Charleston Body Contouring – Body Lift Plastic Surgery

A well-toned body with smooth contours often is a sign of fitness achieved by healthy diet and exercise.

But exercise cannot always achieve desired results for people who have loose, sagging skin and uneven contours. Aging, sun damage, pregnancy and significant fluctuations in weight as well as genetic factors may contribute to poor tissue elasticity and can result in sagging of the abdomen, buttocks, thighs and upper arms.

If you desire a firmer, more youthful-looking body contour, then a surgical body lift may help achieve your goals. It improves the shape and tone of the underlying tissue that supports fat and skin.

Excess sagging fat and skin are removed to treat conditions caused in part by poor tissue elasticity. In addition, the procedure(s) can improve a dimpled, irregular skin surface, commonly known as cellulite. A body lift may include these areas:

• Abdominal area, locally or extending around the sides and into the lower back area
• Buttocks, that may be low, flat or shaped unevenly
• Groin that may sag into the inner thigh
• Thigh, including the inner, outer, or posterior thigh, or circumferentially

Incision length and pattern depend on the amount and location of excess skin to be removed, as well as personal preference and surgical judgment.

A complete lower body lift treats the buttocks, abdomen, waist, hips and thighs in one procedure. A circumferential incision around the body removes an apron of excess skin and fat and repositions and tightens tissues.

A combination of liposuction and surgical body lifts may be necessary to achieve an improved contour. Deep support sutures within underlying tissues help to form the newly shaped contours.

The results of a body lift are visible almost immediately. It may take as long as one to two years for the final results to fully develop.