What is a body lift?
If you’ve recently lost a significant amount of weight, we commend you. At California Aesthetic Center we understand that no matter how you shed the pounds, you’ve had to make major life choices and changes to obtain a healthy BMI. Losing 50, 100 or more pounds is something to be celebrated. After all, you worked hard!
Many men and women living in Huntington Beach and Orange County who were formerly very overweight report they’ve primarily lost it for health reasons. But, it’s of equal value to be happy with the image they see in the mirror. And if you were overweight or obese for an extended period, your skin had to stretch to accommodate the extra pounds. Skin doesn’t shrink once the fat is gone. Many weight loss patients in Huntington Beach and Orange County see Dr. Vu every year because, despite their triumphant weight loss, they’re skin sags and has lost its shape. It will never go away even with a healthy diet and exercise regime.
Losing weight but still carrying the sagging skin as a reminder of what your weight was is disheartening, especially when you’ve have worked so hard to keep the pounds off. While you are thrilled that you’re now at a healthy BMI – and have maintained it – you still feel uncomfortable with your appearance and like you need to wear loose clothing to hide the saggy skin that still hangs from your body.
In addition to making you feel uncomfortable and embarrassed, excess skin can cause additional issues. As skin droops over the abdomen, for example, it can lead to sores and rashes or other ailments. To eliminate the flabby skin and medical conditions it causes, plus, to look as great as you feel inside, we invite you to learn more about how a body lift can change your physique.
When you choose to have the surgery, you have a variety of options available. For example, you can opt to have plastic surgery performed on the areas where you’ve lost the most weight, or have the most sagging skin. Your options include:
- Lower Body Lift: Excess skin is removed from your lower body, such as your groin or buttocks, depending on where the skin is saggy and loose. First, the skin is lifted and then all excess is removed, to tone the appearance of your lower body. Then, liposuction is performed to remove any fat deposits in that region.
- Upper Arm Lift: An incision is made from the Huntington Beach and Orange County patient’s armpit to the elbow to remove saggy skin from the upper arm. This procedure is rarely used, as the upper arms aren’t usually an area where excess fat is stored.
- Breast Lift: Huntington Beach and Orange County women who have saggy breasts and nipples as a result of weight loss can opt for a breast lift. It restores the shape of the breasts and makes them look firmer. This is a commonly performed procedure.
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IDEAL CANDIDATES
You are a good candidate for a body lift if you meet the following criteria:
- Your body weight is stable and has been at the same level for the past 6 Also, it is important that you don’t plan to lose any additional weight in the future. Ideally, your BMI should be in the 18 to 25 range, and you need to commit to maintaining it.
- You have had bariatric surgery as part of your weight loss plan, and it’s been at least 12 to 18 months since that surgery was performed. After all, it takes some time for your skin to shrink after the procedure, so you need to give it time to adjust accordingly.
- You should be following a stable nutrition plan. Without the right nutrition, you won’t be able to see the results of the surgery, and it will hamper your recovery.
- Your overall health is in good shape, and you don’t suffer from any chronic or potentially fatal conditions, such as heart disease or hypertension. Huntington Beach and Orange County patients suffering from any major health problems are not advised to undergo elective plastic surgery.
- You don’t have any unhealthy habits, such as smoking or alcoholism which can complicate the surgery and its recovery, and you have the physical and mental endurance to get through the procedure and its effects.
It is better to consult your primary healthcare physician before you consider opting for this surgery. In fact, Dr. Vu requires his body lift patients in Huntington Beach and Orange County to have their other doctors on board with this plastic surgery before he moves forward with the procedure. Your health is of utmost importance to him. If you are not in the right state to deal with going under the knife, you can end up facing numerous complications as a result of the procedure. You may start the consultation process only to discover you’re not quite ready for plastic surgery, but that’s okay. You can always come back to California Aesthetic Center when the timing is right for you.
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Benefits of a body lift
The foremost benefit of this surgery is that your appearance improves. Huntington Beach and Orange County patients who are facing body image issues as a result of significant weight loss due to their saggy skin can get over their dilemma and feel good about themselves. That is the reason they lost the weight in the first place and not seeing the desired results can cause anxiety and stress, which can lead to numerous health problems. In addition, there are numerous other benefits, including:
- Getting rid of the loose skin hanging off your body once and for all. You can fit into clothes much better and also wear your swimsuit/bathing suit without any inhibition. In other words, you feel more confident than before.
- Loose and saggy skin can lead to skin ailments, such as rashes, sores, and even infections. You can minimize the risk of this by getting rid of the excess skin.
Despite primarily being a cosmetic procedure, this surgery can provide you relief from stress, thereby having a positive effect on your health and well-being.
Your Experience on Surgery Day
Understandably, you are curious about what surgery day will entail. After all, this is a big day for you! When the day of your surgery arrives, you’ll come to the surgery center having fasted for at least 12 hours. Fasting is important because you’ll be receiving general anesthesia for your surgery, and eating before receiving this strong medication may cause unwanted complications.
Before you see Dr. Vu, you’ll be taken by wheelchair to a preoperative room where a team of nurses and medical assistants will prep you for your procedure. This will include monitoring your vital signs to make sure you’re in good health on surgery day. When the time comes, you’ll be wheeled into the operating room where Dr. Vu will be waiting for you. The anesthesiologist will begin administering general anesthesia to put you to sleep, from their Dr. Vu will begin your body lift procedure.
After your surgery, you’ll still be asleep and under the effects of general anesthesia. You’ll be transferred to a recovery room where a team of nurses and medical staff will monitor you as you awaken from the effects of anesthesia. Once the team has determined it’s safe to do so, you’ll be released, with your postoperative care instructions in hand. Because of the strong medication you received, you won’t be allowed to drive yourself home but will need a friend or relative to do the job for you.
Results
The appearance of your body will improve considerably after the procedure, but for a period of time, there will be obvious scarring. You will also have to rest until your body recovers completely from the effects of the surgery. During the recovery period, you have to avoid excessive physical activity and cannot, at any cost, lift heavy objects. You also have to avoid skin contact with any object or person. For this purpose, you are required to wear surgical garments for 3 weeks after the procedure.
You will also have to apply ointment on your scars where the incisions were made to boost skin growth. Stay away from the sun, or the scars will turn dark and appear permanently. All in all, the results of this surgery are long-lasting if you maintain your weight and BMI.
Schedule a Consultation with Dr. Vu
You’ve come so far; give yourself the gift of seeing what you’ve really accomplished. The real you is hidden under all that flabby skin! If you’ve lost a significant amount of weight and are looking to rejuvenate your body, Dr. Vu wants to help you achieve your aesthetic goals.
To schedule an initial consultation in Orange County, call California Aesthetic Center in Huntington Beach today at (714) 848-1133.