Can Lipo of Arms and Thighs be Done at the Same Time as a Tummy Tuck?

Hi, Hanzosmom.  Good question.  Combination procedures such as liposuction of arms/thighs and tummy tuck can be safely and are routinely performed together in a single surgery.  For me, the limiting factor to protect patient safety in combination procedures is your general health and ability to handle a large surgery, the total amount of anesthesia time, and the amount of planned liposuction.  Assuming you are healthy, surgery will be under 6 hours, and total volume removed in liposuction is less than 4 liters, this should be safe to perform.  The benefit of combining the procedures is that it will be cheaper since you are paying for less time in the operating room, and your recovery is coincident for both procedures.  In any patient undergoing this amount of surgery, the most important thing you can do to help yourself is to walk early and often after surgery.  This will keep the blood from pooling in your legs and causing a vein clot.  If you are going to split the surgeries, I would recommend doing the tummy tuck first since this will result in the biggest change, and the surgeon can then match your arms, legs, hips, thighs to your new tummy and create a better and more natural appearing body shape.

Liposuction of the arms and thighs can be performed at the same time as the tummy tuck in a healthy patient. Find a board certified plastic surgeon who performs hundreds of tummy
tucks and body contouring procedures each year. Then look at the
plastic surgeon's
website before and after photo galleries to get a sense of who can
deliver the results. Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Yes it would be ideal to add the liposuction of the arms and thighs to your tummy tuck procedure. Although the liposuction will add time to the procedure it will not exceed 6 hours, so it is completely safe. Also a benefit of doing this will allow you to heal at one time instead of having two separate healing times. Best of luck.