Skin Removal Surgery

As training residents in Plastic Surgery, we were taught that “plastic surgery concerns itself with the skin and all of its contents”. In other words, we were expected to know not only what is going on with the skin but really the anatomy of the entire body. But counter to that is the fact that almost all procedures we perform in cosmetic surgery involve lifting, removing and even changing the texture of skin.

Though training in plastic surgery has gone 360 in terms of ideas, the actual surgery has continued to change and evolve over time. Case in point is the revolution in face lifting. Facelift procedures lift the face to restore a youthful, natural appearance. In the olden days, it was just the skin that was lifted but with further advancement, attention was directed to the deeper tissue. It turns out that lifting and directing deeper layers gives a stronger but paradoxically smoother and more even result. In fact,  with these newer lifts, it’s usually hard to tell, even as a plastic surgeon, that a patient has had a face lift.

Belt Lipectomy

Most patients that have a tummy tuck have removal of excess skin of the lower abdomen. Thus, the scar often extends from hip to hip.  But there are some patients that have excess skin about the waist that extends past the hip and onto the back which requires more skin removal. Belt lipectomy is the surgery that involves removal of excess skin of the back but also helps to smooth skin of the outer thigh if that is also excessive. Of course, it’s important to seek the consultation with a plastic surgeon to see if you qualify for just a tummy tuck or also require a belt lipectomy in addition. When tummy tucks are done at the same time as a belt lipectomy, the resulting surgery is called a body lift. Body lifts remove excess skin at the level of the lower abdomen and hip but all the way around the body and so there is a scar 360 degrees around the body.