Lower body lift surgery or belt lipectomy procedure

Initially, Dr Amit Agarwal makes tentative surgical markings on the skin to be excised circumferentially as per your discussion with him keeping in mind the type of procedure you have selected.

Both the procedures remove tissues from the lower body circumferentially but the scar of belt lipectomy sits higher than the scar of lower body lift. The scar of lower body lift is well hidden under the panty line. The decision to perform lower body lift or belt lipectomy in a man or woman depends on the amount of excess skin present in the lower body and the body reshaping goals. In belt lipectomy, extra skin around the torso is removed along with a tummy tuck, but there is no true attempt to perform a thigh and buttock lift. Lower body lift is the true and reliable lifting procedure which lifts and enhances the gluteal and outer thighs region along with the abdomen reshaping.

General anaesthesia is given by our very competent anaesthetist and intensivist. This surgery is performed in three sequential steps by Dr Amit Agarwal. We have to reposition the patient at least two to three times during the surgery to access different areas of the lower body.

• Abdominoplasty /tummy tuck- Tumescent anaesthesia solution is infused in the fat tissues under the pre marked skin of the area of planned surgery to reduce bleeding, pain and trauma to the tissues. An incision is made in the lower most part of abdomen carried upto the waist on the sides and dissection of the lower skin is done then towards the naval or belly button. An incision is also given around the Belly button which is detached from its original position with its stalk to be given a new position later during the surgery. The dissection usually extends up from your navel and abdominal muscles are appropriately tightened, and excess skin is stretched and trimmed. A new opening for belly button is made and then it is placed in position and sutured. Incision is closed with absorbable sutures and glue over a drain. The scar is placed low on the abdomen, just above the pubic hair area, and extend upwards toward the hip bones.
• Lateral thigh /waist lift- The excess sagging skin and tissues are excised from the waist. Dissection is done towards the thigh in downward direction and underlying tissues are suspended up and tightened-lifting thigh up. Incision is sutured with absorbable sutures and glue. It is usually combined with liposuction of the lateral thigh areas also. The scar is placed gently curved around the waist, moving down towards the buttock region on the back.
• Hip lift- The same incision is carried to the back and the excess skin is removed from the lower back and the buttocks are lifted up. Men and women who have flat buttocks can have auto buttock augmentation also during the same procedure. Incision will be closed in multiple layers to control stretching and swelling. Deep support sutures within the underlying tissues help to form the newly shaped buttock contours. Sutures and skin adhesives are used to close the skin incisions. The scar gently curves toward the top of the buttock crease to meet the incision from the other side.

Your scar placement is determined by how you wear your clothing, can be placed high or low and will be easily hidden by clothing.

Possible side effects and risks

The complications and aftermaths of the surgery vary from person to person and their physical well-being. Lower body lift usually gives desired results but there can be some risks involved which include:

• Risks related to general anaesthesia which are very rare-General Anaesthesia is very safe in present times and with best machines and a qualified anaesthetist, chances of encountering any complication is less than 0.1 percent in a healthy individual. We at Kayakriti Plastic Surgery and Dental centre are equipped with world class anaesthesia workstation, other equipments and two very qualified intensivists for the surgical procedures to be very safe and smooth.
• Visible scars at the incision sites which is circumferential around your waist. The scars usually fade with time and are well hidden under the panty line in females and undergarments of males.
• Risks related to higher BMI (Body Mass Index). Higher the BMI, higher are the risks of wound healing problems like wound dehiscence or skin necrosis
• Seroma formation or fluid accumulation can occur which subsides with time.
• Rare chances of infection and wound dehiscence are there which may require prolonged antibiotic therapy and re-suturing respectively.
• Bleeding or haematoma formation under skin flaps which might mere require observation or surgical drainage
• Slight asymmetry
• There can be persistent swelling and bruising in the surgical area which reduces with time.
• If you have a poor blood supply, the healing will be poor and chances of wound healing problems is more. (More common in smokers, people with high BMI, diabetics, hypothyroidism and in people with multiple diseases)
• Sometimes irregular contours are seen, which can be corrected with the use of the pressure garment.
• Change in skin sensation is noticed which recovers with time.
• Irregular pigmentation or hypertrophic scarring of the surgical suture line which also recovers with time or might require application of creams.
• Rare event of Deep Vein Thrombosis, fat embolism, pulmonary or cardiac complications, lidocaine toxicity can occur or precipitate in patients with multiple pre-existing diseases diagnosed or undiagnosed by routinely available standard tests These are the risks and possible complication which should be discussed by you with Dr Amit Agarwal before the procedure.

It is also very important to maintain a healthy lifestyle to maintain your shape and contour. If you are unable to maintain it or plan an exercise regime, there can be deposits of unwanted fat at other sites other than the surgical. Then probably you may have to go under another surgery.

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