Liposuction Q&A

71%

WORTH IT RATING

493 Reviews

Ask a Question

View Before and Afters

Average Liposuction Cost: $5,150

Learn about Liposuction

2,766 people and 781 doctors are talking about Liposuction

Get Free Email Updates

How Can I Get Rid of Saddlebags? (photo)

asked 6 months ago by LizA312 in Milwaukee, WI
Latest answer by Julio Garcia, MD
Question viewed 504 times
Tags: saddle bags, candidate, options

I'm 5'7" and about 120 pounds, and have a body fat percentage that ranges from 18-19%. I eat very healthy and try to work out. It seems though that no matter what I do, I cannot get rid of these little saddlebags, and it drives me nuts. I was in a dressing room today and could really see it because I was wearing skinny jeans and had a perfect view of my behind. That's when it really hit me how much I hate my butt!! Given my body size, am I still a good candidate for lipo to get rid of this?

23 answers to How Can I Get Rid of Saddlebags? (photo)

How Can I Get Rid of Saddlebags

I think with the information you have given, that liposuction would be a good option for correcting your localized fat deposits.

Julio Garcia, MD
Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

lvcosmeticsurgery.com

How to get rid of saddlebags?

Dear Liz, Thank you for your question and photograph. Based on the information that you have given us I think that you would be the perfect candidate for liposuction. Your BMI is 18.8 which puts you in the "normal" range so you are fine as far as nutrition and exercise are concerned and as you have discovered no amount of exercise will reduce these "little saddlebags". This is one of the most effectively treated areas for liposuction and I would... more

Donald M. Brown, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

www.drdonaldbrown.com

Liposuction for saddle bags

Yes, liposuction is ideally suited for healthy, fit individuals who have problems areas such as lateral thigh fat, aka saddle bags. Provided you have healthy skin with excellent capacity to "snap back" you may be a very good candidate for liposuction. See a board certified plastic surgeon in your area for an evaluation. Best of luck.

J. Jason Wendel, MD
Nashville Plastic Surgeon

Question of Liposuction or Thigh Lift

Liposuction is usually the best way to decrease the lateral though fat or "saddlebags". If the skin is also loose, then you may need the lateral thigh lift also.

Robert N. Young, MD
San Antonio Plastic Surgeon

Candidates for liposuction

Patients that are at their ideal body weight, but have isolated areas of fat, are the best candidates for liposuction! Liposuction is not a surgery for weight reduction, it is a body contouring procedure. Best results are achieved by patients who are close to their ideal body weight but have exercise/diet-resistant areas such as yourself.

George John Alexander, MD
Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

Options for Saddlebags

Although there’s no substitute for good diet and exercise, sometimes there’s only so much we can do to reverse nature’s cruelties. That’s where science comes in. No, reshaping your body isn’t as easy as going to the beauty parlor. Surgery is never 100% risk free and the healing process requires patience and determination. Liposuction works best on patients who are of relatively average weight, but who need help with a problem area, or with shedding... more

Michelle Copeland, MD, DMD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Saddle bags

Often saddle bags can be treated by liposuction alone. If you have loose skin you m ay be better off with some kind of surgical excision. An exam would be essential.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction and saddlebags

Liposuction is the way to go. If indicated, I would also consider treating the lovehandles/flanks as well as the saddlebags since these two areas define the buttocks as a cosmetic unit from below as well as above.

Richard D. Nadal, MD
San Juan Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction and the treatment of saddlebags

From your photos it is difficult to say whether or not you would benefit from liposuction of the saddlebag area. However, you appear to be in good shape and are not over weight and if you have isolated pockets of fat in the saddlebag area you may benefit from a small liposuction in this area. Check with a board certified plastic surgeon in your area who regularly, performs liposuction. Best wishes.

Vincent D. Lepore, MD
San Jose Plastic Surgeon

Saddlebag treatment

Lipo is the best way to go! It's most optimal for otherwise fit patients who have localized fatty areas. You would need to be examined by a plastic surgeon to assure your tissues will respond well to liposuction.

Michele A. Shermak, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

www.drshermak.com

Saddlebag

Liposuction is a great procedure that addresses the concern of fullness in the saddlebag region. If liposuction is performed in combination with the Smart Lipo laser, a better overall contour of this area can be achieved, with greater skin tightening.

Bill Kortesis, MD
Charlotte Plastic Surgeon

www.hunstadcenter.com

Is liposuction effective for saddlebags?

In general liposuction works very well for getting rid of saddlebags. There are some situations where it might not. For example, people who have lost a lot of weight have poor elasticity in their skin, and may need to have the area surgically removed. The same is true for the elderly (difficult to define "elderly," but my guess is that you are not in that category). There are medical conditions, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which is a genetic disorder affecting collagen,... more

Paul W. Loewenstein, MD
Milwaukee Plastic Surgeon

How can I get rid of saddlebags?

Liposuction is an excellent procedure to correct the saddlebag deformity. I recommend SmartLipo in this area in order to achieve more skin contracture and an improved buttock contour. SmartLipo introduces a CO2 laser in the area which decreases the amount of bruising, enhances the amount of fat removal, and improves the amount of skin contracture.

Frank Agullo, MD
El Paso Plastic Surgeon

www.elpasoplasticsurgery.com

Liposuction of saddlebags

This is one of the most common areas that we treat with liposuction. The saddlebag region is usually very amenable to this form of treatment because the skin is thicker and most often has good elasticity. There are different methods of liposuction available that work equally well in this area and is not as important as the person performing the procedure. It's a relatively short procedure taking less than an hour to perform and most people can go back to work in 3 to 4... more

Robert M. Jensen, MD
Medford Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction for very small areas resistant to diet or exercise

Hi, it appears that you have a VERY small amount of fat in that area. That being said, let me caution you on what could happen. Standard tumescent liposuction may result in over correction. Laser or Smart lipo may require multliple treatments. It is imperative that you consult with a Board Certified Plastic surgeon and you are clear of your expectations. Best wishes, Dr. H

Gary M. Horndeski, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction for saddlebags

Liposuction works very well for body shaping or sculpting inherited body shapes. Your genitic shape may trump a low body fat and good fitness. Though it is impossible to tell from your photo, liposuction can produce very good results with localized specific fat deposits. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd.com

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Get Rid of Saddlebags.

It is difficult to tell from your photo with your jeans on, but you do appear to have a modest saddlebag. Overall you look fairly slender so this would be noticeable. In many respects, this makes you an excellent candidate for liposuction of this area. I find that Laser Liposuction or SmartLipo works very well in this area where you don't need a big volume change, and want to maximize the quality of skin retraction.

Braden Stridde, MD
Federal Way Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction of Saddlebags?

Thank you for the question. Based on your description, you may be an excellent candidate for liposuction of the lateral thigh areas. Generally, good candidates for the this procedure present with diet and exercise resistant adipose tissue of the area with good quality skin elasticity overlying the area. These patients are not overweight. It would be in your best interests to be examined by a well experienced board-certified plastic surgeon. Best wishes.

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Saddlebag treatment with liposuction

IF you indeed have saddlebags that are noticeable, then liposuction would be the choice to treat these. You should see a board certified plastic surgeon who can assess your situation and then discuss all the relevant issues with you in great detail.

Steven Turkeltaub, MD
Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon

www.turkeltaub.com

Improving Saddlebags with Liposuction

Liposuction is best suited for patients who are in good shape with small areas of persistent fat that cannot be improved with diet and exercise. From your explanation, it appears that you would be a good candidate for this, however, without better photographs or an exam one cannot tell definitively. It is possible that certain clothes make this appear worse, but a final decision can only be after an in-person exam. If you have "excess" or loose skin in addition to the fat then it... more

Vincent P. Marin, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction

Liposuction is a useful technique to remove isolated areas of fat in select patients. I cannot see from your photo with jeans if you are a candidate for the procedure.

Jay M. Pensler, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction is Very Effective for the Treatment of Saddlebags in Fit Individuals

Yes you are a candidate for liposuction, and you would be very happy with the results. There are many people who are fit and take care of themselves yet have an area of extra fat that continues to bother them. Your story is not unlike many others who have a problem area that just won’t go away. Sometimes these are familial fat deposits, and dieting and exercise just won’t help. Liposuction works great for these areas; it improves the shape and contour, eliminates that nagging... more

Kenneth Dembny, II, MD
Milwaukee Plastic Surgeon

www.mycpss.com

Liposuction

Based on The picture posted one can not make a judgement. You need to consult a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon (American Board Of Plastic Surgery) for a personal consult. Computer imaging will help. Then a discussion of what needs to be done to achieve the final results.