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Op. Dr. Murat Yaman
Plastic & Aesthetic SurgeryVerified
- 11+years exp.
- 5,000+surgeries
- 6Treatments
Turkish · English
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Body Contouring
Body lift surgery
A guide to a body lift in Turkey after major weight loss: what a lower body lift (belt lipectomy) removes, how it differs from a tummy tuck, approximate cost compared with the UK, the US and Germany, timing after bariatric surgery, staging with arm, thigh and breast surgery, recovery, flying home and the risks reported in published studies.
A written plan with the surgeon's name and the full price — usually within 24 hours.
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Prof. Dr. Ayhan Numanoğlu
Plastic & Aesthetic SurgeryVerified
- 56+years exp.
English · Turkish
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Dr. Erdem Tezel
Plastic & Aesthetic SurgeryVerified
- 37+years exp.
English · Turkish
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Prof. Dr. Özhan Çelebiler
Plastic & Aesthetic SurgeryVerified
- 44+years exp.
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Lower body lift in Turkey: who it is for
A body lift — usually a lower body lift, also called a belt lipectomy or circumferential body lift — removes a ring of loose skin and fat around the whole lower trunk in one operation: the abdomen, the hips and flanks, the lower back and the buttocks, and it lifts the outer thighs. It is designed for people who have lost a very large amount of weight, most often after bariatric surgery such as a gastric sleeve or gastric bypass, and whose skin now hangs not only at the front but all the way round.
If the loose skin is only on the front of the abdomen, a tummy tuck (from €3,520) is the smaller operation — and its guide also covers the general points of having body surgery in Turkey: choosing a hospital, packages, payment and the trip. This page covers what is specific to the body lift.
A body lift is one of the largest operations in cosmetic surgery. It is worth doing for the right patient, but it needs a hospital, an experienced team and a longer stay than most cosmetic operations.
Body lift vs tummy tuck vs panniculectomy
Patients after weight loss are often offered one of three operations. They are not interchangeable:
| Operation | What it treats | Scar | Typical time in Turkey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panniculectomy | Removes the hanging apron of skin below the navel only; no tightening of muscles or navel repositioning | Low across the abdomen | about 7 days |
| Tummy tuck (incl. fleur-de-lis) | Front of the abdomen: skin, fat and separated muscles; fleur-de-lis adds a vertical cut for excess width | Hip to hip at the front (plus a vertical scar for fleur-de-lis) | about 7–10 days |
| Lower body lift / belt lipectomy | The whole lower trunk: abdomen, flanks, lower back, buttocks and outer thighs | All the way round the body, at or just below the waist | about 10–14 days |
A simple test: stand with your back to a mirror. If skin folds over the waistband at the back and the buttocks look flat or low, a tummy tuck will tighten the front but leave the back unchanged — a body lift treats both. Some surgeons offer a back lift or buttock lift separately when only one area is affected.
How much does a body lift in Turkey cost?
None of the hospitals on our site has published a fixed body lift price yet, because the operation is planned individually. The figures below are approximate, confirmed in a written quote after the surgeon has seen your photos and your medical history.
| Country | Approximate price of a lower body lift | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey | about €5,500–€9,000 | Hospital package for international patients: surgeon, anaesthesia, two to four nights in hospital, tests, garments, transfers; hotel nights often included |
| United Kingdom | about £12,000–£20,000 | Private hospital; rarely funded by the NHS |
| United States | about $15,000–$30,000 | Surgeon's fee alone averages roughly $9,000 in American Society of Plastic Surgeons statistics; anaesthesia and facility fees are billed on top |
| Germany | about €10,000–€18,000 | Surgeon, anaesthesia and hospital stay; occasionally partly covered by health insurance for medical reasons |
What changes the body lift cost:
- Extent: a belt lipectomy at the waist, a lower body lift with buttock and thigh lifting, or a fleur-de-lis pattern at the front add different amounts of time.
- Buttock shaping: using your own tissue to add volume to flat buttocks (auto-augmentation) or fat grafting adds time.
- Hospital nights and blood tests: body lift patients usually stay two to four nights, and more tests are needed after bariatric surgery.
- Staging: a second operation for arms, thighs or breasts is priced separately.
Can you get skin removal surgery after weight loss on the NHS? Only rarely: some areas fund removal of a hanging abdominal apron (panniculectomy) when it causes recurring skin infections or problems with daily life and weight has been stable, but a full body lift for shape is almost never funded. That is one reason patients compare private prices at home with a body lift in Turkey. At the hospitals on our site you pay the hospital directly on arrival, with no pre-payment.
When to have a body lift after weight loss
Timing matters more for a body lift than for almost any other operation. Most surgeons want:
- Stable weight: no change of more than a few kilos for at least three to six months, usually 12–18 months after bariatric surgery.
- Close to goal: a BMI ideally under about 30–32; above that the risk of wound problems rises and the result is less good.
- Good nutrition: normal protein, iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin D levels. After bypass surgery especially, deficiencies are common and slow healing.
- No smoking for at least four to six weeks before and after.
Bring your bariatric operation report and recent blood tests to the consultation. If you are still losing weight, it is usually wiser to wait.
Staging: body lift, arms, thighs and breasts
After massive weight loss most patients have loose skin in several areas. Doing everything at once means a very long operation, and long operations increase the risk of blood clots, blood loss and wound problems. Surgeons therefore usually plan stages, with three to six months between them:
- Stage 1: the lower body lift — the trunk is usually done first, because it changes the shape the most and also lifts the outer thighs.
- Stage 2: upper body — arm lift, breast lift or, for men, chest contouring (gynecomastia surgery).
- Stage 3: inner thigh lift, if still needed after the body lift.
Some patients combine two smaller stages. The post-bariatric plastic surgery page describes the full plan; a surgeon should give you the whole sequence in writing before the first operation.
How a lower body lift is performed
A lower body lift takes about four to six hours under general anaesthesia, and you are turned during the operation.
- Marking: the surgeon marks the skin to be removed while you stand, all the way round.
- Back and sides: with you lying on your front, skin and fat are removed from the lower back and flanks, the buttocks and outer thighs are lifted, and buttock tissue can be folded in to add volume.
- Front: you are turned onto your back, and the front is done like a tummy tuck — the skin is removed, separated muscles are stitched together if needed, and the navel is brought out in its new position.
- Closure: the wound is closed in layers with drains; compression garments go on in the theatre.
Expect two to four nights in hospital, with blood-clot prevention (injections, stockings and early walking) from the first day.
Your body lift in Turkey: the trip and recovery
Plan 10–14 days in Turkey: consultation and tests, surgery, two to four nights in hospital, then hotel recovery until the drains are out and the surgeon has checked the wounds. Travel with a companion — for the first week you need help getting up, dressing and with luggage.
- Weeks 1–2: you walk bent slightly forward to take tension off the wound; sitting and lying positions are explained before discharge. Pain is controlled with medication. Drains usually come out in the first one to two weeks.
- Weeks 3–4: most people can do light desk work after three to four weeks; physical jobs need longer.
- Weeks 4–8: compression garment for about six weeks; no lifting, sport or swimming until the surgeon allows it, usually after six to eight weeks.
- Months 3–12: swelling settles, scars mature and the final shape appears; any next stage is usually planned from three to six months.
Flying home after a body lift
Most surgeons allow flying after 10–14 days. A long operation on the trunk followed by a flight is a real risk for blood clots, so follow the instructions on blood-thinning injections exactly, wear compression stockings, book an aisle seat and walk every hour, drink water and avoid alcohol. Sudden leg pain or swelling, chest pain or shortness of breath needs emergency care. See also flying after surgery.
Risks of a body lift: what studies show
A body lift is a major operation and complications are more common than after most cosmetic surgery. Published series of lower body lifts after massive weight loss report complications in roughly a third to a half of patients — most of them minor wound problems — and the risk rises with a higher BMI. The main risks are:
- Seroma: fluid under the skin, one of the most common problems; drained with a needle, sometimes repeatedly.
- Wound separation: usually at the point where the front and back incisions meet; most heal with dressings.
- Blood clots (deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism): uncommon, but the most serious risk; prevention with injections, stockings and early walking is standard.
- Bleeding needing transfusion, infection, numbness of the skin, asymmetry and scar problems, and the general risks of a long anaesthetic.
You lower the risks by reaching a stable weight, correcting nutrition, stopping smoking, choosing a plastic surgeon who does post-weight-loss body contouring regularly, and having the operation in a full hospital with intensive care. See how to choose a safe surgeon in Turkey and insurance for cosmetic surgery abroad.
Body lift results
A good body lift removes the overhanging skin around the waist, tightens the abdomen, lifts the buttocks and outer thighs, and lets clothes fit without folds. Many patients describe less chafing and skin irritation and an easier time exercising. The scar runs all the way round the body but is placed to sit inside most underwear and swimwear. The result lasts as long as your weight stays stable. For the rest of the body, see the full body contouring range.
Hospitals with Plastic & Aesthetic Surgery in Turkey
Frequently asked questions
Approximately €5,500–€9,000 for a lower body lift as a hospital package for international patients, depending on the extent, buttock shaping and the number of hospital nights. Your exact price is written on your quote after the surgeon has reviewed your photos and history.
A private lower body lift in the UK usually costs about £12,000–£20,000. The NHS rarely funds it; some areas fund removal of a hanging abdominal apron only when it causes medical problems.
A tummy tuck treats only the front of the abdomen. A lower body lift removes loose skin all the way round — abdomen, flanks, lower back and buttocks — and lifts the outer thighs, with a scar that goes round the body.
A belt lipectomy is a circumferential removal of skin and fat at the level of the waist. The name is often used for a lower body lift, though a lower body lift usually also lifts the buttocks and outer thighs.
Most surgeons wait 12–18 months after bariatric surgery, until your weight has been stable for at least three to six months and blood tests show normal protein, iron and vitamin levels.
Only in limited cases. Some areas fund a panniculectomy when a hanging apron of skin causes recurring infections or problems with daily life and weight is stable. A body lift for shape is almost never funded.
Expect two to four nights in hospital, light desk work after three to four weeks, a compression garment for about six weeks and no sport for six to eight weeks. The final result takes about a year.
Plan 10–14 days, so that drains are removed and wounds checked before you fly. Travel with a companion if you can.
Usually the operations are staged three to six months apart: the lower body lift first, then the arms and breasts, then the inner thighs if needed. Combining everything in one session makes the operation too long for most patients.
The most common are seroma and small wound separations; the most serious is a blood clot. Published series report complications in roughly a third to a half of patients, mostly minor, with a higher risk at a higher BMI and in smokers.
The scar goes all the way round the body at or just below the waist. It is placed to sit inside most underwear and swimwear and fades over 12–18 months.
Patient stories