Body surgery at a glance
- Procedures8
- Duration30 min to 6 h
- AnaesthesiaSedation, spinal anaesthesia or general anaesthesia
- Hospital stayDay surgery to 3 nights
- Time off work1 to 21 days
- Prices€2,500 to €15,000
Body surgery removes localised fat (liposuction), tightens loose skin on the abdomen, arms, thighs or the whole lower body after pregnancy or major weight loss, and restores volume to the buttocks or calves. Dr Victor Médard de Chardon performs eight procedures, ranging from 30 minutes (liposuction, Hyacorp) to 6 hours (body lift), at the Clinique Oxford in Cannes. They are not weight-loss methods.
Prices: €2,500 to €15,000 depending on the procedure, on a written quote after the consultation (€100).
The procedures
HD liposuction
Abdominal liposuction, Liposuction of the legs, calves and ankles
Vibration-assisted liposuction to remove localised fat deposits evenly and precisely, in women and men alike.
Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)
Removing damaged skin, tightening the abdomen and repairing separated muscles after pregnancy or weight loss.
Body lift
Tightening the abdomen, hips, thighs and buttocks in one operation, after major weight loss.
Brazilian butt lift (BBL, buttock fat transfer)
Enlarging and shaping the buttocks with your own fat, injected under the skin.
Arm lift (brachioplasty)
Tightening loose skin on the inner arms, often after major weight loss.
Thigh lift
Tightening loose skin on the inner thighs, most often after major weight loss.
Calf implants
Shaping calves that are too thin with silicone implants, or with fat transfer or Hyacorp.
Hyacorp injection
Restoring volume to the buttocks, calves or pectorals without implants, when there is not enough fat.
Which procedure for which situation?
The choice is made at the consultation, after examining the skin, fat and muscles. This table shows the most common matches.
| Your situation | Procedure | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Localised fat: abdomen, flanks, hips, thighs, knees, arms, neck | HD liposuction | Cryolipolysis, without surgery |
| Abdomen and flanks, with good-quality skin | Abdominal liposuction | Cryolipolysis |
| Thick calves and ankles, when the excess is fat | Leg liposuction | — |
| Damaged or loose abdominal skin, separated muscles after pregnancy | Abdominoplasty | — |
| Loose abdomen, hips, thighs and buttocks after major weight loss | Body lift | — |
| Flat or sagging buttocks | Brazilian butt lift (BBL) | Hyacorp, when there is not enough fat |
| Loose skin on the inner arms | Arm lift | — |
| Loose skin on the inner thighs | Thigh lift | — |
| Calves that are too thin | Calf implants | Fat transfer (lipofilling) or Hyacorp |
Body procedures compared
Figures taken from the individual procedure pages.
| Procedure | Duration | Anaesthesia | Hospital stay | Time off work | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD liposuction | 30 min to 2 h | Sedation or general | Day surgery or 1 night | 7 days | €2,500 to €15,000 |
| Leg liposuction | 1 to 3 h | General or spinal | Day surgery | 7 to 15 days | €3,000 to €7,500 |
| Abdominoplasty | 2 to 3 h | General | 1 to 2 nights | 15 to 21 days | €5,000 to €10,000 |
| Body lift | 4 to 6 h | General | 1 to 3 nights | 21 days | €6,000 to €15,000 |
| Brazilian butt lift (BBL) | 2 to 3 h | General | Day surgery or 1 night | 5 to 10 days | €4,000 to €10,000 |
| Arm lift | 2 h | General | Day surgery or 1 night | 15 to 21 days | €3,500 to €7,500 |
| Thigh lift | 3 h | General | 1 to 2 nights | 15 to 21 days | €4,000 to €8,000 |
| Calf implants | 1 h | General or spinal | Day surgery or 1 night | 15 days | €5,000 to €7,500 |
| Hyacorp injections | 30 to 45 min | Local and sedation | Day surgery | Back to work the next day | €4,000 to €10,000 |
Liposuction or cryolipolysis?
Liposuction permanently removes localised fat, in the operating theatre, through millimetre-sized incisions; time off work is 7 days and the final result can be judged between 3 and 6 months. Cryolipolysis destroys fat with cold, with no anaesthesia and no social downtime, in sessions of 1 to 2 hours (€500 per area); the result can be judged at 3 months. Neither is a weight-loss method. See cryolipolysis.
After major weight loss
After a diet or obesity surgery (bypass, sleeve, gastric band), the skin does not always shrink back. Surgery is planned once your weight has been stable for at least 6 months. See the article on plastic surgery after bariatric surgery.
- body lift: abdomen, hips, thighs and buttocks in one operation; may be covered after a request for prior approval;
- arm lift and thigh lift: may be covered after a request for prior approval, if the Assurance Maladie criteria are met;
- abdominoplasty: French national health insurance (Assurance Maladie) may cover part of the procedure when the abdominal apron (overhanging skin) covers at least part of the pubis.
Can several procedures be combined?
Yes, often in the same operation:
- abdominoplasty and liposuction of the flanks;
- arm or thigh lift and liposuction;
- Brazilian butt lift: the fat is harvested by liposuction at the same time, from areas where it is in excess;
- liposuction and breast fat transfer (lipofilling): the fat removed increases breast volume.
How does body surgery work?
- ConsultationAt the practice, 101 rue d’Antibes, Cannes (€100): examination of the skin, fat and muscles, choice of procedure.
- Quote and cooling-off periodAt least 15 days between receiving the quote and the procedure.
- Anaesthetic consultationWith an anaesthetist (anaesthesia and intensive care specialist) at the Clinique Oxford, valid for 1 month.
- ProcedureAt the Clinique Oxford in Cannes, as day surgery or with 1 to 3 nights’ stay depending on the procedure.
- Follow-upDr Médard de Chardon sees you again at the practice; follow-up consultations are free of charge.
Before and after photos
Lipoabdominoplasty
Lipoabdominoplasty with muscle repair and 5-litre circumferential liposuction
Abdominoplasty
Body lift after bypass
Circumferential abdominal dermolipectomy, performed as a body lift after major weight loss following a gastric bypass
Buttock reshaping
Liposuction of the hips and buttock fat transfer
Damaged abdomen after pregnancy
Abdominoplasty and liposuction of the flanks. Result at 1 year
Leg liposuction
Liposuction from the knees down to the ankles
See all the body before and after photos
Frequently asked questions
How much does body surgery cost?
€2,500 to €15,000 depending on the procedure (see the comparison table). The price is set on a written quote after the consultation, which is charged at €100.
Is body surgery reimbursed?
Liposuction, Brazilian butt lift and Hyacorp are not reimbursed. The body lift and arm and thigh lifts may be covered after a request for prior approval; abdominoplasty partly, when the abdominal apron covers the pubis.
Does liposuction make you lose weight?
No. It permanently removes localised fat deposits, but it is not a weight-loss method.
How much time off work should I plan after body surgery?
Back to work the next day after Hyacorp injections, 5 to 10 days after a Brazilian butt lift, 7 days after liposuction, 15 to 21 days after an abdominoplasty or an arm or thigh lift, 21 days after a body lift.
How long should I wait after obesity surgery before body surgery?
Your weight must have been stable for at least 6 months before a body lift or abdominoplasty.
Does fat injected into the buttocks last?
50 to 70% of the injected fat takes; the result is final at 3 months.
Where are the scars after body surgery?
Millimetre-sized for liposuction; around the waist, hidden by swimwear, for a body lift; from the armpit to the elbow for an arm lift; in the groin crease and on the inner thigh for a thigh lift.
Where do the consultation and the procedure for body surgery take place?
Consultations take place at the practice, 101 rue d’Antibes, Cannes, Monday to Friday. Procedures are carried out at the Clinique Oxford in Cannes.