Belt Lift / Buttock Lift

Items To Obtain Prior To Surgery

Two Weeks Before Surgery

 • Do not take any products containing aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication or Vitamin E. Tylenol is acceptable.

 • Refrain from all nicotine products, including cigarettes, pipe tobacco, chew or Nicotine patch. Nicotine interferes with healthy circulation and may affect the result of your surgery. It also places you at higher risk of complication when receiving anesthesia.

One Week Before Surgery

• Do not drink alcohol for 1 week before and after surgery.

• Finalize your transportation to and from the office. You cannot drive following the procedure.

The Day Before Surgery

• You will receive a phone call informing you of your arrival time for surgery. 

• DO NOT EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING AFTER MIDNIGHT. (This includes water and gum chewing). Surgery may be cancelled if this is not followed. A fasting state is required in order to receive sedation for surgery. The only exception is medication, which we instruct you to take with a sip of water the morning of surgery.

• Ensure you have plenty of good healthy foods and beverages on stock for after your surgery. Plenty of protein, fruits and vegetables are always a good idea.

• Pick up your prescribed medicines and place them in a bag to bring with you the day of surgery.

• Anesthesia may call you the night before to go over your history and provide any additional instructions especially if you are taking certain medications

• Wash with hibiclens soap the night before surgery. Also plan to wash your hair that evening or morning of procedure. 

• Relax and breathe! Last minute jitters are normal. 

Surgery Day

• Wash with hibiclens soap the morning of surgery. Wash all areas that will be worked upon. 

• Nothing to eat or drink unless instructed otherwise

• Do not wear cosmetics, jewelry of any kind, contact lenses, hair clips or body piercings (If there is something you cannot remove, let the admitting nurse know right away.) Wear comfortable, clean, loose-fitting clothing: Do not wear jeans or any tightfitting bottom; rather have a pair of loose, drawstring sweatpants to wear home. You may wear a robe. Wear slip on, flat shoes with a slip proof sole; no heels. Wear clean cotton socks, as the operating room can feel cool. For your comfort, wear a zip or button front top.

Supplements

 • Do not take aspirin (or products containing aspirin) or Ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, Midol®) for 2 weeks after surgery. Also do not begin herbal supplements until 2 weeks after surgery.  Arnica, Bromelin and Vitamin C are okay to take. 

• Phentermine or appetite suppressants should not be taken until 6 weeks after surgery as these supplements increase heart rate and blood pressure and can interfere with your recovery

Post-Operative Instructions For Belt Lift/Buttock Lift 

• A responsible adult must provide transportation for you after surgery (public transportation is not permissible). If you are having several procedures, you may need or prefer assistance for 1-2 days following your procedure. 

• Avoid making major decisions or participating in activities that require judgment for 24 hours.

• Do not drive for approximately 10-12 days and while you are taking pain medication. 

Positioning

• You should sleep on your stomach and rest on your stomach for the first 2 weeks following surgery.

• Try to limit amount of time sitting on buttocks as pressure may affect healing. 

• You should limit your sitting for the first 2 weeks or consider sitting at an angle with the least amount 

   of flexion on your back to prevent wound separation and suture rupture. 

• Do not lay on your back for 10 days.

• Do not squat or stretch for 3 weeks. These activities can cause pressure in the buttocks and on the 

   incisions causing them to stretch.

• Avoid any activities that cause pain or discomfort. 

Showering

• You may shower (but not bathe) in 3 days after surgery. 

• Do not allow the showerhead to face the surgical area for the first week—the pressure of the water on   

 your incision might be painful. Allow the water to strike your front and trickle backward. You may use a  

 cup or Tupperware® to splash the surgical area with water while showering. You may wash the surgical  

 area with soap (any kind) and water (lukewarm, never hot). Do not use surgical soaps to wash the area 

 as these are drying to the skin. Use regular soap. 

• Remove all your garments, dressings (including the sticky yellow gauze) when showering. When out of 

 the shower, blow dry incisions on a cool setting, apply ABD pads along incision sites, and apply usual 

 compression garments. 

• Make sure someone is with you at your first shower. Make the shower a quick one.

• Take deep breaths to fully inflate your lungs 10 times every hour (while awake) for the first few days after surgery. This is necessary to prevent post operative pneumonia or atelactasis (lung collapse).

 • Pump legs while lying down to prevent blood clots. Do frequent pedal presses or foot pumps while sitting as well. It is encouraged to begin walking as soon as you can even it is a few steps. You will be wearing supportive stockings consistently for the first 2 weeks after surgery. Wear Knee High TED hose if purchased until resumption of normal activity (usually 2 weeks). 

Exercise And Sexual Activity

• No overheating for the first 3 weeks (spas, exercising in the sun, etc). Resume activities slowly.

• At 3-4 weeks, you can consider passive or less vigorous sexual activity that will not cause abdominal movement. 

• Cardio may resume at 3 – 4 weeks following surgery.

• Do not lift anything heavier than 10 lbs for the first 6 weeks. 

• All other exercises (including squats or any activity the requires flexion at the hip) may resume 6 weeks after surgery. 

• You may begin swimming 4 weeks post-operatively if healing is complete.

Other things:

• Take all medications as instructed.

• Swelling and bruising are normal. It is expected to take between 3-6 months to see your final results. 

• Drink plenty of fluids (8-10 glasses/day) for the first couple of weeks after surgery as this will help you to remain well hydrated and reduce swelling. 

• You may change the absorbent gauze pads that are placed at the surgical site as needed to help keep the incision clean and dry.

 • A surgical garment will be applied immediately after surgery. This is to be worn continuously for the first week. You may remove the garment to shower. After showering, the garment must be placed back on and worn for six weeks. You may want to use a funnel to direct the flow of urine when using the bathroom to keep the garment as clean as possible. 

• Avoid direct sunlight to the incision for at least 1 year. Use a sunscreen with zinc oxide with SPF 20 or greater to help decrease the visibility of the scar.

What To Expect

• Moderate swelling to the surgical area is to be expected. You may find that your clothes may not fit as easily as before. Be patient. The swelling will gradually subside and you will be back to normal in 3 – 6 months. Swelling will be at its worst between 3 – 5 days. Swelling starts to subside at 6 weeks but may take 6 months to resolve.

 • Bruising is a normal expectation following surgery. Bruising could be apparent for as long as 3 – 4 weeks afterwards. The bruises will move down your body as they are absorbed. 

• Infrequently after surgery, you may have fluid build-up in the lower back area after the drains are removed. If this happens, you will notice a fullness or sloshy feeling in your abdomen. Please contact our office so we can aspirate it easily. This is called a seroma. 

• It takes 6 MONTHS FOR FINAL RESULTS to appear. In the interim, you may notice: 

• A burning sensation (raw, sensitive) or sharp shooting pains along the surgical areas and incision sites is normal and indicative of nerve regeneration. These “neuralgias” will burn out by 9 months. 

• Numbness is expected to resolve by 9 months on average.