Liposuction Q&A

71%

WORTH IT RATING

493 Reviews

Ask a Question

View Before and Afters

Average Liposuction Cost: $5,150

Learn about Liposuction

2,765 people and 781 doctors are talking about Liposuction

Get Free Email Updates

Is my Skin Elastic Enough for Liposuction?

asked 2 years ago by acgray
Latest answer by Clayton L. Moliver, MD
Question viewed 1,204 times
Tags: age 18-24, abdomen, elasticity

I am 21 years old and recently lost 40 lbs through jogging. I like my size but have some unattractive excess belly fat. I do not appear to have excess skin but do have a few stretch marks which raises concerns about my skin quality. If I've lost 40 lbs and do not appear to have excess hanging skin, should I automatically assume I won't have a problem with skin laxity post-lipo? Also, my breasts have unattractively gone down two cup sizes since jogging; would those fat cells possibly grow after abdominal cells are removed?

15 answers to Is my Skin Elastic Enough for Liposuction?

21 yr olds usually do great with liposuction since skin elasticity is in their favor

From your photo, you should have a very good result with liposuction alone and if done under local tumescent technique with the micro canulas it should run on special about $5000-6000.

David Hansen, MD
Beverly Hills Dermatologic Surgeon

www.DrDavidHansen.com

Lipo post weight loss

Good job! Yes, an exam by a board certified plastic surgeon is best. Probably what is even better is a little more patience. You've been diligent and lost the weight. But you said "recently." Let your body adjust some more. Keep up your vigorous routine and transform it into a lifestyle - diet, excercise, spirit. You may just find that after a year your abds look just fine. Consider what some weight training might add to what you have already accomplished. Why add... more

Clayton L. Moliver, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon

Abdominal skin may retract after liposuction, but gaining weight does not make droopy breasts perky again

Firstly, congrats on your weight loss! I cannot tell from your photo how much fat you have left or what the quality of your skin is. Whether your skin will tighten after liposuction is better determined with an in person examination with a board certified plastic surgeon who has experience and training in both liposuction and tummy tuck techniques. A surgeon who can do both is best suited to evaluate which procedure is better for you. A non plastic surgeon offering liposuction cannot or... more

Elizabeth Lee, MD
Bay Area Plastic Surgeon

Skin Elasticity and Liposuction

From the picture it is hard to tell about your skin elasticity. This can really only be determined with a physical examination in the office. However, if your skin is only moderately loose and you have excess fat, then liposuction may be a good option. If you have loose skin, then it is probably best to have a tummy tuck at the same time as your liposuction of your flanks. Good luck.

David Shafer, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

www.ShaferPlasticSurgery.com

Skin elasticity and Liposuction results

Yes, you should assume that, since you have no excess skin after your weight loss, you should do very well with liposuction for the few localized fatty areas left. Unfortunately, nothing will happen to your breasts. They may need to be evaluated for an augmentation or mastopexy (lift) or both. Congratulations, by the way, on your weight loss.

Robert T. Buchanan, MD
Highlands Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction and skin laxity

Today liposuction can be used to recontour the body from head to toe, including the abdomen, hips, thighs, arms, buttocks, breasts, neck, jowls, back, calves ankles, and knees. New technology that's gentler and faster than ever before not only allows the removal of large amounts of fat, but also resculpts the body. Smart Lipo is a form of liposuction that uses laser light to liquefy fat and tighten the surrounding skin. It involves less downtime and side-effects than traditional... more

Michelle Copeland, MD, DMD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Keep up the good work

Congratulatiopns on your successful weight loss. Looking at your picture, it appears to me that you are agood candidate for liposuction, in patients like you I suggest a procedure which will promote skin thighthening at the same time, it is my opinion that Smartlipo MPX will provide the best result an it is possible to be performed with oral sedation and tumescent anesthesia only. Good luck

Victor Manuel Perez, MD
Kansas City Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction and skin stretching back

patients of your age group typically find that the skin redrapes well after liposuction. Stretchmarks won't change. Other areas might gain more fat after liposuction if the amount of calories taken in during the day doesn't change compared to the amount before liposuction, and yes it is possible that one or the only area in which this may happen is your breasts, but it is unpredictable.

Ronald Shelton, MD
Manhattan Dermatologist

Elasticity of skin and liposuction

It is difficult to say with strong conviction that your skin has good elastic properties without examining you in person. A 21 year old usually does have good elastic skin.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Skin is elastic enough for liposuction most of the time.

Hi. Of course, I haven't examined you, but your skin is almost certainly elastic enough for liposuction. You can avoid long scars, and liposuction itself with good technique (superficial tunnelling ) can tighten the skin. As to your other question, your breasts will not grow, unfortunately.

George J. Beraka, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Skin Elasticity and Liposuction

Excellent question. Liposuction will sculpt and remove the fat under the skin. The way the skin will re-drape afterward on the new framework would depend on the skin's elasticity among other factors. The more skin, the worse the elasticity (as suggested by age, ethnicity, stretch marks, UV exposure etc) the less skin resiliency and more of a chance for hanging skin. It is impossible to asses skin elasticity without a direct examination but from the picture provided I think liposuction and... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Skin elastic enough for liposuction

I agree with the previous posters in general terms. But I would recommend Smart Lipo MPX + Liposuction to give you the better results. From MIAMI Dr. B

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

You should do great with liposuction

Looking at your photos is not quite the same as an in person examination. However, you should do great with a liposuction. Do not let anyone talk you into a tummy tuck. This places a horrible scar across the abdomen. Trust me it does not hide when you are not wearing clothing. Liposuction is your best bet. The fact that you have lost so much weight and don't have hanging skin means that you are likely to do just fine with liposuction. Regarding the breasts, you may benefit from a... more

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD
Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon

Skin elasticity for great liposuction results

You are very wise to be concerned about your skin elasticity as no liposuction techniques can give a great result with less than good skin elasticity. Weight loss and pregnancy and age and genetics are the most important determinants of skin elasticity. While there is no perfect test of the skin, stretch marks and rolls and folds are bad signs. Also if you shake the skin back and forth with your hand and it jiggles for a few seconds, this is also not a good sign. If it stops almost... more

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Liposuction versus tummy tuck

Determining if your skin will contract following liposuction is extremely difficult. Standing up and bending at the waist, examine your abdomen and perform a skin pinch. Does the skin snap back or just hang there? See a surgeon who can conduct an examination and help you determine if you will get a better result with a tummy tuck.