Back lift surgery is a good option for patients who have excess skin and/or fatty tissue on the back that will not improve with non-surgical options like weight loss. Common concerns expressed to Dr. Andrade include rolls of extra skin along the bra line, or bulges of excess tissue on the flanks (“love handles”) or on the lower back above the buttocks.
As an experienced, highly reputable plastic surgeon, Dr. Andrade is contact by patients from all over Ontario for back lift surgery. While the majority of patients are from the local region including Newmarket, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Markham, Keswick, Barrie and Orangeville, we frequently see patients from the entire GTA, northern Ontario, Ottawa to the east and Windsor to the west. Dr. Andrade is known for a personable and thorough back lift consultation that typically takes 30-45 minutes with the actual surgeon. Dr. Andrade feels that it is very important to have an in-person assessment and discussion, and he never delegates this interaction to another person. The consultation always starts with a full general medical history to determine if there are any concerns about overall fitness for surgery. Dr. Andrade will then inquire about your particular concerns, to understand whether back lift surgery can provide the desired results. The examination involves assessing the overall contour of the back, location of redundant skin, amount of excess adipose tissue, and any pre-existing asymmetry that might affect the final outcome. There is ample opportunity to ask questions and discuss surgical risks, benefits and recovery time. A take-home folder is provided which includes a detailed and transparent price quote, consent document, and preoperative instructions.
The vast majority of patients can go home the same day after back lift surgery, although patients requiring an overnight stay can have the operation at Southlake Health. Most patients have their operation at the York Plastic Surgery Centre, a CPSO-accredited surgical facility located in Newmarket. It is just off the Highway 404 & Mulock exit, so patients from Toronto can typically be at the clinic within 30-45 minutes. The operation typically takes 3 hours. Only dissolving sutures are used and the wound is covered with a strong mesh-glue strip (Prineo) that can be left on for 2-3 weeks. The silver-alginate wound dressing is both highly absorbent and suppresses bacterial colonization, so it can be left on for 5-7 days. Patients can simply leave the dressing alone until their follow-up appointment the following week, which greatly simplifies their care. Most patients are in the recovery area for another 2-3 hours before they are discharged home.
Dr. Andrade only works with fellowship-trained anesthesiologists who are certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. The entire surgical team has gained a reputation for providing excellent care. Online reviews by our patients frequently mention the clinic nurses, who are commended for their genuine friendliness, compassion and professionalism. After discharge home, every patient is given Dr. Andrade’s emergency contact number in case there is a concern. We also reach out and contact each patient to ensure that any concerns after discharge from the clinic are addressed.
Patients are encouraged to mobilize right after surgery, and are able to do light activities of daily living such as making meals and self-care. Activities that involve leaning far forward, repetitive twisting of the torso, or heavy lifting over 10kg / 20lb should be avoided for 6 weeks. The dressing applied on the day of surgery is designed to be left alone until the first clinic follow-up appointment within a week, so patients are encouraged to sponge bath only and leave the surgical site intact and dry. Once the dressings and wound closure mesh are removed, patients can apply scar gel daily. There are no physical restrictions after 6 weeks.
The majority of patients are very satisfied with the degree of contour improvement achieved with back lift surgery. If there are large deposits of fat, very loose skin or prominent mid-back rolls, these issues are unlikely to resolve with conservative treatment. Complications from back lift surgery are uncommon. The risks include but are not limited to bleeding, inflammatory fluid collection (seroma) requiring drainage, delayed wound healing, skin breakdown (necrosis), poor scars or keloids, chronic numbness or pain, contour irregularities, etc. Rarely, complications can arise from having an anesthetic itself, such as injury to the face, teeth or windpipe. Major, life-threatening complications could arise from any general anesthetic. Back lift surgery is done with the person laying prone (face down) on the operating table. A special positioning device called a bow frame is used to minimize the risk of pressure injuries that could arise from having an operation in the prone position. Dr. Andrade will also discuss any unique risks and benefits of surgery with each patient, based on their overall medical health. When deciding which plastic surgeon will provide your care, it is important to consider whether they have full hospital admitting privileges. Some cosmetic surgeons do not have any affiliation with a hospital, so if their patient has a postoperative problem requiring admission, they are not able to provide continuity of care. Dr. Andrade has maintained admitting privileges at Southlake Health for over 20 years, where he was also Chief of Plastic Surgery for over 5 years.
Alternatives to back lift surgery include avoiding surgery altogether, because significant improvement in appearance might be achieved through weight loss. Other less invasive options include external skin tightening techniques (laser, radiofrequency etc). Liposuction is another alternative to full back lift surgery that can provide modest contour improvements. In some cases the liposuction can be combined with devices that help the overlying skin to contract and tighten somewhat. These devices cause contraction of the connective tissue deep to the skin by delivering energy which can be from a laser, plasma generation, radiofrequency, or ultrasound device. These devices usually will not provide the same degree of skin tightening as actually removing the skin, but there are less scars. During the consultation, Dr. Andrade will discuss the pros and cons of these different options.
This information is intended to complement the advice of a plastic surgeon during a proper consultation, and it is not exhaustive or complete.
