Last fact-checked: 24 February 2020

Feel more confident about the shape of your body with a body lift in Costa Rica. This is a great way to improve your appearance while enjoying a tropical getaway before your procedure.

Plus, you'll find that surgery costs thousands less than in the US when you book at one of Medical Departures' quality-checked clinics. 

What Is a Body Lift?

Body lift surgery can include a number of procedures, all designed to meet the individual needs of the patient. For instance, this surgery might include:

• Tummy tuck
• Toning and shaping of the back and thighs
• Arm lift
• Buttock lift
• Breast augmentation
• Liposuction

Depending on the specific needs of the patient, the procedure might involve a lower body lift, upper body lift, or both for a total body lift.

The goal of a body lift is to remove excess skin, cellulite, or sagging fatty tissue. Both men and women can benefit from this procedure. Individuals who have lost a significant amount of weight often choose this procedure to eliminate sagging skin following weight loss that no amount of exercise can correct. Many women also opt to have a body lift performed to help tone their bodies after childbearing.

Costa Rica is well known for its pristine beauty, commitment to conservation, and warm culture. This Latin American country has also developed a reputation for offering first-class medical care. In fact, you will find there are many top board-certified surgeons in Costa Rica. Just a short plane ride away, Costa Rica is relatively Americanized and is home to three Joint Commission International-accredited hospitals.

While healthcare facilities in Costa Rica are typically top-notch, it's still important to take your time to do some research if you are planning to travel there for a body lift.

At Medical Departures, we understand the importance of this decision and are committed to helping you make the most informed decision possible. Unlike the yellow pages, we do not include every physician or medical facility. Instead, we take the time to carefully vet facilities and surgeons.

That vetting process includes verifying qualifications and professional memberships. We also want to ensure there are no unpleasant surprises, so we conduct legal and criminal background checks. While qualifications are certainly important, so is the total experience, so we also conduct real patient reviews and onsite visits so that we can actually attest to how things are done. Only when we are completely satisfied with our findings do we include clinics on our list.

When traveling to Costa Rica for a body lift, patients should expect the procedure to take between four and eight hours, depending on the number of procedures to be performed. The surgery itself is performed under general anesthesia. A brief overview of the different procedures is given below:

• Lower Body Lift:
  The surgeon will make an incision just above the outer thighs and buttocks in a lower body lift. Next, excess skin will be removed. The surgeon will also reshape and contour the underlying tissue. Finally, the area will be closed using sutures.
   
• Upper Body Lift:
  An incision along the bra line will be made in an upper-body lift. This type of procedure usually includes the removal of any rolls of fat, often referred to as 'love handles' along the waist and back.
   
• Total Body Lift:
  If a total body lift is to be performed, it may be necessary to break the surgery up into multiple procedures in order to reduce the risk of complications.
   
• Tummy Tuck:
  If the procedure is to include a tummy tuck, an incision will be made around the navel and above the pubic area. After removing any excess skin and tissue, the surgeon will tighten the stomach muscles. Depending on the patient, liposuction may also be necessary.

Since a body lift procedure is considered major surgery, you should plan ample time for recovery. Many patients travel to Costa Rica for a body lift plan to spend time seeing the sights prior to having their surgery performed. 

Things to note about recovery:

• Plan to spend up to three nights in the hospital following your procedure.
• Patients often have drainage tubes for up to two weeks after surgery to help with swelling.
• You may also be required to wear a medical compression garment for some time after your procedure.
• Patients usually need to restrict their activities following a body lift for up to six weeks.

The average cost of a body lift in Costa Rica is about $9,000 (EUR €8,174, GBP £6,420, AUD $12,475) compared to an average cost of $20,000 (EUR €18,164, GBP £14, 268, AUD $27,723) in the United States. 

[Please note: these prices are approximate estimates based on international data, calculated at the time of writing.]

To discover savings of over 50%, take a look at these three top clinics in Costa Rica and book your surgery through Medical Departures:

• Gustavo Chavarria
• Miguel Alfaro Dávila

You can also see our full list of body lift clinics in the count here.

Speak to our Customer Care Team for more details and get a free, personalized quote for your body lift in Costa Rica.

Sources:

Arm Lift. Mayo Clinic 18 August 2018. 
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/arm-lift/about/pac-20392955

Body Lift. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Website accessed: 24 February 2020. 
https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/body-lift

Tummy Tuck. WebMD. 26 July 2018. 
https://www.webmd.com/beauty/cosmetic-procedures-tummy-tuck#1

Joint Commission International. Website accessed: 24 February 2019. 
https://www.jointcommissioninternational.org/

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