Liposuction or Mini Tummy Tuck for sagging upper abdomen?

My wife is scheduled for breast augmentation within the next few months. she also has some left over skin from giving birth to my three lovely children. We can not afford to do all procedures right now, but we can afford to add Liposuction during the breast augmentation for her upper abdomen. My fear is this would add to her discomfort with her excess skin sagging in her lower abdomen. Would it be better for her to have the upper area done or wait until she can have a mini Tummy Tuck?

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12 answers to “Liposuction or Mini Tummy Tuck for...”

A: Don't undergo a band-aid procedure

By Michael C. Edwards, MD - Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

The mini-tummy tuck will do nothing to help with excess skin in the upper abdomen. It sounds as though your wife would benefit from a full abdominoplasty so the best course for you would be to have the breast augmentation now, make sure to continue on a common sense diet and exercise plan once... more

A: Thanks for the clarification

By Kenneth R. Francis, MD - Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Tony, Your clarification provided some valuable information. It sounds as though your wife could undergo the liposuction of the upper abdomen with the breast augmentation, then do the tummy tuck later. This will also give you the option of extending the tummy tuck higher to address the upper... more

A: Not a Mini!

By Scott E. Kasden, MD - Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Congratulations on your family! Now, to the business at hand. A "mini" tummy tuck (mtt) only really addresses the skin/fat/weak muscles between the navel and pubic bone, and therefore would not address the upper abdomen at all. The liposuction may be a good idea if the skin has enough... more

A: You should wait for a full tummy tuck

By Sam Speron, MD - Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Hi Tony, Thank you for your question. Liposuction only removes fat which could cause more sagging in the area. It does nothing much for loose skin. A mini tummy tuck only addresses the area below the belly button which from what you have described, would not really help her upper abdomen. What would most... more

A: Look at anatomy...

By Robin T.W. Yuan, MD - Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

If her main problem is excess fat, liposuction might be the solution. If it is loose or excessive skin, then skin reduction or tightening is required. Don't have liposuction if the problem is the skin. if the problem is too much fat, then skin reduction may not be the ideal solution. You can... more

A: SlimLipo can tighten upper abdominal skin

By Brooke R. Seckel, MD - Boston Plastic Surgeon

Standard liposuction will leave loose skin as the other doctors have said. I have had very good luck with a new laser assisted liposuction device that uses a combination 924/975 laser wavelength called Slim Lipo to remove fat and tighten upper abdominal skin (see before and after below). I used this in... more

A: Neither - what she needs is a full tummy tuck

By Richard P. Rand, MD - Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Neither liposuction nor a mini tummy tuck will address the upper abdomen. In fact they will make it worse. What she needs is a full tummy tuck when the time and finances are right.

A: Mini- Tummy Tuck vs. Liposuction

By Armando Soto, MD - Orlando Plastic Surgeon

Hi there- Based on your description of the current findings and the desired goal, I do not think that your wife is going to be satisfied with either liposuction or a mini tummy tuck... Mini tummy tucks produce no improvement above the belly button (and in my opinion, actually make this area look worse), and... more

A: Liposuction of an abdomen with loose skin will only make the loose skin looser

By Carl W. "Rick" Lentz III, MD - Daytona Beach Plastic Surgeon

I would encourage you to have your wife wait until you all can afford to have the right operation that will correct her abdominal problem. Only a full abdominalplasty will correct the loose skin of the upper abdomen. I like to do liposuction of the abdomen at the same time as the abdominalplasty and... more

A: Neither liposuction nor mini tummy tuck will correct sagging upper abdomen.

By George J. Beraka, MD - Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Hi! If I understand you correctly, neither is a good option. Liposuction removes excess fat when the skin is reasonably tight. Mini abdominoplasty only corrects problems below the belly button, and is not often indicated. The sagging upper abdomen is not corrected and can be made worse. In NYC, we... more

More answers to Liposuction or Mini Tummy Tuck for sagging upper abdomen?
Orange County - Abdominoplasty later on
Santa Barbara - Sagging upper abdomen

Comments

Tonyinutah
3 posts
20 May 2009

Thanks for the input. allow me to clarify. My wife skin is only sagging down by the pubic area. Her upper area has some unwanted fat and I was curious if we should lipo that upper area during the breast augmentation or wait and do all the lipo when we can afford the tummy tuck? I was worried if we did the upper lypo then she may have more skin sagging towards the bottum and be more uncomfortable.