Lower Body Lift Surgery Sydney
Removing and tightening excess skin, a lower body lift (or lower torsoplasty) may be suitable for those who have undergone significant weight loss, or experienced changes due to pregnancy or ageing. Patients who have undergone weight loss of about 40kg to 90kg and have excess skin on the lower body may benefit from the procedure. Excess skin may not naturally tighten after certain changes in body shape, requiring surgical removal to address.
The procedure can be more extensive than an abdominoplasty or liposuction, treating the lower abdominal area, hips, buttocks or thighs, depending on the patient’s needs. With highly personalised for each patient, the procedure can also target excess fat in the lower body, combining the procedure with liposuction.
During a consultation, you will be able to determine if you would only need a single operation, or two or more to perform the procedure in stages. Sometimes, a lower body lift can be combined with other procedures, such as an abdominoplasty, upper arm lift or breast lift.
Lower Body Lift
Before & After
The outcomes shown are only relevant for this patient and do not necessarily reflect the results other patients may experience, as results may vary due to many factors, including the individual’s genetics, diet and exercise. Some images may have the patient’s tattoos, jewellery or other identifiable items blurred to protect patient identities.
Your consultation at Aesthetic Edge in Sydne
Before your procedure, you will have a 30 to 45-minute consultation at Aesthetic Edge to assess your suitability for surgery, plan your procedure steps and discuss potential risks. Your consultation will help you to make an informed decision as to whether or not to proceed with the procedure. Dr Hunt can also provide you with personalised preparation and recovery instructions, as well a cost estimation. As an essential step, your consultation will cost $400.
Suitable candidates for a lower body lift
If you want to address excess skin that cannot be targeted with exercise, a lower body lift may be a suitable procedure. The procedure can be suitable for those who have had significant weight loss (typically of 40kg to 90kg), loose skin after pregnancy, or skin laxity due to ageing. Candidates need to be in good general health and have realistic expectations for the procedure’s results. Suitable candidates will also be willing to follow preparation and recovery instructions, potentially quitting smoking or switching certain medications. Dr Hunt will assess your suitability dor the procedure by discussing health and lifestyle factors, assessing the lower body and discussing your personal goals.
Your procedure steps
Your procedure will be personalised to meet your needs, considering individual details such as the amount of excess skin and if you want to target excess fat pockets. The procedure can use a variety of techniques, depending on your needs. Your consultation can provide you with a personalised procedure plan, including details such as the placement of incisions and if your procedure will be performed as one or more procedures.
Preparing for a lower body lift
You may need to follow preparation steps to adequately prepare for your surgery. Dr Hunt will provide you with information based on your personalised procedure. Preparing for your surgery might involve quitting smoking, stopping certain medications, or having pre-operative tests to support your suitability for surgery.
Your recovery steps
After your procedure, you’ll need to follow personalised recovery instructions. Your instructions will be designed to minimise risks and support your body’s healing process. Your recovery instructions may included to avoid strenuous exercise, take prescription medications, wear compression garments and more.
Your personalised quote
Since your surgery is highly personalised, you will need to receive costs information during your consultation. Costs can be influenced by the specific areas being treated, the amount of skin to removed, if fat will be removed with liposuction and more. Your costs will include surgeon’s fees, anaesthesia fees, hospital fees and recovery fees.
The lower body lift procedure
A lower body lift can be performed using a variety of techniques, depending on your individual needs and preferences. You will discuss the steps of your procedure during your consultation with Dr Hunt.
Your procedure will be performed under general anaesthesia at the hospital of your choice. A lower body lift may be combined with liposuction or other procedures to address additional areas or remove excess fat pockets.
To perform the procedure, an incision will typically be placed around the waist, across the lower abdomen and down the thighs. However, the placement and pattern of your incision will be determined before your surgery.
Once the incisions are made, excess skin can be removed, fat pockets may be removed with liposuction and the muscles may be tightened in the case that they have loosened or become separated. To finish the procedure, the incisions will be sutured closed, typically with absorbable sutures that won’t require removal.
Depending on the details of your procedure, you can receive an overall procedure time estimate, which can indicate hospital fees. After your surgery, you will need to be picked up from the hospital to recover at home, and may benefit from organising someone to help you during the first few days of recovery. Mobility can be somewhat restricted, which can make certain household tasks difficult.
Your procedure results will be highly personalised. You’ll discuss what to expect before your surgery, according to the details of your procedure.
Recovery after a lower
body lift
Your recovery will depend on the details of your procedure, such as the complexity of the procedure, the amount of skin removed and if the procedure was combined with other techniques. You’ll receive personalised advice and recovery instructions during your consultation.
What to expect
After your lower body lift, you’ll need to avoid strenuous exercise for at least two to six weeks, taking time away from work to rest at home. You may experience pain, discomfort, swelling and bruising in the operated areas, which may be managed with pain medication and/or compression garments. Overall, the initial recovery after the procedure can take about two to six weeks, with particularly limited activity for the first 10 days.
While the effects of the surgery may be immediately noticeable, it can take up to three months for final results to show, as swelling will need to subside and incisions will need to heal. If you have treated the abdomen or thighs, it can take at least one year for the scarring to noticeably fade. The placement of incisions, determining the location of scarring, will be explained during your consultation before your surgery. Once the skin has settled in the new position, you should be able to regain a full range of movement.
Recovery instructions
Recovery instructions will be put in place to help support recovery and minimise the chance of complications occurring. Your specific recovery instructions will be tailored to the complexity of your procedure, but generally, instructions may include to:
Common recovery guidelines can include to:
- Take pain medication
- Wear compression garments
- Keep incision sites clean and dry
- Avoid strenuous exercise for at least two to six weeks
- Take two to three weeks off work (depending on the nature of your work)
- Avoid smoking for at least two weeks
- Avoid alcohol for at least two weeks
- Avoid excessive heat exposure (Steam rooms, saunas and heated pools)
- Follow a healthy diet and stay hydrated
- Attend post-operative appointments
Costs of a lower body lift in Sydney
The costs of your surgery will depend on personalised factors, including:
- The techniques used
- The complexity of the procedure
- The treatment areas
- The amount of skin to remove
- If excess fat pockets or loose muscles will be addressed
- Hospital fees (depending on your chosen hospital)
- Your personal goals and expectations
- If the procedure will be performed as a single procedure, or two or more in stages
All of these factors need to be discussed during a 30 to 45-minute consultation with Dr Hunt at Aesthetic Edge.
Once you have discussed the personalised details of your procedure, you will be able to receive a personalised quote. Your surgery costs will cover anaesthesia fees, surgeon fees, hospital fees and any costs required during your recovery (such as the cost of compression garments or follow-up appointments).
Medicare and private health insurance
In the case that the procedure meets certain criteria to be considered medically necessary, patients may be eligible for a partial rebate from Medicare or private health insurance.
The procedure may be medically necessary if excess skin is causing skin irritations or infection, significant discomfort or pain, or mobility issues. This can sometimes be the case for massive weight loss patients.
You can discuss the Medicare criteria during your consultation and how to apply for a rebate. You can also check with your health insurance provider to see if you are eligible for partial cover.
Combining procedures
If a lower body lift is combined with another procedure, such as liposuction, abdominoplasty or a breast lift, this will be reflected in the total surgery costs. Combining procedures extends procedure time and adds further steps to the surgery, influencing costs. You will discuss any details of combined procedures during your consultation with Dr Hunt.
Possible risks and complications
All surgeries can be associated with potential risks and complications, which will be explained during an initial consultation, allowing you to make an informed decision before undergoing the procedure. You’ll receive preparation and recovery instructions that will help to minimise certain risks and support your body to heal. You can also receive advice on any symptoms of complications to look our for, and what to do should concerns arise throughout your recovery.
The possible risks and complications of a lower body lift can include:
- Discomfort and pain
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Wound infection
- Bleeding
- Poor wound healing
- Scarring
- Accumulation of fluid (Seroma)
- Accumulation of blood (Hematoma)
- Temporary or permanent numbness
- Cardiovascular and respiratory complications
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE)
- Damage to underlying structures
- Delayed recovery
- Anaesthesia risks
- Asymmetrical results