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 Dr. Aly |
Using an incision that extends around the entire trunk to enable circumferential excision of skin and fat, the procedure not only improves abdominal contour, but also eliminates lower back rolls and provides a buttock lift, says Dr. Aly, clinical professor of surgery, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine.
However, despite a number of publications in the peer-reviewed literature describing the technique and its outcomes, belt lipectomy has yet to be widely adopted by U.S. plastic surgeons. Hopefully, that situation will be changed by greater surgeon education and recent modifications in the technique (see sidebar, "Belt Lipectomy"), Dr. Aly says.Complex deformities of the upper body are also a unique finding following massive weight loss and have resulted in the development of upper-body lifting and breast-reconstruction procedures specific for this patient population. Significant descent of the lateral inframammary crease is a major issue seen in both genders and is the indication for an upper body lift, Dr. Aly says.
"Whether the patient is a woman who would benefit from breast augmentation or a man who needs breast reduction, the breast surgery must be performed on a flat base, as if building a pyramid on an even base. Lifting of the inframammary crease into its correct position is a necessary first step," he says.
