46 yo, 5'4, 138lb - will posterior body lift/buttocks lift after weight loss help? (Photos)

Hi BrFreeman in Elizabethtown,

Thank you for your question regarding whether a posterior body lift/buttocks lift after weight loss will help. Thank you for your history and pictures. Yes, a posterior body lift will significantly help your body shape. This surgery seems like it was tailored for you. Indeed, this posterior body lift is performed on many weight loss patients. During a posterior body lift, an incision is made across the top of the buttocks. The buttock sag or ptosis is corrected. Your buttock shape would also be improved, as well as your buttock skin rippling and dimples.

Often, the posterior buttock lift is performed along with a tummy tuck, resulting in a procedure called a 360 circumferential lower body lift. However, the posterior body lift can also be done independently, or either before or after a tummy tuck. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia. During the posterior body lift, you are placed face down, and an incision is made across the top of the buttocks. Tissue dissection is carried down to the gluteus maximus muscle. The buttock is undermined, and a figure-eight piece of skin and fat is removed from the upper buttocks. Drains are inserted and remain in place for approximately 10 to 14 days. Initial activity is limited. You should not bend at the waist because of undue pressure on the incision. Plan to take off 3 to 4 weeks from work. You should be able to resume some exercises at about 6 to 8 weeks. By 12 to 14 weeks, your exercise level should be able to increase, and by about 16 weeks you should be back to normal exercise routines. Thank you for your great question regarding whether a posterior body lift/buttock lift after weight loss will be beneficial for you.

Sincerely, Dr. Katzen, MD, FASMBS, FICS

You are an excellent candidate for a posterior lift. This will help improve the buttocks crease and lift the buttocks higher.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Allow me to answer your question as best i can based upon your photos. However, please keep in mind that an in-person, or at least a virtual, consultation with physical exam is first necessary before any legitimate evaluation or final surgical recommendations can be made.

Buttock “sagging” is usually a combination of loss of volume or deflation (after weight loss, liposuction, or post-BBL) and/or the effect of aging and gravity. So, I personally first treat patients like you by restoring volume to the buttock with a buttock implant. This will create a more desirable smooth and rounded perky buttock profile. If not adding volume with an implant, the buttock will be shortened but may appear more flat with just a buttock lift. A lower buttock tuck is usually then performed at six months following implants. In this sequence, the implants have fully settled into final position so that any remaining loose skin can be most accurately identified and removed with the lower buttock tuck. Please note, because an extremely few number of board certified plastic surgeons specialize in buttock implants, you may have to travel away from your local area to seek consultation with this particular type of surgeon. Glad to help.