What is a belt lipectomy (body lift)?

A body lift, also known as a belt lipectomy, effectively removes excess fat and skin from both the abdomen and lower back area. This procedure creates a lifting and tightening of the belly and upper buttocks. The skin is excised in a 360 degree circumferential pattern. Unlike an abdominoplasty, the muscles are not generally tightened to increase firmness, but rather the excess skin and fat is removed for proper contouring. This procedure helps alleviate those hard-to-reach areas such as love handles and a sagging belly. This can be combined with liposuction.

The Procedure

Generally, this operation is used for weight loss patients who have many different problem areas of loose skin. Belt lipectomy is an extensive procedure and patients should be ready for a few weeks of recovery before returning to a normal health state. In order to reach optimal results, patients should be active and healthy before the procedure and as close to normal weight as possible.