How Many Inches Are Lost Around the Waist After Body Lift?

Depending on your size before the surgery you will lose, on average, six to ten inches and six to twelve pounds from the removal of skin and fat with a bodylift.  Usually, patients who have lost over 100lbs have less fat in the skin area to be removed so that a specimen will weigh in the three to four pounds from the front and about the same from the back. While the surgeon does the front portion of the procedure he will also tighten your muscles which will also serve to narrow you waist. I usually tell my patients that they will look like they have lost 30-40lbs but when they stand on the scale they will find only a six to twelve pound weight loss.

Hi Flabbyback, Thank you for your question regarding how many inches are lost around the waist after a body lift. Congratulations on your weight loss! Great accomplishment. Thank you for your history. During a 360 circumferential lower body lift, an incision is made from the supra-pubic region (just above the mons pubis), extends over the hips, and joins at the top of the buttocks. Predicting how many inches will be removed during 360 circumferential lower body lift is impossible. However, the dimensions of the removed skin will be about 46 inches long. The width of the specimen will be the distance from the supra-pubic region to the top of the belly button. Good Luck! Be sure your plastic surgeon takes pictures of the specimen and weighs the specimen.
Since the body lift is a big procedure, please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience performing the lower body lift. Do your research. Ensure they have performed at least 100 circumferential lower body lift surgeries and have the before and after pictures to prove it. Carefully examine their before and after pictures and check their reviews on RealSelf. If you cannot find an experienced lower body lift surgeon in your neighborhood, consider traveling out of state if you must. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen, MD. (President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, and International College of Surgery and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery RealSelf Hall of Fame, and RealSelf Doctor Advisory Board for Medical Review and Consumer Panel.)

Although it's reasonable to anticipate significant aesthetic improvement following lower body lift surgery, it's impossible to estimate the amount of weight or number of inches removed following this type of procedure. It's, therefore, important to thoroughly discuss these issues with your plastic surgeon so your expectations are realistic.