Body lift surgery addresses the excess, sagging skin that often remains after significant weight loss, transforming your body to reflect the healthy lifestyle you’ve worked so hard to achieve. This comprehensive procedure removes loose skin from the abdomen, waist, hips, back, buttocks, and outer thighs in a single surgery, creating smooth, firm contours and restoring body proportions. At Chrisalys, we offer expert body lift surgery to patients throughout Los Angeles and Beverly Hills seeking to complete their weight loss journey and finally enjoy the body transformation they’ve earned.
Dr. David N. Sayah is a board-certified plastic surgeon with over 26 years of experience. His specialized training at UCLA Medical Center and NYU Medical Center, combined with extensive experience in post-bariatric body contouring, allows him to address the unique challenges of massive weight loss patients. As a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons with published research in surgical techniques and wound healing, Dr. Sayah delivers outcomes that eliminate excess skin, create proportionate contours, and restore the confidence to fully embrace your healthier lifestyle.
Advanced Body Contouring Expertise
Dr. Sayah’s surgical philosophy combines technical precision with artistic vision to create natural-looking results that complement each patient’s unique anatomy. His background as an oil painter and sculptor informs his approach to body contouring, allowing him to envision balanced proportions and harmonious curves. With hospital privileges at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Saint John’s, and UCLA, he performs comprehensive body lift procedures in a fully accredited surgery center using advanced surgical techniques that minimize scarring while maximizing aesthetic improvement.
“Body lift surgery represents one of the most transformative procedures we perform,” Dr. Sayah explains. “For patients who have worked incredibly hard to lose significant weight, removing the excess skin that remains allows them to finally see and enjoy the body they’ve earned through their dedication and effort.”
What Is Body Lift Surgery?
Body lift surgery is a comprehensive contouring procedure that removes excess skin and fat from multiple areas of the torso and lower body following massive weight loss. The surgery addresses loose, hanging tissue that develops after losing 50 pounds or more, whether through bariatric surgery, diet and exercise, or medical treatment. Unlike targeted procedures that address single areas, body lift surgery treats the entire lower torso circumferentially, including the abdomen, waist, hips, back, buttocks, and often the outer thighs, creating smooth, firm contours that better reflect your weight loss achievement.
The procedure typically involves a circumferential incision around the body at approximately the bikini line level, allowing Dr. Sayah to remove the apron of excess skin and fat while lifting and tightening remaining tissues. He repositions the underlying supportive structures, secures them with deep sutures for long-lasting results, and carefully redrapes the skin to eliminate redundancy and create attractive body contours.
The surgery can be performed as a complete lower body lift addressing the areas from the chest to the thighs, or may be staged to address the upper and lower body separately depending on the extent of correction needed and patient preferences.
What to Expect with Body Lift Surgery
Dr. Sayah performs body lift surgery in Chrisalys’s fully accredited surgical facility under general anesthesia. The procedure typically requires four to six hours depending on the extent of treatment areas included. Before surgery, he carefully marks incision lines while you are standing to ensure optimal placement that conceals scars within underwear or swimwear lines while maximizing skin removal and lifting effect.
The surgery begins with a circumferential incision extending from hip to hip around the entire lower torso. Dr. Sayah removes the large apron of excess abdominal skin and fat, tightens weakened abdominal muscles if needed, lifts and reshapes the buttocks using internal sutures for support, removes excess skin from the flanks and lower back, and often addresses outer thigh laxity simultaneously. He uses progressive tension sutures in multiple tissue layers to support the lift and minimize tension on skin closure, promoting optimal healing and thin, well-concealed scars. Temporary drains are typically placed to prevent fluid accumulation during early healing.
Most patients remain in the surgical facility overnight for monitoring and comfort management before returning home the following day. Initial recovery involves significant rest for the first week, with gradual resumption of light activities over the following weeks. Most individuals return to desk work within three to four weeks and resume full activities including exercise after six to eight weeks. Compression garments worn for several weeks support healing tissues and reduce swelling.
Final results emerge over several months as swelling resolves and tissues settle into their new position, revealing smooth, firm contours that dramatically enhance your body proportions.
Why Choose Dr. Sayah for Body Lift Surgery in Los Angeles
Selecting a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive post-bariatric body contouring experience ensures optimal results and minimizes complications. Dr. Sayah’s qualifications include:
- Board certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
- Fellowship of the American College of Surgeons (FACS)
- Over 26 years of plastic surgery experience
- Medical degree from UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, graduated top of class
- General surgery training at NYU Medical Center
- Plastic surgery residency at UCLA Medical Center
- Advanced fellowship training in endoscopic plastic surgery
- Hospital privileges at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Saint John’s, and UCLA
- Published research in wound healing, surgical techniques, and body contouring
- Extensive experience with massive weight loss patients
- International reputation serving patients from around the world
- Multilingual capabilities (English, French, Spanish, Farsi, Italian)
- Clinical faculty positions at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and USC
Dr. Sayah’s comprehensive training in both reconstructive and aesthetic surgery provides the specialized skills necessary to address complex body contouring needs following massive weight loss. His artistic approach combined with technical precision delivers natural, proportionate results that honor your weight loss achievement and restore the confidence you deserve.
Meet Dr. David Sayah
Dr David Sayah is a board certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills known for his natural approach to aesthetic surgery. With more than 26 years of experience, he combines surgical precision with artistic insight to deliver balanced and refined results. His philosophy centers on enhancing individual beauty rather than changing it.
A graduate of the UCLA School of Medicine and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Dr Sayah trained at leading medical centers including NYU and UCLA. His work in wound healing and scar formation research helps patients heal beautifully with minimal scarring. Fluent in five languages, he welcomes patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, and across the world who seek exceptional, natural results.
Schedule Your Body Lift Consultation in Beverly Hills
If excess skin following significant weight loss is preventing you from fully enjoying your healthier body, body lift surgery with Dr. Sayah offers comprehensive transformation that reveals the contours you’ve worked so hard to achieve. Contact Chrisalys today to schedule your consultation and discover how body lift surgery can help you complete your weight loss journey with confidence and pride.
