Belt Lipectomy

• To remove excess skin that’s formed after a significant weight loss either due to a gastric bypass operation or diet and exercise.
• To reshape mid-body contour.
• To remove skin affected by the stretch marks.
• To improve on sagging mid-body affected by multiple pregnancies.

Dr. Rayham performs Circumferential Body Lift / Belt Lipectomy procedures in the hospital settings in Manhattan/NYC, Brooklyn or Staten Island, New York. This procedure generally lasts from four to seven hours with the patient under a general anesthesia and asleep. You will need to stay in the hospital for one or more nights post-operatively for your safety reasons.

The procedure is performed by placing a circumferential incision from just above the pubic bone, around the upper portion of the hip bones to the back. All attempts are made to place the incision in such a fashion so that final scar is hidden in your underwear. Abdominal wall skin and fat is then raised over the abdominal wall fascia and muscle. As muscle and fascia are exposed they can be tightened with sutures for added cosmetic benefit. The skin and fat of the abdominal wall, the sides and the back is then pulled down and the skin and fat of the outer thighs and buttocks is pulled up and excess skin and fat is removed. The soft tissue and the skin edges are then sutured together. A cut around your belly button and its repositioning is added for further cosmetic benefit.

Your procedure will usually last for about four to seven hours. Upon completion of your operation bandages and a binder will be placed around your abdomen and waistline to provide additional support and minimize the movement and the resultant discomfort. You will experience some pain associated with the surgery which is usually controlled well with pain medications. Upon discharge you will have prescriptions for pain medication that you will take as needed, and antibiotics that you will need to take for several days to decrease chances of infection. There are usually no sutures that need to be removed, although there will be several tube drains that will be removed in about a week to ten days time period. You should be able to resume your regular activities in about two weeks, although you should abstain from heavy lifting and strenuous exercise for several months. It may take six months to a year for you to get completely used to your tighter stomach and body. Upon completion of healing process maintaining proper diet and exercise routine should assure a long lasting result.

Dr. Rayham encourages his patients to refrain from smoking for several weeks before and after the surgery. Dr. Rayham will discuss the risks of your procedure with you prior to proceeding with surgery. If is important to be well-informed ahead of time. You can minimize potential problems by carefully following the directions given to you after surgery.

For our patients who live in New York or nearby, we encourage a one to two day stay in the hospital post-operatively. Our out of town patients normally stay the same amount of time in the hospital followed by several days in one of our recommended hotels. You can be driven home three to four days following your surgery and your postoperative check-ups with Dr. Rayham. If you need to fly home, you may need to spend up to five days in New York to minimize the discomfort associated with traveling.