A body lift removes excess skin and fat in a continuous band around the torso, addressing the abdomen, the flanks, the outer thigh and the buttock in one operation. It is performed most often after major weight loss, where skin has lost its retraction over a large area. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons publishes an average cost of lower body lift surgery of $11,397, a surgeon fee that excludes anesthesia, operating room facilities and other related expenses, which makes it one of the most expensive procedures ASPS prices.
Ask providers for a written price
How it differs from a tummy tuck
A tummy tuck, for which the ASPS average is $8,174, works on the front of the abdomen. A lower body lift carries the excision the whole way round, which is what lifts the outer thigh and the buttock at the same time. Patients who have lost a great deal of weight often find that an abdominoplasty alone leaves the sides and back untreated and visibly loose. Which operation you need is an examination finding about where the laxity actually is.
Scar, recovery and staging
The trade for the skin removal is a circumferential scar, generally sited to sit under underwear. Recovery is measured in weeks rather than days, drains are common, and many surgeons stage the work rather than performing an upper and lower body lift in one sitting. Staging spreads both the risk and the cost, and whether the quoted figure covers one stage or two is the first thing to establish.
What sits outside the published figure
The $11,397 average is a surgeon fee. A long operation means a long anesthetic and a long facility booking, and for a procedure of this size those charges are substantial rather than incidental. Compression garments, drains, prescriptions, post-operative visits and time away from work all sit outside as well. An all-in quote for a body lift is expected to be considerably above the published surgeon-fee average.
Questions people ask about body lift
How much does a body lift cost in the US?
The ASPS average for lower body lift surgery is $11,397, a surgeon fee that excludes anesthesia, operating room facilities and other related expenses.
How is it different from a tummy tuck?
A tummy tuck treats the front of the abdomen. A body lift carries the excision right around the torso, lifting the outer thigh and buttock too.
Will insurance cover it?
Generally not as a cosmetic operation, though skin removal after major weight loss is assessed separately by some insurers. Ask yours in advance.
Is it done in one operation?
Often it is staged. Ask explicitly whether the price you have been quoted covers one stage or the whole plan.