A body lift, medically known as belt lipectomy or as a circular tummy tuck is the removal of loose skin and excess fat around your groin, hips, buttocks, thighs, waist, and abdomen. This procedure raises and tightens the skin creating a more youthful and beautiful body contour.

If you have excess tissue or sagging skin surrounding your abdominal and buttocks region, most often from major weight loss, you may be interested in having body lift surgery. To qualify for this surgery, you should be in good health without any underlying serious medical conditions that could increase risk from surgery. It is very important for the patient to ensure they have a positive attitude and are realistic about the final results. There is no particular age that is best to have this surgery done, although, some surgeons will mention waiting until after you are finished having children as your abdomen will change during a pregnancy and child birth. It is a recommendation typically made by your surgeon but many women decide to have the surgery prior to having children. The decision is up to you.

An incision will be made just above the pubic area and will go completely around you just above your buttocks. How much excess skin you have will determine how large the incision will be and where Dr. Rodas may have to place the incision. If you have excess skin above your navel Dr. Rodas may make another incision around your belly button so he can pull the skin downward and the excess will then be removed. Your navel may require repositioning. Any stretch marks on your lower abdomen may be partially removed and the remaining ones will be somewhat flattened & improved. However, do not expect there to be a drastic change in the appearance of your pre-existing stretch marks. Additionally, with the body lift, the muscles in your abdomen may be tightened by using sutures when repairing the underlying muscles.

Prior to surgery, you will need to go to your family doctor and have an ECG and CBC (complete Blood Count) along with these medical processes you will need to submit before photos. You will also be required to read and complete our questionnaire on our website. Remember the surgeon will only do what is requested. Be specific and note any problem areas you would like fixed.

You can be expected to lose anywhere from 5 – 10% of the total amount of weight you had lost. For example, If you have lost 100 lbs, you can lose anywhere from 5 – 10 lbs. It is better to go and have your plastic surgeries done before you have reached anywhere from 20-30 lbs toward your goal weight. The reason for this is that then Dr. Rodas is able to remove excess fat and can use it in other areas if you want. For example, in the buttocks region.

Complication rates are very low; however, common risks include, but are not limited to: excessive bleeding, skin loss around incision site, blood clots, numbness, incision separation, skin discolouration, persistent pain, fat necrosis, recurrent looseness of the skin, deep vein thrombosis, cardiac & pulmonary complications and nerve damage. You should be prepared for scarring. Dr. Rodas does a remarkable job, but there are instances where complications may arise that can cause unfavourable scarring.

You will need to wear a support garment for 4 – 8 weeks post-surgery. After your surgery you will probably not be able to stand completely straight up for a couple of weeks and you should not do any strenuous activities for a minimum of 3 weeks. Everyone is different and will feel different after their surgery. For optimal recovery, please follow post-operative directions from Dr. Rodas.

Want to talk it over? We're ready to help. Call us at 1-877-306-8891 (toll free) or 306-665-8891 (Saskatoon) if you have questions or concerns or want help finding an information session near you.