Ask Dr. Pane: Will A Back Lift Tighten Up My Back?

The Question

Our bodies go through a lot of changes during our lifetimes. Weight gain and loss, illness and recovery, pregnancy and childbirth are all natural parts of life, and they all can leave their marks on the body. Sometimes, the impact these changes have are fairly minimal; other times, they may be so drastic that only surgical intervention can really address them. One example of the latter is the focus of this week’s Ask Dr. Pane segment. The viewer, from our Facebook audience, asks, “Will a back lift tighten up my back?” The viewer adds that they have had liposuction on the back multiple times and there is still some excess back fat present.

The Case

The viewer provided photos of the area in question. However, because of the way the viewer is leaning in the photos, Dr. Pane says it was difficult to determine if there was actually folds in the back or not. This highlights one of the difficulties in trying to evaluate a patient’s condition from photographs, particularly selfies: awkward positioning may conceal as much or more than it reveals. The patient did not indicate a history of bariatric surgery or drastic weight loss. The overall presentation of the skin quality appears good, with little to no evidence of obvious problems. 

The Answer

The back is one of the best places for liposuction, Dr. Pane says. This is because the skin tissue is thicker and more robust, so it’s able to withstand more in the way of insult and aggressive liposuction than other areas where the skin is thinner and softer, making the back an ideal site for lipo and fat harvesting, when possible, needed and desired. In the hands of an experienced practitioner and when used for its intended purposes, lipo is well-tolerated and offers generally great results. 

The problem with liposuction is, like all other cosmetic surgical treatments, lipo does have limits. In many cases, the skin will naturally shrink to cover the lipo site with little evidence of anything having been done. However, multiple sessions of lipo in one area will inevitably reach a point of diminishing returns where the expense, time and recovery involved do not justify the results. Dr. Pane says if two rounds of lipo in an area don’t get the job done, it’s time to move on. 

 

If the person has pronounced back folds or loose, sagging skin in the back area, a back lift is probably the best “one-shot” option for repairing and restoring the area to a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. Exercise cannot alleviate skin folds, which is why that’s not even discussed as a method of dealing with them. Back lift is normally a preferred option when the patient has lost a great deal of weight, either through diet or exercise, resulting in an unusual amount of excess skin and/or moderate to severe skin laxity. One obvious drawback to a back lift is the fact it will leave a scar, which unlike a tummy tuck may not be concealable depending on where the folds are located, how much skin must be excised and so on. 

If there isn’t a hanging fold, or series of folds, on the back, Dr. Pane cautions that the patient may need to consider just how loose the skin is and whether the trade-off between modestly tighter skin and the accompanying scarring is worth the results. While it can be done, and Dr. Pane has done so many times in the past, it is not the ideal solution if other, less invasive methods can achieve the same or better results. This, of course, can only be determined by an in-person evaluation of the problem area and discussing the problem in person with the patient to establish the best possible course of action.

If you have a question related to cosmetic surgery or other treatments, Dr. Pane is always pleased to discuss your interests. Simply follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn; call us at (561) 422-4116; or email us through our Contact page. Your question may even be the focus of an upcoming Ask Dr. Pane segment, allowing you to get the honest, straight talk you need to make informed decisions about your body and treatments while helping us educate and inform others! Dr. Pane believes an informed patient who is empowered to be their own advocate is the most important ingredient in a successful outcome. Remember, the only bad question is the one you don’t ask!