Back lift

A back lift is a skin-excision operation carried out to reduce excess skin on the upper and mid back together with the folds extending onto the sides of the upper trunk.¹² This article describes the procedure in which the incision is planned at the level of the bra line. Liposuction alone, a tummy tuck, and whole-body contouring after weight loss are not the same operation. In reaching a decision, the long scar that will remain and the way the back is used in everyday movement are weighed alongside the folds that can be corrected.

What is a back lift?

A folded appearance on the back may not be explained by the amount of fat under the skin alone. Laxity of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, together with the areas where the tissues are tethered to the structures beneath, can create folds.¹ In a back lift the excess is assessed, the portion to be removed is planned and the remaining tissue is brought together. The aim is not only to reduce volume but to address the folding associated with excess skin.¹

In the literature the procedure is described as the "bra-line back lift".³ The bra line here describes the level of the incision on the back; it does not mean that the operation belongs only to women. Someone who does not wear a bra also needs to understand where the incision sits, how long it is and how it relates to their everyday clothing.

A tummy tuck addresses the anterior abdominal wall and the abdominal skin. A traditional tummy tuck or a lower body lift is not an operation that corrects all of the folds on the upper back; the adherence zones particular to the upper back play a part in that distinction.¹ Excess on the lower back, around the waist and over the buttocks is assessed separately at examination. It should not be concluded that the incision described on this page will change the whole trunk.

Who is it suitable for?

People with marked excess skin on the back and the sides of the upper trunk who accept the scar that will form in return for reducing that excess are assessed. Ageing and changes in weight can be associated with laxity of the upper back; the problem is not confined to a particular age group.³ The need for surgery is not decided by looking at a line created only by the pressure of a bra, or at a single photograph.

The procedure is advised once a person has reached their ideal weight. Ideal weight here does not mean giving everyone the same figure on the scales or a single dress size. Where a weight-loss goal is still in progress, the intended change, nutritional status and the timing of surgery are considered together. This article does not set a particular weight, body mass index or fixed waiting period.

Folds on the back after marked weight loss can occur together with excess skin on the breast, arms or abdomen.² A back lift can be part of that wider assessment; it does not mean that everyone needs every area operated on at the same time. Body contouring after weight loss is a separate matter of planning.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) lists realistic goals, general health and proper nutrition among the criteria assessed in candidacy for a body lift.⁴ These general criteria assist the examination; they do not give a success or safety rate specific to a back lift. Postponing surgery, or choosing to follow the present appearance without an operation, are also possible outcomes of the decision.

What does the examination assess?

The level of the back at which the fold sits, how far it extends onto the side of the upper trunk, the contribution of excess skin as against fat, and any asymmetry present at the outset are assessed. The fold seen on standing is examined together with the way the tissue relationship changes on sitting and with arm movement. Scars already present and skin problems are noted. The aim of the examination is not only to determine the area to be removed but to explain which features may remain.

State of health, previous operations, medication in use, allergies and the person's goals are part of the assessment.⁵ Where bariatric surgery has been carried out, the operation performed, the course of weight loss, the supplements used and any difficulties with nutrition are declared. Time spent sitting in everyday life, the need to use the arms overhead and work involving heavy lifting are also brought into the care plan.

A review concerning patients after bariatric surgery describes the importance of protein and of certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies for wound healing.⁶ This is not a complication rate specific to a back lift. Weight having reached a suitable level does not on its own show that nutrition is adequate either; the assessment required and the correction of deficiencies are planned for the individual.⁶ Decisions on the name or dose of a supplement are not made from this article.

How is the operation planned?

Is excess skin or a build-up of fat the main issue?

Reducing fatty tissue and removing excess skin are separate aims. In the ASPS account of body lift surgery, liposuction is described as usable for excess fat where skin elasticity is good, and as assessable alongside a skin-excision procedure where elasticity is poor.⁷ This general distinction calls for the cause of fullness on the back to be separated at examination.

Liposuction alone does not remove skin. Where lax skin forms the basis of the excess, reducing fat may not achieve the same correction.⁷ Equally, it is not assumed that every fold requires a long incision. Whether the scar is accepted, and the limits of the change expected, form part of the choice of method.

Where is the incision placed and how does it relate to clothing?

The incision is placed at the bra line, and the intention is to plan it so that the scar is covered when a bra is worn. The clothing a person wears is taken into account in planning. In a published technique for combined upper body surgery, the back borders of the bra worn were also included in the marking.² This technical description is not a guarantee that the scar will stay hidden under every garment.

The scar can be long and can extend onto the side of the upper trunk. Where the cut of a bra, the width of its band, or the clothing preferred over time changes, the scar may become visible. Its visibility in backless clothing is assessed separately. A scar covered by clothing is still a permanent incision scar; it is not described as "invisible" or "scarless".

For people who do not wear a bra, how a scar at that level relates to everyday shirts, T-shirts, sportswear or an exposed back is addressed. It is not assumed that a bra needs to be worn. Showing the planned line directly at examination avoids the position of the incision having to be understood from the name of a garment alone. The decision on using a compression garment is likewise kept separate from the habit of wearing a bra.

How much tissue is removed and how is tension assessed?

The area removed is determined by the distribution of the excess and by the closure of the remaining tissue. In the combined upper body technique, limiting the excision so as not to create excessive tension, particularly in the dorsal midline, is emphasised.² Removing the greatest amount of skin is not on its own a measure of success.

The shape on the two sides may not be the same at the outset. Planning rests on the features of the tissue at examination, not merely on a drawing that looks symmetrical. The relationship between shortening the scar and correcting the fold over a wider area is explained. The remaining skin, the ends of the scar and the areas the correction does not reach are assessed before surgery.

Is liposuction added?

Liposuction may be added according to the individual. Its aim is to reduce excess subcutaneous fat assessed separately from the skin excision. Removing fat is not a promise that the back incision will become unnecessary or that the scar will be shorter. The scope of the combined procedure is included in the assessment of care and return to activity.

Which area fat is taken from is determined by examination. The volume of fat removed is not presented as the worth or success of the operation. Correction of excess skin and change on the scales are not conflated; these procedures do not replace a weight-loss goal.

Is it planned on its own or together with other areas?

Small series exist in which procedures for the back, arms and breast are described together.² The research result for the combined operation is not, however, the result of a back lift on its own. Where a tummy tuck, liposuction or a wider plan for contouring after weight loss is considered, the separate aim and recovery requirement of each procedure is explained.

The decision between operating in one session and separating the stages is not made simply on the grounds that the operations are in neighbouring areas. State of health, the total scope of the procedure and how care will be managed at home are assessed together. Where separate movement instructions exist for the back and the abdomen, the advice in one article is not used in place of the other; a care plan that can be applied to both is explained before discharge.

How do you prepare for surgery?

Smoking and nicotine: Smoking is a risk factor for wound healing problems after surgery. Direct surgical data on nicotine products other than cigarettes are scarcer. The practice reference of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons notes a lack of clinical data on e-cigarette use and surgical risk, but states that because nicotine is known to reduce blood flow, e-cigarettes and other nicotine products are regarded as a potential risk factor.⁸ Stopping smoking, vaping and other nicotine-containing products at least 1 month before the operation, and not using them after surgery until healing is complete, is therefore advised. The studies below concern smoking cessation; their results do not establish the same reduction in risk for every nicotine product. A review pooling 6 randomised and 15 observational studies showed that every week of abstinence added benefit, and that studies with at least 4 weeks of abstinence produced markedly better results than shorter ones.⁹ A study appraising systematic reviews together reported that cessation interventions beginning at least 4 weeks before surgery and combining multiple behavioural support sessions with pharmacotherapy reduced complications. The same study notes that interventions with only one component, even when started more than 4 weeks before surgery, raise quit rates without reducing complications.¹⁰ Shorter intervals are not useless either: in a meta-analysis of 55 studies covering adults undergoing a range of operations, the risk of pulmonary complications was 27 per cent lower in relative terms among those who stopped at least 2 weeks before surgery, and 29 per cent lower among those who stopped at least 4 weeks before, compared with those who continued smoking.¹¹ The benefit therefore grows as the interval lengthens; being late does not make stopping pointless. The interval applied and the nicotine policy can vary from surgeon to surgeon.

Coexisting illness: Diabetes and blood pressure are expected to be under control before surgery. Where there is an active infection in the body, surgery is postponed.

Medication: Blood thinners and some herbal products can increase bleeding. Every medicine and supplement you take needs to be declared. Prescribed medication should not be stopped on your own decision.

Tests and anaesthetic assessment: The tests required are determined by general health and by the anaesthetic assessment.¹² Any previous problem with anaesthesia or drug allergy should be declared. The instructions given about fasting and about how to take medication on the day of surgery are followed.

Home and transport: Someone is arranged to accompany you home on discharge.¹² The timing of check-ups, the help you may need in the first days and the plan for time off work are organised beforehand. Follow the surgical team's guidance on preparing the operation area; do not shave or prepare the incision area at home on your own initiative.

Because seeing the back incision yourself and reaching its dressing can be difficult, someone to help with care is identified beforehand. Items in frequent use are moved to places that can be reached without stretching up or bending far down. Help is arranged for getting out of bed, dressing and the first walks with a drain and a compression garment in place. Care is taken that the clothing worn does not rub the incision line and does not require excessive arm movement to put on.

What is recovery like?

The operation is carried out under general anaesthesia. 1-2 hours are planned for the operation and 1-2 nights for the hospital stay. Any added procedures, the scope of the operation and the person's course of healing are assessed separately within that framework. Using the same level of incision does not mean that everyone's care needs will be the same.

The first check-up takes place within the first week. Drains are removed within 1-3 days on average; the assessment required and the timing of attendance for this are arranged separately with the surgical team. Stitch removal is planned for 2 weeks and is carried out with the incision checked. Removal of the drain or the stitches does not mean that all the tissues have healed.

7-10 days are expected for bruising to settle and 1-2 weeks for marked oedema to subside. The shape becomes assessable within 2-4 months; residual slight swelling can last 3-4 months. Assessing the shape and the end of all swelling are not the same moment. The 4-6 weeks given for a full return to daily life does not describe the maturing of the scar either.

At check-ups the incision line, the direction of swelling, pain and everyday movement are assessed along with the time elapsed. A decision on the final result is not made in the early period on the basis of how clothing sits or how the back feels. For new increasing pain, swelling growing on one side or a wound problem, the timetable is not waited out.

What to pay attention to after surgery

The following is a general framework. Where the instructions you were given differ, your surgeon's instructions apply.

Drain and dressing: A drain is used and removal is planned within 1-3 days on average. The dressing is continued according to your surgeon's advice until the wound has healed. The ASPS general account of body lift recovery notes that drains can be used to remove blood that may collect.¹³ The drain is not tugged, is not removed on your own initiative, and its connections are not altered outside the instructions given. Where there is a change in how the drain works or discharge from the incision, the check-up plan given is followed.

Compression garment: It is worn for 1-2 weeks, including at night. The arrangements for putting it on, taking it off and cleaning it are determined by the surgical team's instructions. The garment is not tightened in the belief that firmer use will give a better result. Where the pressure leads to marked pain, a change in skin colour or difficulty breathing, assessment is requested. Finishing the period of compression garment use does not mean that all physical activities are permitted.

Sleeping: Rest with the head elevated. Your surgeon decides how long that position and the avoidance of physical strain are continued. A sleeping position that puts no pressure on the incision is preferred. Returning to sleeping on the side or front is assessed according to the state of the incision and the swelling.

Lying and bending, specific to the back: For 1-2 weeks you move without bending far forwards. Care is taken that the incision line is not stretched by the trunk closing too far forwards when sitting or settling into bed. Elevating the head does not mean that pressure should be placed directly on the incision. The placing of supports and a suitable position for lying are arranged as shown by the surgical team. This instruction is not advice to walk leaning forwards. A move to sleeping on the side or front is not made on your own initiative. Where a tummy tuck and a back lift have been carried out together, the discharge plan for lying and walking that takes both incision lines into account is followed.

Cold application: Cold is applied to the operated area without pressing on it. The form and duration of the application are determined by your surgeon's instructions.

Showering, wound and dressings: When you may shower depends on the dressing used. If there is a skin incision, once allowed you can shower without rubbing the wound and pat the area dry gently. Baths, swimming pools and the sea wait until the wound has closed completely.

Shower timetable: A return to showering is assessed within 1-2 weeks, according to the state of the wound and the dressing. Earlier removal of the drain is not by itself permission to shower. The care instructions given for the incision on the back are followed; crusts are not picked off. Help is taken with the care of areas that are hard to see or reach. Permission to shower does not mean that use of the compression garment has ended; taking it off and putting it back on continues according to the plan given.

Movement: Strain such as bending the head down, straining and heavy lifting is limited in the early period. Movements that stretch or rub the incision area are avoided. Even if you feel well, do not return to strenuous activity suddenly. Activity and rest through the day are organised according to the plan given on discharge.

Sitting and arm movements: Movements that stretch and rub the incision line when settling into or getting up from a chair are avoided. A return to raising the arms, reaching behind, pushing heavy doors or carrying loads is assessed separately. A movement being painless does not on its own mean it can be done without limit. A safe way of moving is applied as demonstrated; you do not remain motionless all day.

Pain: There can be tenderness, tightness and pain in the back and the sides of the upper trunk.¹⁴ The painkillers given are used as instructed. Pain that markedly prevents walking or changing position is reported to the team; rather than abandoning the movement plan altogether, pain control and the need for help are assessed. No new painkiller or additional medicine is started on your own decision.

Returning to work and sport: 2-4 weeks are set aside for a return to work. Sitting for long periods, repeated shoulder movement or using the arms overhead may be part of the job; these loads are assessed separately. A return to sport is planned in stages within 4-6 weeks. 4-6 weeks are expected for a full return to daily life as well. The suitability of work involving constant strain on the arms and back is kept separate from being able to carry out a short activity.

Driving: A return can be assessed within 1-2 weeks. There must be no effect of medication reducing attention, no dizziness and no pain preventing movement. You need to be able to sit with a seat belt, to check your surroundings and to brake suddenly or manoeuvre comfortably. Where these conditions are not met, driving is not undertaken even if the timetable has run its course. Someone accompanies you home on discharge.

Although the interval given for driving is shorter than that for returning to work, it is not automatic permission. Being able to turn the wheel and see your surroundings is not the same load as sitting through a whole working day or using the shoulders repeatedly. Whether contact with the seat creates pressure or friction over the incision area is also assessed. For people who drive as their work, long periods at the wheel are addressed separately.

Sexual activity: A return can be assessed once everyday movements no longer cause marked pain and you feel comfortable. Pressure on the back, movements that stretch the incision line, and marked straining are avoided. Rather than a fixed day, the course of healing and the surgeon's advice are taken as the guide.

Smoking: Smoking impairs wound healing after surgery as well; cigarettes and nicotine products should be avoided until healing is complete.

Findings that are normal: Bruising, swelling, tightness and altered sensation around the incision can occur.¹⁴ What matters is that the findings are decreasing. Swelling that grows rapidly, is painful, or gathers markedly on one side should not be attributed to the healing period given alone. Where the incision cannot be checked by eye, help is taken; where there is a new fullness, no attempt is made to press on the area to drain fluid.

How are early walking and prevention of clots planned?

Walking is begun 6-8 hours after leaving the operation, on the assessment of the healthcare team. This early walking is not the same thing as a return to sport. The need for rest does not mean remaining motionless in bed throughout the day; the movement plan given by your surgeon is a basic part of care. Help is taken at the outset; where there is dizziness or marked weakness, you do not push on and the team is informed.

The risk of clots is assessed routinely before surgery. A compression stocking is put on before the operation; after surgery it is removed by the surgeon's decision once you have begun to walk comfortably. The compression garment given for the back and a compression stocking are not products used for the same purpose and are not used in place of one another.

Where operations will be long, or where there are risk factors creating a predisposition to clots, prevention with medication is assessed. Which measures are applied together is determined according to the person's risk. Following the movement plan should not be neglected; equally, walking or any other measure should not be thought of as removing the possibility of a clot altogether.

How do the scars change?

A long incision scar forms where skin has been removed. Planning it at the bra line does not mean that the scar will stay covered under every garment or will disappear entirely. Which fold is expected to reduce and which line will remain as a scar are shown together before surgery. Accepting the visibility of the scar is one of the basic parts of the decision to have surgery.

6 months to 1 year is expected for the scar to mature. At check-ups the colour, thickness and width of the scar and whether there is any indentation are assessed. Stitch removal, stopping the compression garment or returning to work do not show that this process has ended. A visible scar and the possible need for further revision are also stated in the ASPS general account of body lift results.¹⁵

Scar care: Silicone gel or a silicone sheet is used after the wound has closed and your surgeon considers it suitable. No product is applied on your own initiative to an incision that is open, discharging or not yet healed. Which form of product is used, when and how, is determined by the check-up findings. Where irritation develops, an assessment by your doctor is sought regarding use of the product.

The scar care account of Cambridge University Hospitals states that silicone may help to reduce redness and to soften and flatten a scar, and advises that it should not be applied to an open or weeping wound.¹⁶ This is general scar care information, not an outcome rate specific to a back lift. Using silicone does not mean that the scar will become invisible. Additions are not made on your own initiative to the regimen advised in order to use more of a care product.

Risks and complications

Research specific to back lift surgery is limited in scope; there are small technical publications and series addressing the back procedure together with other operations.¹² The general surgical risks below are also supported by the ASPS account of body lift surgery; that account does not provide frequency data for a back lift on its own.¹⁴ The headings below are separated by topic and do not rank risks by frequency. The existence of risks does not mean that they will develop in everyone.

Seroma and haematoma

A seroma is a collection of tissue fluid and a haematoma a collection of blood in the operated area. Fluid accumulation and bleeding are among the risks reported for body lift surgery.¹⁴ A new fullness, one-sided growth or increasing pain is assessed by examination. Trying to tell the type of swelling apart at home, or applying more pressure over it, is not a suitable way of checking.

In a combined upper body series published in 2025 covering 24 people after bariatric surgery, 8 people underwent breast contouring, a back lift and an arm lift, and 6 underwent breast contouring together with a back lift. Follow-up ranged from 1 month to 5 years, and no seroma or haematoma was observed in the series as a whole.² This is not a series of back lifts on their own; not all the participants underwent a back lift. In this small group covering different procedures and different follow-up periods, no events being reported does not show that these risks are absent in back lift surgery.

No rate giving the general frequency of seroma in an isolated back lift, with a clear patient group and follow-up period, has been included in this article. Rates for a tummy tuck or liposuction are not used to fill that gap. The need for check-ups is not confined to the period the drain is in place; new swelling is reported to the team after the drain has come out as well.

Wound separation, tension and scar problems

Delay in wound healing, separation of the wound edges and a marked scar can develop.¹⁴ The relationship between the amount excised in the dorsal midline and tension is specifically addressed in technical planning.² The instruction to avoid movements that strain the incision line cannot therefore be considered apart from everyday sitting and use of the arms.¹⁵

In someone who has had weight-loss surgery, the focus should not be on weight loss alone without nutritional deficiencies being assessed. The review concerning this group describes the relationship of protein deficiency with tissue repair and wound closure.⁶ Assessing deficiencies is part of the general wound care plan; using a supplement is not a guarantee that no complication will develop.

Where the incision opens, where there is new discharge or where a stitch becomes visible, an assessment by your doctor is sought. Silicone is not applied to an open wound; a stitch is not cut or pulled at home. The need for a dressing, a further check-up or an additional procedure is determined by the state of the wound.

Shape, symmetry and changes in sensation

Asymmetry, recurrent laxity and changes in sensation are among the risks described for body lift surgery.¹⁴ A remaining fold or a difference in appearance between the two sides is assessed separately from the early period of swelling. Not every difference seen at the first check-up is called a lasting result; a further revision may be needed for a remaining problem.¹⁵

Numbness or altered sensation can occur around the incision; it is not said that these will resolve completely on a particular day in everyone.¹⁴ Vigorous self-massage or the application of different temperatures is not carried out over an area with reduced sensation. Complaints that are new, increasing or becoming marked with movement are stated at the check-up.

Infection and tissue healing

Infection, skin loss and damage to the subcutaneous fatty tissue are listed among the possible complications of body lift surgery.¹⁴ Fever, spreading redness, discharge or a new change in skin colour requires assessment. Do not wait by attributing these to rubbing from the compression garment or to ordinary bruising alone.

Tightening the garment, making the dressing firmer or applying a new product does not take the place of assessment. The treatment to be applied is determined by the examination findings. A preventive measure having been carried out does not lessen the importance of new symptoms.

Anaesthesia and clots

Risks related to general anaesthesia and cardiac and pulmonary complications are part of the general body lift risk assessment.¹⁴ Where there are added operations, their scope and separate risks are also assessed. An assumed rate for a back lift on its own is not used to describe a combined operation as a whole.

Blood clots: A clot forming in the leg veins and travelling to the lungs is serious. One-sided leg pain and swelling, sudden shortness of breath or chest pain need urgent assessment.

The approach to preventing clots is decided according to the person's risk and the operation planned. The measures to be used are explained in the discharge and care plan. No blood thinner is started without being prescribed, and existing treatment is not altered on the person's own decision.

Does the result change over time?

A change in weight after surgery can affect the result and lead to a further change in the appearance of the back. Weight remaining stable and tissues continuing to change with age are addressed together in the ASPS general account of body lift results.¹⁵ It is not said that the same fold will inevitably return in place of the skin removed, or that no laxity will occur at all.

A study following some people for a long period does not show that the operation will remain the same in everyone for that length of time. The follow-up of between 1 month and 5 years in the combined upper body series does not mean that all the patients were followed for 5 years.² Nor can the breast result of that study be used as the long-term result of the back on its own. No year of durability or time for repeat surgery valid for everyone is given.

Where a weight-loss goal changes, where a new operation is considered or where folding becomes marked again, a decision is not made by looking at the name of the previous operation alone. The remaining skin, the distribution of fat, the scars and the state of health are reassessed. Continuing scar care is not presented as a method that prevents all the effects of a change in weight.

What can be expected from the result?

The change expected is directed at the excess skin of the back and the sides of the upper trunk identified at examination. That a long scar will form in return, and that it may be seen in some clothing, should be known at the outset of the decision. Not every fold above or below the level of the incision is expected to change to the same degree. Fitting the back to a single appearance or bringing it to a particular clothing size is not the aim.

For someone who does not wear a bra, success is likewise not defined by the scar sitting under one. The skin correction aimed at, the scar that remains and the return to everyday movement are assessed together. Seeing fewer folds under clothing and the scar not being visible at all are different expectations.

Returning to work, driving, stopping the compression garment, a full return to daily life, assessment of the shape and maturation of the scar are separate processes. Being able to move comfortably in the early period does not show that the final appearance has formed. The result can vary from person to person and a further procedure may be needed; no guarantee is given that every expectation will be met in a single operation.¹⁵

When should you contact a doctor?

In the situations below, the planned check-up is not waited for.

• Swelling on the back or the side of the upper trunk that increases rapidly or becomes marked on one side
• Pain that increases rather than settling, or becomes marked despite the pain treatment given
• Fever, spreading redness or discharge from the incision line
• The wound opening or bleeding that does not stop
• Newly developing marked pallor, darkening or blistering of the skin
• Steadily increasing pain, pressure or numbness under the compression garment
• The drain coming out of place, or a change in how it works accompanied by new swelling

These findings may require assessment for bleeding, fluid collection, infection or tissue healing.¹⁴ The back being an area that is hard to see should not delay asking for help. Tightening the garment, rubbing the area or opening the wound at home does not take the place of a check-up.

One-sided leg pain and swelling, sudden shortness of breath or chest pain are emergencies. Where there is a sudden breathing problem in particular, urgent assessment should not be delayed while trying to reach your doctor.¹³ That the movement plan has been followed or a preventive measure used does not lessen the importance of these symptoms.

About the numbers in this article

The intervals for the operation, hospital stay, stitches, drain, compression garment, showering, walking and return to activity, together with the timetable for bruising, swelling, shape and scar, are the practice framework approved by the surgeon. Intervals from other operations or other centres have not been carried into this timetable. Returning to work and driving depend on different conditions; the short values in the box do not take the place of those conditions.

The research data covering the back procedure is not a large series in which every patient underwent the same operation. The participant and follow-up figures given should be read together with the scope of the combined procedure.² No general percentage for seroma, repeat surgery or durability in an isolated back lift has been produced in this article. Few events, or no events being reported, does not show that individual risk is zero.

The ASPS body lift pages have been used for the general surgical and care framework; they are not outcome research specific to back lift surgery. The nutrition source covers patients after bariatric surgery, and the smoking sources cover a range of operations.⁶⁹¹⁰¹¹ The relative risk reduction relating to smoking cessation is not an absolute complication rate specific to a back lift.

References

1. Hunstad JP, Khan PD. The bra-line back lift: a simple approach to correcting severe back rolls. Clin Plast Surg. 2014;41(4):715-726. doi:10.1016/j.cps.2014.06.007 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

2. Ulukaya HE, Ozturk S, Sevim KZ, Ekincikli BT. Integrated Approach to Upper Body Shaping: Long Time Results. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2025;49(11):3107-3120. doi:10.1007/s00266-025-04795-y ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰

3. Hunstad J, Chen C, Abbed T. Bra-Line Back Lift. Clin Plast Surg. 2019;46(1):77-84. doi:10.1016/j.cps.2018.08.010 ↩ ↩²

4. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Body Lift Candidates. Accessed 8 September 2026. Institutional text ↩

5. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Body Lift Consultation. Accessed 8 September 2026. Institutional text ↩

6. Toninello P, Montanari A, Bassetto F, Vindigni V, Paoli A. Nutritional Support for Bariatric Surgery Patients: The Skin beyond the Fat. Nutrients. 2021;13(5):1565. doi:10.3390/nu13051565 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

7. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Body Lift. Accessed 8 September 2026. Institutional text ↩ ↩²

8. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Managing the risks of smoking in plastic surgery patients. Practice reference, 9 October 2024. Accessed 8 September 2026. plasticsurgery.org ↩

9. Mills E, Eyawo O, Lockhart I, Kelly S, Wu P, Ebbert JO. Smoking cessation reduces postoperative complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Med. 2011;124(2):144-154.e8. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2010.09.013 ↩ ↩²

10. Fiddes RA, McCaffrey N. Preoperative smoking-cessation interventions to prevent postoperative complications: a quality assessment and overview of systematic review evidence. Anesth Analg. 2025;140(6):1377-1387. doi:10.1213/ANE.0000000000007187 ↩ ↩²

11. Tang E, Rodriguez RM, Srivastava A, et al. Impact of short duration smoking cessation on post-operative complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Anesth. 2025;106:111967. doi:10.1016/j.jclinane.2025.111967 ↩ ↩²

12. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Body Lift Preparation. Accessed 8 September 2026. Institutional text ↩ ↩²

13. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Body Lift Recovery. Accessed 8 September 2026. Institutional text ↩ ↩²

14. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Body Lift Risks and Safety. Accessed 8 September 2026. Institutional text ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰

15. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Body Lift Results. Accessed 8 September 2026. Institutional text ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

16. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Silicone for scars. Version 1, 22 May 2025. Accessed 8 September 2026. Institutional text ↩