporated into a body lift patient’s everyday life, expect transformative results that last throughout life!
Have you recently lost a significant amount of weight and are now concerned about excess skin on your abdomen and lower body? Body lift surgery may be an excellent option for you! Schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss your goals and this transformative procedure with Dr. Christine Stewart or another board-certified plastic surgeon at Edina Plastic Surgery by calling (952) 592-5766, texting (952) 925-1765, or CLICKING HERE!
