Bayside Plastic Surgeon
Dr. David A. Ross FRACS (PLAST)
Plastic & Cosmetic Surgeon
03 9596 8888

Body Lift

Plastic Surgeon David Ross

Refine Your Contours with Body Lift Surgery

Body lift surgery is performed by Melbourne plastic surgeon David Ross to eliminate excess skin from the abdomen, thighs, arms, knees, back, buttocks, neck, and breasts. A full body lift can enhance virtually any area of the body where skin has begun to droop and sag. The procedure is quite complex, often requiring long incisions around the torso, along the arms, or across the bikini line. During a full body lift, loose skin is trimmed away, and remaining skin is stretched and reattached for a smoother shape. Drains are placed to remove excess fluids following the body lift, and patients are carefully monitored at a Melbourne hospital for three to five days.

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For further information about body lift surgery, or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Ross, please contact Bayside Plastic Surgery today.

Who is a candidate for a body lift?

A body lift is potentially ideal for patients who have lost a significant amount of weight and been left with unattractive folds of skin across their entire body. Anyone who has undergone a bariatric (weight loss) procedure such as gastric banding or gastric bypass surgery is an excellent candidate for a body lift.

It is important to understand that a truncal body lift will not only tighten the abdomen, but lift and tighten the buttocks and outer thighs as well, resulting in a significant and dramatic change in body contour. Those with excess skin on select areas of the body may be better suited for a targeted body lift procedure such as an arm lift, breast lift, facelift, or thigh/buttock lift. Isolated deposits of fat on the body are more effectively targeted through liposuction, while patients struggling with protruding abdomens would better served by tummy tuck surgery. Plastic surgeon David Ross has had extensive experience in all of these procedures in weight loss patients and would be pleased to discuss in consultation at any of our three Melbourne offices.

What can I expect during and after a body lift?

A body lift is a quite long and complicated procedure that almost always requires a brief hospital stay. A full body lift calls for lengthy incisions around the abdomen, hips and buttocks, so potential patients need to expect some scarring following surgery. Because excess skin can cause such severe embarrassment and discomfort, most of our patients are content to accept this post-operative scarring, which usually will fade significantly with time. In fact, the majority of patients who undergo a full body lift are extremely happy with the results. If you are considering body lift surgery, please study the post-surgery images of previous patients to understand the outcomes achievable.

Following a body lift, patients usually remain in hospital for 3-4 days and then should allow for adequate recovery time, approximately four to six weeks, before returning to full activity. Possible side effects of body lift surgery include infection, bleeding, numbness, blood clots, bruising, swelling, and more. Scars will begin to fade after six months to a year, but revisional surgery may be necessary if incisions fail to properly heal, or scarring is too prominent.

Upper Arm Lift (Reduction Brachiaplasty)

An arm lift, also known as brachiaplasty, is used to reduce loose, sagging skin around the upper arm caused by aging, weight loss, or simply genetics. During an upper arm lift, an incision is made along the inner arm, where it will be least conspicuous and the loose skin is trimmed away and tightened for a more pleasing shape. If there is a significant amount of fat in the upper arms, liposuction will be performed with the arm lift for maximum results.

Who is a candidate for an arm lift?

Anyone with excess, droopy skin along the upper arms is a candidate for an arm lift. An arm lift is ideal for anyone who has lost a significant amount of weight, women whose arm skin has stretched following pregnancy, and older patients with very little fat in the upper arm, but a significant amount of excess skin collected beneath the arm. An arm lift can also be incorporated into a full body lift, but these procedures are usually not undertaken concurrently, due to the prolonged duration of the procedure. For younger patients who are concerned with pockets of fat along the upper arm, an arm lift is only appropriate if the skin has been significantly stretched. Patients with good skin elasticity may be better suited for liposuction. Contact our Melbourne, Victoria practice to learn more about eligibility for arm lift (brachiaplasty) procedures.

What can I expect during and after an arm lift?

Most arm lift procedures can be performed on as a day surgery procedure; however, patients who are receiving an arm lift in conjunction with other procedures such as breast lift or inner thigh reduction may require a short stay at a Melbourne hospital. During the procedure, Dr. Ross does his best to hide and minimise incision lines, but patients should expect to see a sizeable scar that will run along the inside of their arm. This scarring will fade with time, but for some patients scar thickening may occur. Scar thickening may require revisional surgery to maximise results. Side effects of arm lift surgery can include bleeding, infection, bruising, and swelling. Following surgery, pressure garments are used to reduce swelling and support the arms to achieve optimal post-surgery contour. Patients can return to normal activities after two weeks, when dressings are removed, but in the interim, arm movement should be limited.

We invite you to view clinical examples of actual upper arm lift patients.

Inner Thigh Lift (Reduction Thighplasty)

An inner thigh lift is a procedure designed to reduce the excess skin that collects around the inner thighs, and tighten the deep tissues of the thighs. The procedure requires the removal of loose and redundant tissue from the inner thigh, usually after significant weight loss. The incision length will also vary; an inner thigh lift only requires a short incision between the groin and buttocks, but if skin redundancy extends down the thigh toward the knee, incisions will extend down the inner thigh to tighten and recontour the entire thigh. In this case visible scars will result down the inner thigh that will fade over time, as is the case after arm lift surgery. Regardless, undergarments and clothing will hide most inner thigh lift incisions.

Who is a candidate for an inner thigh lift?

An inner thigh lift is appropriate for patients who are self-conscious about loose skin and cellulite around the thighs, knees and hips. The best surgical candidate has lost significant weight resulting in loose and thin inner thigh skin. For those concerned with excess skin and stubborn fat around the inner thighs, a thigh lift and body sculpting with liposuction maybe an effective solution. If skin around the thighs and buttocks has a dimpled, sagging and has a stretched appearance, a thigh lift can be combined with a buttock lift or full circumferential body lift to achieve optimal results. Dr. Ross will help you determine which procedure is appropriate after a thorough body lift consultation at any of his three Melbourne offices.

What can I expect during and after an inner thigh lift?

An inner thigh lift alone will generally require a short hospital stay of a couple of days, but a full thigh/buttock/body lift may require more significant recuperation at a Melbourne hospital. Following less extensive surgery, pain is usually not significant and can be controlled by oral medication alone. After a combined body and thigh lift procedure, patients will require drains to collect fluids and are advised to wear a pressure garment to reduce swelling. They can return to normal activities after two weeks when dressings are removed and exercise may be resumed after approximately four to six weeks.

After an inner thigh lift, patients can expect to see dramatic changes immediately after removal of dressings. The skin around the thighs and buttocks will be tighter, better supported and lifted, cellulite will be reduced or eliminated and an entirely new thigh shape will be revealed.

We invite you to view clinical examples of actual thigh lift patients.

Reach Out to Our Plastic Surgeon Today

To learn more about the procedures featured on this page, including body lift, liposuction and tummy tuck, contact Bayside Plastic Surgery in Melbourne, Victoria. Our helpful and knowledgeable staff will be able to assist you with enquiries about any of these procedures and arrange an assessment with Dr. Ross so that you can find out which procedure or procedures might be of benefit for you.

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Bayside Plastic Surgery
159 Church Street
Brighton 3186, Australia
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525 McClelland Drive
Frankston, Victoria, 3199
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220 Clayton Road Suite 14
Clayton VIC Australia
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Bayside Plastic Surgeon
Dr. David A. Ross FRACS (PLAST)
Plastic & Cosmetic Surgeon
03 9596 8888
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