Pros and Cons of Liposuction and Tummy Tuck at once

Jeffrey Horowitz, MD answers: Liposuction and Tummy Tuck at once?

I had two pregnancies and have excess skin and stretch marks. My doctor recommends to have a Liposuction first and 6 months later, have the Tummy Tuck. He says that by doing the Liposuction first, the skin will have enough time to shrink back, so when I'm ready to get the Tummy tuck the cut will not be as wide as if I where to do the Liposuction and Tummy Tuck at the same time. Is this statement valid? Is it a good idea or would you recommend to get the two procedures done at the same time?

1 month ago

By Jeffrey Horowitz, MD - Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

Without having the beneift of pictures, by staging your procedures you are likely to get the maximal result with maximal safety. The downside is that you will have to go through two separate procedures with the associated costs and downtime.

I don't believe that minimizing scar length should be the motivating factor here. I my experience, very few patients are good candidates for a "mini" tummy tuck and often excess skin or "dog ears" are created when the surgeon tries to limit the length of the incision.

I routinely combine liposuction and tummy tucks. I have had good results liposuctioning the upper abdomen and sides, but the risk of skin loss precludes liposuction below the level of the umbilicus. If you need extensive liposuctioning, it may be best to stage the procedures.

Be sure to discuss the pros and cons of the one- and two-stage approaches with your surgeon to find which is right for you.

Good Luck!

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Jeffrey Horowitz, MD answers: Liposuction and Tummy Tuck at once?

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