A post bariatric body lift is "total body lift" and is a risky procedure. All body contouring procedures including, but not limited to: male and female breast reduction and breast lift, tummy tuck, arm tuck, liposuction, arm lift, back lift, and buttocks lift are performed in one shot. This operation requires a lot of planning on the part of the surgical team, staff and patient. This is a way for patients who are very busy to get all the aesthetic procedures done at once. The patients' bodies are converted from the post-bariatric or post-weight loss body to a smaller, contoured, skin reduced state in one day. It takes a special surgeon and a special patient to complete this procedure. Downtime for an operation of this magnitude is about six weeks and the hospital stay is three to five days.

To prepare for a surgery like this, the patient and doctor must be prepared mentally and physically. The surgeon performing the surgery will give specific instructions about what to do before surgery. Most surgeons will tell their patients that they can no longer smoke. Smoking impedes healing and increases the risks of surgery beyond what most surgeons are willing to work with.

The patient must be at a steady weight. Bariatric surgery leads to extreme weight loss. The patient must have maintained their current, healthy weight for an amount of time specified by the surgeon.

Your surgeon may instruct you to stop taking all medications, including herbal supplements, aspirin, blood thinners, blood pressure medicines, vitamins and more. Be sure to discuss the risks of stopping medications with the surgeon and staff.

Undergo extensive pre-surgery counseling. This is an important process. You will want to make a list of all questions before this session. Lists of questions and guides can be found at various sites throughout the web. Speak to patients who have undergone the same surgery you are planning.

The patient must have realistic expectations about the outcome of their surgery. If you are considering having this procedure done, do your homework. Expect scaring. It is inevitable with surgery. Look at many before and after pictures. Know the risks of anesthesia, infection and more.

Be prepared for pain and set up the help you need before the surgery date. You will need help lined up to go to the bathroom, bathe, eat, and cook, clean and more. You should have a team of family and friends to help you after surgery. If you do not have this type of network to help you, hire people. Some agencies hire out nursing staff for those with medical needs in instances like this.

If you are considering having a post bariatric body lift, consult a board certified plastic surgeon. Dr. Calvert is a plastic surgeon Los Angeles. He is well known for his post bariatric body lifts, breast implants, breast reductions, rhinoplasty and other cosmetic procedures. Contact him through his website for an appointment. /