The role of excisional lifting in body contour surgery.

While excess fat deposits are the major component of body contour problems, skin laxity and skin contour irregularities-cellulite- are significant problems in many women. Often the aesthetic contour deformity in a given patient consists of both fat and skin excess problems, requiring liposuction and lifting techniques for optimal results. In the past decade, significant progress has occurred in the understanding of aged aesthetic body deformities, allowing new body life designs based on modern surgical principles. Body lifts are a useful adjunct to liposuction and should be considered when developing an overall surgical plan for an individual patient.