Lower Body Lift
Serving Danville, Oakland, Walnut Creek, Dublin, Livermore, and across the East Bay metro area
Achieving significant weight loss is a life-changing milestone, but the remaining tissue can hide your hard-earned results. Many patients who have experienced substantial weight loss or undergone bariatric surgery find that their skin cannot retract to their new, smaller proportions.
A lower body lift addresses this issue by removing the circumferential belt of skin and fat that causes discomfort and affects how clothing fits.
At Blackhawk Plastic Surgery & MedSpa, board-certified plastic surgeon Stephen J. Ronan, MD, FACS, specializes in complex body-contouring procedures, ensuring every patient receives a personalized treatment plan in a safe, private environment. We encourage you to schedule an in-person consultation at our Danville office to discuss how we can help you complete your journey to better wellness and confidence.
A body lift operation is a procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the sides and back of the hips, thighs, and buttocks.
Many patients who undergo a lower body lift have had significant weight loss, either through gastric bypass surgery, pregnancy, or through diet and exercise.
After weight loss, many people are left with loose, sagging skin. A body lift removes this excess tissue, dramatically improving the contours of the entire lower body.
The procedure is often combined with other procedures, especially liposuction. It is often done as a staged procedure following abdominoplasty, or a tummy tuck.
Your body lift will be performed in Dr. Ronan’s QUAD A-accredited surgery center located in Danville. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia and may take 4-7 hours to complete. Patients typically return home the same day.
The procedure involves making a horizontal incision along the waistline from the lower abdomen to the middle of the lower back. Redundant skin and fat are elevated off the thighs, hips, and buttocks. The excess skin is removed, and the incisions are closed, leaving the final horizontal scar within the pantyline. The procedure is then repeated on the other side. Results are often dramatic, with a significant lift of the thighs and buttocks.
Lower Body Lift vs. Buttocks Lift
A buttocks lift is completed through an incision made across the upper buttock in an area that is usually covered by undergarments. Typically, liposuction is performed in the lower back or love handles, as well as the lateral thighs. The fatty tissue in the buttocks is often preserved and redistributed to create more shapely contours. No implant is necessary. Excess skin is removed, lifting the buttocks upwards. In the end, the love handles and lateral thighs are much smaller, the buttocks are higher and tighter, and the buttocks have more definition and shape.
If you have more significant laxity of the lateral thighs, then the buttock lift incision can be extended, and a lower body lift can be performed. The length and location of the incision are tailored to the individual and their particular degree of skin laxity.
A lower body lift addresses the physical and emotional burdens of excess skin and fat that often accompany significant weight loss. This procedure is specifically designed to treat skin laxity that causes the buttocks to droop or the outer thighs to appear dimpled and heavy. It also resolves the apron of hanging skin at the lower abdomen, which can often cause skin irritation or rashes. By removing this remaining tissue, Dr. Ronan helps patients overcome the limitations of loose, stretched skin, allowing them to finally see their body's true shape beneath.
The lower body lift procedure provides a 360-degree lift to the entire midsection. This includes the abdominal area, the lateral hips, the outer thighs, and the entire buttock region.
The lower body lift (belt lipectomy) procedure reduces the physical burden of excess skin. Patients often find that movement and exercise become significantly easier once the extra skin and fat are removed.
Lifting the thighs and buttocks while tightening the abdomen creates a more balanced and athletic silhouette, helping your lower body reflect the hard work you have put into your weight loss.
For many, the greatest emotional benefit of surgery is the ability to wear clothing that fits properly. After loose skin is removed, clothes drape naturally over the body. Many people find they can finally shop for the sizes they actually are rather than the sizes needed to hide excess tissue.
Unlike non-surgical treatments that only address the skin’s surface, a body lift procedure provides deeper structural correction. This firmer foundation can last for years, as long as you live a healthy lifestyle and maintain a stable weight.
If you have reached a stable weight after significant weight loss or bariatric surgery, you may be a good candidate for a lower body lift. It is important that your weight has remained consistent for several months, as future fluctuations can impact the longevity of your surgical results. This procedure is specifically designed for those who struggle with significant loose skin and stubborn fat deposits across the entire midsection, hips, and outer thighs that cannot be corrected through exercise alone.
The best candidates are non-smokers in good overall health. During your initial consultation, Dr. Ronan will perform a thorough physical examination and review your health history to ensure the procedure is safe for you. This surgery is a major undertaking, so it is vital that you have realistic expectations and are committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle to preserve your firmer body contours for years to come.
Recovery from a lower body lift usually doesn't involve significant pain or discomfort, but it can be awkward. Patients will typically need to stay on their sides and stomach when lying down for 1-2 weeks after the procedure. You may stand or remain flat, but you must not sit for any length of time. Most patients can return to non-strenuous desk jobs after about 2 weeks.
To ensure the best possible healing, Dr. Ronan and our clinical team will provide detailed instructions for your recovery period. You will be asked to wear compression garments to minimize swelling and support your remaining skin as it adjusts to its new contours. We prioritize safety by encouraging light movement early on to prevent blood clots and promote healthy circulation. Follow-up appointments will be scheduled to monitor your progress and ensure that any fluid buildup is addressed promptly.
The final results of a lower body lift are truly life-changing, although they take time to fully emerge as the body heals from this major surgery. You will immediately notice that the heavy, hanging skin is gone. The final, refined shape of your lower torso will become most apparent after three to six months, once the swelling has subsided. The improvement in your body contour is permanent, provided you do not experience significant weight fluctuations in the future.
While this surgical procedure does result in a circumferential scar, Dr. Ronan meticulously places the incisions where they can be hidden by most undergarments and swimwear. Over the first year, these scars will fade and flatten significantly. Most patients find that the trade-off for a firmer body and a smoother silhouette is well worth the presence of the surgical lines. By achieving a body that finally reflects their dedication and weight-loss success, many patients experience a significant boost in self-esteem and quality of life.
Dr. Stephen Ronan is a board-certified plastic surgeon with a reputation for handling complex body contouring cases with integrity and precision. A complete lower body lift is a major surgery, and it is vital to choose an experienced surgeon with an excellent track record of safety and patient satisfaction. By working with Dr. Ronan, you receive the personalized expertise that has made our practice a leader in the San Francisco Bay Area for over two decades.
In most cases, a lower body lift is considered a cosmetic surgical procedure and is not covered by health insurance. However, some insurance providers may cover a portion of a panniculectomy (removal of the abdominal skin apron) if it causes documented medical issues, such as chronic rashes or infections.
During your initial consultation, we can provide a personalized quote for your lower body lift procedure along with information about flexible financing options to make your goals more accessible.
A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, focuses only on the front of the midsection, tightening the abdominal muscles and removing excess skin and fat from the lower abdomen. A lower body lift is a circumferential procedure that extends the correction around the waist to include the hips, outer thighs, and buttocks. If you have significant skin laxity on your sides and back, Dr. Ronan will likely recommend the body lift for a more balanced result. With buttock and lower body lifts, we typically perform liposuction of the lower back and thighs. An abdominoplasty and potentially some liposuction are often combined with the lower body lift.
A complete lower body lift takes between 4 and 7 hours, depending on the amount of excess skin and fat removed. Because it is a long procedure, it is performed under general anesthesia to ensure your total comfort and safety. Our board-certified anesthesiologists monitor you throughout the entire process in our private surgery center to maintain the highest clinical standards.
All major surgical procedures carry a small risk of blood clots, particularly those involving the lower body. To minimize this risk, we provide detailed instructions on how to move safely soon after surgery and may use compression garments or specialized leg pumps. Dr. Ronan and his team take every precaution to prevent complications and will review your health history to ensure you are a safe candidate for surgery.
While it is technically possible, we generally recommend waiting until you are finished having children before undergoing a body lift procedure. Pregnancy can stretch the skin and abdominal muscles, potentially significantly altering the final results of your surgery. Waiting until your family is complete and your weight is stable ensures that your investment in your firmer body lasts for as long as possible.
When it comes to plastic surgery, proper care happens before, during, and after surgery day. That’s why we’ve created blueprints outlining what patients and providers need to consider to ensure success. Our pre-care and post-care guides are here to help our patients and all patients take the necessary steps to maximize their chances of safe surgery and beautiful results.
Located in Danville’s Blackhawk Plaza, Blackhawk Plastic Surgery & MedSpa is Northern California’s largest, most advanced plastic surgery and medspa center.
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