What Is A Body Lift?

A body lift is a cosmetic procedure that combines a number of different smaller procedures into one package designed to make the patient look better over their entire body.

What Kinds Of Problems Can Body Lifts Treat?

Exactly what procedures are involved depends on the wishes of the specific client, but body lifts frequently include work done on the buttocks, abdomen, thighs, and breasts. They are also frequently used to treat excess skin, sagging tissue, and sometimes even cellulite. A body lift’s wide-ranging effects makes it ideal for those who have just lost large amounts of weight through diet or gastric surgery, or women whose figures have suffered from several pregnancies.

What Are The Benefits of A Body Lift?

Again, the exact benefits of a body lift will vary depending on the wishes of the client in question. However, all body lifts are designed to streamline and improve a person’s figure and appearance. Body lifts can give a person more confidence, better self-esteem, and encouragement in their pursuit of romance and inter-personal relationships.

Body lifts can also help encourage people who are working on improving their diets and health by maximizing the aesthetic benefits of weight loss. Many people who lose large amounts of weight end up feeling discouraged because after all their hard work, they frequently still do not have the body that they want. Years of carrying excess weight frequently does permanent damage to the body, which manifests itself in the form of excess skin, sagging tissue (especially in the abdominal region) and cellulite. A body lift can help the patient look and feel the way they did before the gained the weight, or in some cases, even better. The reward for their hard work in turn encourages patients in their goal to lose even more weight, or helps them stay on track and avoid gaining anything back.

Finally, in some cases, a body lift can even help improve a person’s health and lifestyle. People who get body lifts frequently have an easier time finding clothes that fit. Some exercises and stretches may be more comfortable than they were before, now that the excess skin and fat is out of the way. If the patient previously had rolls or folds of skin in some places, they may have had a difficult time keeping those areas clean and avoiding irritations and skin diseases, but a body lift can help fix those problem spots.

Preparing For A Body Lift

If you decide you are interested in getting a body lift, the first step is to make an appointment with a surgeon in your area. This is called an initial consultation. At the consultation, the surgeon will work with you to determine your goals and what sorts of treatments should be included in your body lift. He or she will also discuss the cost of your surgery, and if necessary, financing options to help you pay for it. Finally, the surgeon will give you a list of instructions to follow in the upcoming weeks before your procedure in order to ensure that you as fit and healthy as possible before getting your body lift.

Body Lift Procedure

On the day of your procedure, you will need a friend or family member to take you to the clinic or hospital where your procedure is going to be performed. Be sure to get there a little early, as there may be some paperwork for you to fill out.

Once the surgeon is ready for you, you will be brought o the operating room and given anesthetic to ensure you don’t feel any pain. Depending on what exactly you are having done, the procedure will probably last somewhere between two and five hours. When it is over, you will be taken to a recovery room. If you are well enough and the surgeon approves, you may be allowed to go home that same day (although you probably won’t be able to drive-you’ll have to get your friend/family member to take you). In some cases, the doctor may have you stay overnight for observation.

The Recovery

When you are finished with your body lift, your surgeon will give you a list of instruction regarding your recovery period, including things like how much rest you need, any bandages or compression garments you will have to wear, how to clean the treated areas, and how long you need to wait before you resume everyday activities. Some of these instructions may seem irritating or pointless to you, but it is important that you follow them as carefully as you can, in order to have the easiest and fastest recovery possible, and also to get the best results from your procedure.

Risks And Complications Of Body Lifts

As with any surgery, there are some side effects and risks associated with a body lift. Most side effects are relatively minor, and may include things such as pain, redness, and swelling, as well as itchiness, nausea, minor bleeding or fluid loss, and vertigo. More serious symptoms include fever, blurred vision, numbness or loss of coordination, excessive bleeding and swelling in the legs. If you experience any of these symptoms after a body lift you should contact your doctor right away, as they may be indicative of serious problems such as infections or blood clots. If your doctor is unavailable, go tho the nearest emergency room or instant care clinic immediately for care.

How Much Does A Body Lift Cost?

Because body lifts are specifically tailored to each individual patient, the costs vary widely. One person may pay only $6,000, while another may pay $16,000 or more. Exactly what work needs to be done factors into the cost, as does the overall health of the person receiving it. How much training and experience the surgeon has will also play a role in determining the total cost, as will the geographical area of the clinic-doctors operating in major metropolitan areas generally have to charge higher prices to deal with the higher cost of doing business in those cities. If you are interested in getting a body lift and would like to know how much it will cost for you, the best way to find out is to arrange a consultation with a surgeon in your area. Most cosmetic surgeons offer at least one free consultation to interested prospective patients, so it doesn’t cost you anything to find out. At the consultation, the doctor will ask you some questions about your lifestyle and goals, and should be able to give you at least a rough estimate of how much the procedure would cost for you.

How Can I Find A Good Doctor To Perform My Body Lift?

If you are seriously considering getting a body lift, than one of the very most important things you need to do is find yourself a top-quality surgeon to perform it. The best surgeons frequently charge a little more for their services, but if you’re already going to invest a fair amount of money into your appearance, it makes sense to go the extra mile and make sure you really get results you can be proud of. Besides, cosmetic surgeries may be elective, but they are still surgeries. If they are done improperly, you could end up with problems ranging from undesirable cosmetic side effects such as scarring all the way down to potentially fatal ones such as blood clots or strokes. Your health is worth a little extra money.

But how do you find a good doctor? After all, everyone says he or she is the best in the business in their ads. How do you sort through all of the options available to you to find the very best?

The first step to getting a great doctor is to do your research. First, compile a list of all of the cosmetic surgeons you can find in your area. You can use online resources such as the surgeon locator on this site, and you can also use a good old-fashioned phone book. Do your best to be thorough-the more surgeons you find, the more options you’ll have and the stricter your standards can be.

Once you have your list, call all of the clinics on it and ask them about their surgeons. Some things you will want to know include:

• Does the surgeon perform body lifts?
• How many body lifts does he/she perform each year?
• How long has he/she been practicing?
• Where was he/she trained?
• What certifications does the surgeon have?
• Has the surgeon ever been the target of any malpractice lawsuits? If so, how were they resolved?
• What is the office policy regarding botched surgery? If revisionary surgery is required, who has to pay for it?

Once you have a few basic answers, it’s time to dig a little deeper. Look online and see if you can find a forum devoted to plastic surgery in your area. See if you can find some former patients of any of your doctors, and ask them about their experiences. Call your local Better Business Bureau and see if anyone has ever filed a complaint on any of your doctors.

Once you’ve weeded out any doctors who definitely don’t make the grade, it’s time to make appointments with the ones who are left. Your initial consultation is a great chance to ask any more questions you might have, to look at before-and-after pictures to evaluate their work, and to gauge their bedside manner. If a doctor seems arrogant, condescending, or distant, chances are he or she isn’t right for you. Your doctor should be someone you feel comfortable asking questions of, and someone you can trust.

When it’s time to make your final decision, go ahead and take a few days to really think it over. Don’t let yourself be pressured into making a decision too quickly-remember, it’s your body, and it’s your right to chose what you want to do with it.