A single operation that removes loose skin around the entire lower body, the abdomen, hips, outer thighs, and buttocks, through an incision that circles the waist like a belt. The definitive contouring procedure after massive weight loss, with a recovery to match.
Also called: lower body lift, belt lipectomy, circumferential body lift, 360 body lift, post weight loss body lift
See the clinics in your city that offer it, compare reviews, and request a free consultation.
Your location is used once to pick the nearest city and is never stored.
A body lift is the operation that finishes the job weight loss started. After losing seventy-five, a hundred, or a hundred and fifty pounds, the skin does not follow; it hangs around the abdomen, hips, buttocks, and thighs in folds that chafe, rash, and hide the body underneath. A lower body lift removes that skin all the way around in a single operation, lifting the buttocks and outer thighs as it tightens the front. It is the most comprehensive procedure in body contouring and the most demanding to recover from, and for the right patient it is the one that makes the weight loss visible.
What the surgery does
The incision runs around the body at the waistline like a belt. Through it, the surgeon removes the abdominal apron and repairs the muscle wall as in a tummy tuck, then continues around the sides and back to remove excess skin at the hips and lift the buttocks and outer thighs. Liposuction refines the contour where fat remains. The operation takes four to seven hours under general anesthesia, usually with an overnight stay, and it is often the centerpiece of a staged plan that adds arm, thigh, or breast procedures months later.
Recovery
This is the recovery to plan around. Drains for one to two weeks, a compression garment for about six, help at home for the first week, walking slightly bent for the first days to protect the closure, desk work at two to three weeks, and exercise at six to eight. Swelling and firmness settle over several months, and the final contour is judged at a year. Nutrition matters: surgeons check protein and vitamin levels beforehand because healing a long incision demands them.
Who it suits
People who have lost a large amount of weight, are at a stable weight for at least six months, are in good health, do not smoke, and have loose skin around the entire lower body rather than the abdomen alone. For laxity limited to the front, a tummy tuck is enough. For laxity everywhere, the body lift is the honest recommendation, and a surgeon experienced in post-weight-loss contouring will say which you need.
What it costs
$12,000 to $25,000 depending on the city, the extent, and whether other procedures are combined, including surgeon, anesthesia, facility, and the overnight stay. The abdominal portion is occasionally covered by insurance when the overhang causes documented rashes or infections; the rest is cosmetic. Staging and financing are standard parts of the conversation.
Choosing a surgeon
Choose a surgeon whose practice is heavy in post-weight-loss body contouring. Ask how many lower body lifts they perform a year, to see results at one year including the full scar, and how they stage a complete plan. Ask about their complication rate and how they handle wound healing issues, which are more common in this procedure than in most.
Browse the surgeons below and compare body lift providers and pricing by city.
Why people choose Body Lift
Addresses the belly, hips, outer thighs, and buttocks in one operation
Lifts the buttocks and outer thighs as it removes the abdominal apron
The most complete contouring result available after weight loss
One recovery instead of several
Are you a good candidate?
People who have lost a large amount of weight, typically 75 pounds or more, and have loose skin around the whole lower body, at a stable weight for at least 6 months and in good health
By location
Find Body Lift near you
1,008 practices across 284 cities list Body Lift on ClinicCompass. 727 of them (72%) say on their own websites that they offer financing or payment plans;
ask about approval and interest before you book.
A tummy tuck treats the front of the abdomen. A lower body lift continues the incision all the way around the waist, so it also lifts the outer thighs and buttocks and removes loose skin at the hips and back. It is chosen when weight loss has left laxity all the way around, which is typical after very large losses, and a tummy tuck alone would leave the sides and back untreated.
What is the recovery really like?
It is the most demanding recovery in body contouring. Expect drains for one to two weeks, a compression garment for about six weeks, help at home for the first week, walking slightly bent for the first days, desk work at two to three weeks, and exercise at six to eight. Swelling settles over several months. Surgeons often stage it with arm, breast, or thigh procedures months apart.
What about the scar?
It circles the body at the level of the waist, positioned to sit under underwear or a swimsuit line. It is long, it fades over one to two years, and patients who have lost a great deal of weight almost universally consider it a fair exchange for removing the skin. Ask to see healed scars at one year.
What does it cost and is it covered?
Typically $12,000 to $25,000 including surgeon, anesthesia, facility, and an overnight stay, varying widely with city and extent. The abdominal portion is occasionally covered when the overhang causes documented medical problems; the rest is cosmetic. Financing and staging are common conversations.
