Arm lift

No matter how many weights you lift, the skin on your upper arms can become loose and flabby with age. An arm lift (brachioplasty) is performed to remove loose or excess skin and fat deposits in your upper arm area as well as tighten the skin for a sleeker, more defined look. Often this is done after significant weight loss when the skin is unable to tighten adequately by itself.

Thigh lift

If fitness and weight loss efforts have not achieved your goals for a body that is firmer, more youthful-looking and more proportionate to your overall body image, a surgical thigh lift may be right for you. The thigh lift is a common plastic surgery operation that removes loose or excess skin on the outer or inner thighs. In many cases, the fatty tissue might be treated with liposuction first so as to reduce the excess fat before lifting the skin. Many of these surgeries are performed after massive weight loss to remove the excess skin. They may also be performed as part of a total body lift – where a tummy, thigh and buttock lift are combined to achieve the desired body shape and proportions.

There are many options with thigh lift surgery that target certain areas for specific results. To learn about the various ways to reshape your legs, call Dr. Gallas and schedule a consultation. He will be able to guide you to the best solutions for your body type.

• Inner thigh lift: Just like it sounds, this procedure lifts the inner thigh area and helps people who have trouble eliminating excess fat through diet and exercise. An inner thigh lift may also be used to treat reduced skin elasticity caused by the aging process. Patients who have lost a lot of weight are also ideal candidates for an inner thigh lift, usually done in combination with other cosmetic surgery procedures. If your inner thighs are very big and have a lot of fatty tissue, it may be recommended to do liposuction first in order to remove as much of the excess fat as possible.
• Bilateral thigh lift: The bilateral thigh lift procedure is designed to tighten skin along the inner and outer thigh. This procedure is especially helpful to those who have excess skin after extreme weight loss.

Buttock lift

A higher, firmer backside and more shapley bottom is possible with body contouring procedures. Buttock lifts “perk” up the contour of your buttocks by removing excess skin and tightening the skin to “lift” up the buttocks.

Body lift

The body lift helps improve the appearance of the abdomen, thighs and buttocks and is most commonly performed to remove the excess fatty tissue and skin. It can be performed to help fight the effects of aging and childbearing. Normal-weight women in their 30s and 40s may choose body lift surgery to remove the remaining skin and tissue that has been stretched during their pregnancies.

The steps of the body lift procedure vary from patient to patient and often start with abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) first to remove the excess skin from the abdomen. Once this is completed, the abdominal wall muscle can be tightened. (This is the area that most people who have been overweight experience some looseness.) Additional surgeries may be performed on the hips/buttocks and thighs.

The best candidate for a body lift should have had a stable body weight for at least three to six months and be on a healthy exercise and dietary program.

Post-weight-loss surgery or a full body lift

A full body lift can benefit those who have lost massive amounts of weight with bariatric weight-loss surgery. Oftentimes, the skin that expanded with weight gain does not shrink back to fit the smaller body size. This excess skin can be removed from the thighs, abs, breasts and buttocks with a full body lift, thereby allowing you to experience the tighter, toned body that you worked so hard for. Dr. Gallas may recommend that those who have had gastric bypass, lap-band or other such gastric restrictive procedures wait for a minimum of one year after their weight loss surgery while their body adjusts to their new regimen. These patients often require plastic surgery on several areas of their body to enhance their reformed figure.

Women who plan on having children may be advised to wait until after they have finished having children before considering the treatment.

We encourage, honor and welcome your referrals. For more information about upper and lower body lift procedures in Katy and West Houston, Texas, call Gallas Plastic Surgery & Vein Center at (281) 646-1114 today or use our online Request an Appointment form.