What is a lower body lift and average cost in Traverse city MI?

A lower body lift is a cosmetic procedure which removes skin and fat from the abdomen, flanks and back, tightens the abdominal muscles and lifts the remaining skin like a pair of pants up to meet the shirt which is pulled down. You have a scar all the way around but get improvement of the abdomen, front of th thighs, side of the thighs and buttocks.  It does not improve the upper back or inside of the thighs.

A lower body lift usually removes excess skin circumferentially (all the way around) the midsection of the body.  This usually also tightens the belly wall in front much like a tummy tuck and tightens the skin of the lateral thigh as well as lifts the buttocks area and depending on the surgeon, may also enlarge the buttock area with your own skin and fat that would otherwise be removed.  This procedure is also sometimes known as a belt lipectomy due to its position on the body in the area where a belt would be worn.  My best advice for pricing is to call several board certified plastic surgeons' offices in your area and ask for pricing.  They may not be specific and may request a formal consultation to give you exact pricing, but at least you'll know what to expect as a ballpark since plastic surgery pricing can vary widely across the country and sometimes even within a state.  Best of luck should you proceed with consultations and surgery!

Tummy tuck surgery is one of our favorite operations because of the dramatic improvements abdominoplasty patients achieve.
There are various types of abdominoplasty procedures for patients to choose from. Each one is designed to treat a specific set of needs. In consultation with a qualified plastic surgeon, the choice of procedure will be made based on your anatomic features and desired outcome. While all tummy tucks have in common that they tighten the abdominal skin, there are two key differences between the various procedures. The incision lengths vary depending on the amount of skin to be excised, and the abdominal muscles may be tightened if they have excess laxity.
The length of the incision is determined by the amount of loose skin that is to be removed. The incision lengths vary from as short as six inches (Mini Tummy Tuck) to as long as the entire circumference of the waist (Body Lift). The most common incision length runs from hip to hip concealed beneath the bikini line (Full or Traditional Tummy Tuck).
In addition to removing loose skin, localized fat deposits can also be removed during your tummy tuck. It is recommended, however, that you be as close as possible to your goal weight before having the procedure. If your concerns extend beyond the tummy, we can safely combine liposuction with tummy tucks for more dramatic results.

That said, you definitely have to choose your surgeon correctly and make sure that he/she has the training and experience to meet your goals with absolute safety. Best is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with specialized expertise in this procedure.