Liposuction to Lose Inches After C-section?

Question

Hi, I am 25 years old with two young kids. I want to have liposuction done on my lower stomach to get rid of the fatty tissue. The extra skin doesn't matter. I just want to fit in my pants right and build confidence. I am concerned to have a tummy tuck because I had a painful recovery from a c-section last year. What do you think?

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD · Answer

Dear Lynnamo
A funny thing happens to many women who have a c-section. They end up with this ugly lump of fat sitting above their c-section scar. Consulting the plastic surgeon, they may have been told that the only way to fix this is a tummy tuck but this is not the case.
What has happened is that during the C-section, the obstetrician pushes up the abdominal fat to smooth and thin out the area of the tummy where the c-section is going to be made. This pushes this fat above the incision. When the incision is sutured closed, the fat is essentially trapped above the scarring making for that ugly mommy pouch. Sure, a tummy tuck will address this, but it is a very big gun for a small issue. 
There are good reasons for a tummy tuck. These relate to very poor stretched out skin and weakness in the walls of the abdomen. When these issues are not present, liposuction can flatten the mommy pouch without the disability of a tummy tuck.
These are performed under local anesthesia, so you are awake and very comfortable. This minimizes the drugs. Microcannuals are used which minimizes trauma. Most are able to return to their work out in 2 days. A personal consultation is needed to determine if this procedure is right for you.

Emmanuel Mallol Cotes, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. It is hard to provided with a valid medical opinion without photos.  I would suggest to be treated by board certificated plastic surgeon with experience in this procedure, to get the best desired results.
Kind Regards,Dr. Emmanuel Mallol Cotes.-

Jed H. Horowitz, MD, FACS · Answer

First we must determine if you are an ideal #candidate for any surgical procedure. If so, you may benefit from a #drainless tummy tuck. Silicone #drainage tubes are used by trained Plastic Surgeons for many different operations.  The purpose is to drain extra fluid that may otherwise accumulate under the skin, fat or muscle following an operation.  Patients generally find this annoying and uncomfortable and they can impede mobility and therefore slow aspects of #healing. Over the years, surgeons have improved procedures and found ways to eliminate the need for these #drains in a variety of operations; including #tummy #tuck or #abdominoplasty.
I have found that most of my patients do very well with the exception of those have large areas of liposuction or lipo-abdominoplasty.  I may use drains on a case by case basis for these patients. A newer option now can include the use of tissue #glue to adhere the abdominal #skin to the #muscle; eliminating any space that previously required a drain.Another option is #vaser #liposuction, either with a tummy tuck, or without. Vaser liposuction, also known as Vaser #lipo, LipoSelection or Liposuction, is an advanced body #contouring procedure that selectively removes unwanted body fat. An alternative to the harsh techniques of traditional liposuction, #Vaser lipo uses state-of-the-art ultrasound technology designed to gently #reshape your body and, yes, it can be done on the #midsection. There are three types of #Vaser Lipo. Each benefit patients differently depending on their needs. 
Begin with an in-person, one-on-one consultation to determine if you are an ideal #candidate and which technique is best for you. Most importantly, your procedures should be performed by a #Plastic Surgeon who is board-certified and has a great deal of experience specializing in cosmetic #surgery. You will then greatly improve your chances of getting the result you desire, and, without the need for a revision surgery.

Joshua D. Zuckerman, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question.  A high quality liposuction result is very much dependent upon the elasticity of your skin, which determines its ability to retain shape after the underlying fat is removed. Very often, after pregnancy, the abdominal skin (and supporting tissues) becomes quite stretched out, losing this elasticity.  For this reason, liposuction alone is often not the best option for obtaining a beautiful shape, as loose or sagging skin may result.  A well-performed tummy tuck solves this problem, and enables the creation of an elegant, hourglass figure and flat abdomen.  An experience, board-certified plastic surgeon can successfully manage post-op discomfort, enabling a relatively easy recovery.  Most of my patients are back to their normal routine within a week or two of surgery.

Ercan Karacaoglu, MD, FEBOPRAS · Answer

What happens to the excess skin after liposuction? You should be ready to get it hung. The extent depends on the elasticity of the skin, amount of skin excess and whether there are already stretch marks. The skin  may shrink down to the new size after liposuction, but in general, skin with stretch marks has already lost it’s ability to shrink. Similarly, the bigger was your size  before liposuction, the less is the ability of the skin to shrink. Only after examination can the doctor predict if this skin will shrink or not. So what happens to excess skin if it does not shrink? As we said before the excess  skin will hang and this can spoil the  final result of your  liposuction.That's why the majority of women who have completed their families consider abdominoplasty ot Tummy Tuck procedure. Soreness may last for several weeks or months also, but nevetheless, the patients who went through TT  are usually the most happy patients and think the result was worth  it.I wish you  the best of  luck!

Richard J. Bruneteau, MD · Answer

It’s
important for patients to have realistic expectations when they undergo
liposuction procedures. We know as
plastic surgeons that the best results occur when we properly analyze problems
and apply the appropriate therapeutic option.In other words, we don’t want to become the guy who’s got a hammer, so the
whole world becomes a nail.In
this case, your physical examination indicates that you have a significant
amount of loose abdominal skin.Under
these circumstances, the best surgical option is probably abdominoplasty.However, you’re willing to make compromises
to avoid a more aggressive surgical procedure.You’re not worried about how you look with your clothes off, you’re more
worried about how your clothes fit and you want your clothes to fit
better.Under these circumstances Liposuction
of the abdomen seems like a reasonable option.Unfortunately,
many patients in this situation are ultimately unhappy with their surgical
result.They frequently are bothered by
their excess skin and tell you that they had no idea that it would look this
bad.When this
situation arises a tummy tuck may still be necessary.For this reason it’s extremely important that
patients understand the consequences of their compromise position.It’s important that the surgeon and patient
thoroughly discuss these issues before proceeding with surgery.

Jerome Edelstein, MD · Answer

Liposuction may not be enough because while you may lose some inches from eliminating fat, the loose skin will become more apparent. This could still prevent you from wearing the clothes you want, as you'll still get bulging and "muffin top". A tummy tuck would probably be better for you. Please see an experienced board certified plastic surgeon for a physical examination to determine which treatment would be most suitable. Good luck.

William Bruno, MD · Answer

Before considering a tummy tuck vs. liposuction of the lower abdomen, you need to decide if you will be having any further children.  If you are planning to have more children in the future, I would suggest holding off on a tummy tuck for now.  If your skin is loose and has stretch marks, liposuction can only improve your shape, but the texture of the skin will be more loose and irregular. 
The recovery from a tummy tuck is typically not as painful as that of a C-section. This is because a tummy tuck does not involved any cutting of muscle, just tightening of muscle.  Although the pain may be similar, generally speaking, most patients recover sooner from a tummy tuck, as it is less invasive than a C-section.
Please consult with a board certified plastic surgeon to determine what the best procedure is for your particular anatomy.
Best wishes,
Dr. Bruno

David Shafer, MD, FACS · Answer

The question of tummy tuck versus liposuction really depends on your anatomy. If you have loose abdominal muscles and loose skin, then you really need an abdominoplasty to repair your diastasis (separation of your abdominal muscles) and remove the extra skin. If you have tight abdominal muscles, but overlying fat and good quality skin, then liposuction might work well for you. There is no magic wand - if you need an abdominoplasty, you need an abdominoplasty.

David Hansen, MD · Answer

Liposuction should be just fine for what you are requesting. It is easy to go through under local anesthesia, much safer and has a quick recovery time without all the pain and downtime of a tummy tuck. Cost for the abdomen will run about $4500-5000 and is so worth it.

Richard Baxter, MD · Answer

Liposuction will certainly remove localized fat but usually will not tighten skin after pregnancy and caesarian section. Although you state that you are not concerned about this, I sense that it is the painful recovery that is really holding you back. With a c-section, they open the abdomen between the muscles and open the uterus, which is considerably more invasive that a tummy tuck. If abdominoplasties were as painful as c-sections then I don't think anyone would do it! Consider what will be best in the long term.
Some info about tummy tucks here: http://www.breastimplants411.com/dbii/Articles.asp?Article_ID=860.

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