Q: Is a body lift a single procedure?
I recommend that patients do not have a body lift (tummy tuck + butt lift) simultaneously unless absolutely desired. Ideally, the massive weight loss patient can perform their tummy tuck with other procedures such as arm reduction or breast surgery if desired. Then they can have the other half of the body lift (butt lift) at a later time combined with a thigh lift or something other than a tummy tuck. The reasoning is that a body lift is really two different procedures that are pulling tissues in opposite directions which limits the full level of tightening one could achieve by separating the procedures. For example, the tummy tuck pulls skin downward whereas the butt lift pulls skin upward. The opposite pull is the reason I recommend splitting up these particular two procedures if at all possible.
—Angelo Cuzalina, MD
Tulsa, Okla.