Lower Body Lift

Also known as Belt Lipectomy or Circumferential Abdominoplasty, a Lower Body Lift is the work horse procedure for plastic surgeons specializing in After Weight Loss (AWL) patients. A Lower Body Lift is a combination of circumferential abdominoplasty, lower back lift, outer thigh lift, lifting the pubic area and buttock lift and in some cases auto augmentation.

There are five main reasons that we make the incision all the way around the body:

• The Body Lift incision going all the way around allows Dr. Carmina to perform a more thorough lift and eliminates some of the potential imperfections that can occur in AWL patients with a routine Abdominoplasty.

• With this procedure you can get a strong lift to the lateral thighs.
• The buttocks can be lifted and/or auto-augmented, using your own tissue.
• The shape of the hips can be maintained or increased as needed.
• Most important is that the abdominal muscles are tightened and if a hernia is present, this can be taken care of at the same time.
• Further sculpting using liposuction is also performed.

The combination of tightening the underlying muscles of the abdominal wall, and lifting and removing the excess skin and tissue around the body area, results in a firmer, flatter abdominal area, a flattering waistline, smoother thighs and an overall tighter, well balanced and lower body.

A Lower Body Lift is a very dramatic and exciting procedure achieving a more youthful contoured body with curves you have only dream about, feeling beautiful in the clothes you wear, immediately improving self-esteem and creating a greater self-confidence in the new you!.

The first part of your Plastic Surgery Journey begins with Dr. Carmina’s artistry and expertise along with her team of medical professionals!  The latter part of your journey is up to you, that being excellence in your recovery care!

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER SURGERY

Following a Lower Body Lift you will stay the first night in the clinic, and then 7 to 14 days close by to begin your recovery program. We highly recommend you stay in our post-surgical Beauty Recovery Care House with 24 hour nursing care and a daily visit from Dr.Carmina.

You will receive your recovery program instructions when leaving the clinic.

Please remember that your Recovery Care is extremely important to the outcome of your surgical procedure and should be in the hands of medical professionals for the first 7 to 14 days depending on the patients individual needs.

One of your most important decisions regarding any surgery is the choice of your plastic surgeon. As with all procedures performed here at Beauty Enhance, our fully accredited facility, you can feel safe and secure with Dr. Carmina Cardenas, Board Certified Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgeon.

Dr. Carmina has many years of experience and performs her surgeries meticulously, using the latest technology combined with her artistic ability, always with safety being her 1st priority, offering the finest care and service to all of her patients.

The results of this procedure are very dramatic and thrilling, a dream come true. You will have a beautiful new curvy and contoured body, feeling healthier and more beautiful from the inside out.

Dr. Carmina Cardenas requires a BMI (Body mass index) of 30 or below in order to be a safe candidate for any plastic surgery procedure, post-bariatric patients are required to be 1 YPO from bariatric surgery and have at least 3 consecutive months of steady weight in order to be eligible.

AWL patients are typically candidates for:

1. Lower Body Lift
2. Upper Body Lift
3. Inner Thigh Lift
4. Facelift / Necklift

A combination of regional anesthesia and IV sedation (twilight) is used where the patient is not unconscious, but sedated, this allows the anesthesiologist to monitor oxygen levels in blood, this is especially important when performing the repair of the abdominal wall muscles, as the patient need to breathe by itself, something that cannot be achieved with general anesthesia.

A local anesthetic is injected into the epidural space of the lumbar or sacral region of the spine, the anesthetic will wear off a few hours after the procedure without the negative effects that general anesthesia typically produces such as nausea, vomiting, etc.

Will you be awake, during the procedure?  Yes and no. During the entire procedure, you will be conscious, which means you can respond to commands such as opening and closing your mouth. Although, during twilight sedation, you will be in a drowsy, dream-like state.

Although Plastic Surgery is an elective procedure it is still a real surgery and therefore there is always a potential risks of complications as in any other major procedure,  DVT (deep vein thrombosis), PE (pulmonary embolism) or VTE (vein thromboembolism) which is a combination of the two are the most fatal risks and therefore you should discuss this with Dr. Cardenas thoughtfully, other potential risks may be but are not limited to:

The honest answer is NO, but risks can be reduced considerably if doctor and patient work together; You’ll be provided with a list of pre-operatory exams that need to be performed prior to surgery and a protocol of actions that you will need to follow in order to reduce the risks, but the patient must always be aware that risks cannot be eradicated completely.

Remember AWL and especially post-bariatric patients are at a greater risk of complications, therefore, pre and post operative instructions must be followed with diligence.

The risk of fatal complications in plastic surgery (when following the recommended standards) is less than 1%, meaning that Plastic Surgery is very safe; As shown in the previous chart, other complications may happen and are more frequent, is plastic surgery worth it even after considering those risks?

Plastic Surgery is a very personal decision; therefore, it is very important that you have a comprehensive understanding of the risks involved and the benefits that plastic surgery may bring to your life,  the following  chart represent the improvements in the overall quality of life that patients who underwent surgery with Dr. Cardenas over the last 3 years reported.

1. Following pre and post operative instructions diligently.
2. Having a discussed emergency plan that both parts can follow in the event of a complication (Supportive PCP at home, family of friend’s support group that can help you at home in case that you need to travel back).
3. Constant and open communication and collaboration.

All our patients have a PROTECTION PLAN included that can cover up to $3,500 dlls in expenses for treatment in the event of a complication that requires the patient to return to our facilities.