Smaller Waistline Through Liposuction?

I discourage patients from getting breast implants just to have their waist look smaller. Large breast implants can sometimes have the opposite effect of making people look heavier! In young mothers who notice they have lost their waist, they are quick to blame baby fat for the problem. Often, though, the problem is both a little bit of fat but also the deep tissue (fascia) that has ripped, making the waist wide. Also, the stretched skin can pool around the waist, hiding the thin waist... more

Thank you for your great question? It is all about you and your proportions. Breast augmentation will improve your figure by enhancing the breasts and may give the illusion that your waist appears smaller. The best results are achieved by a combination of breast augmentation and liposuction in order to improve the breast’s size and shape and to sculpt an improved waistline and torso. VASER® ultrasound assisted liposuction is my method of choice. I have found it very effective... more

To Shar, 1) Breast augmentation will not make your waist look smaller. 2) In many women, liposuction of the abdomen, waist, back, and flanks will indeed produce a smaller waist. But remember liposuction basically works by removing localized fat. If you have fat deposits (they can be small) in these areas, then you may be a good candidate.

Liposuction removes fat from whichever area the procedure is performed on. So if the procedure was done on your waist, it will be smaller. However, as you said there is not much there to begin with, you have to weigh the value of doing the procedure at all, in a case like yours. Talk it over with your surgeon for advice.

While it seems reasonable that breast implants may produce an overall imp[rovement in body shape by changing the proportions and perceptions of proportions of your torso, if "there is not much to remove" from your waist, I doubt if liposuction will dramatically change your figure to an 'hourglass" one but only a surgeon who can examine you in person can determine that.

Thank you for the question. The operation that is “best" for you will be based on your exact goals and physical examination. For example, “seeking a hourglass figure” may mean different things to different people; communication with your plastic surgeon in person is critical. If there is a failure to communicate exactly your goals are there is a high likelihood that you will be disappointed with the results of surgery. Some patients may achieve... more

Liposcution is a good procedure to remove excess fatty deposits from stubborn areas. However, if your are thin and do not have any significant fat to remove, then it is unlikley that the liposcution will narrow your waist. Remember that your waisltine is also determined by your underlying bony and muscular anatomy. Your pelvic bones determine for them ost part your natural waistline. Breast implants are good way to emphasize an hourglass figure in someone who is relatively narrow on top... more

If there is enough fat to remove to make the surgical risks worthwhile, and there is no medical or surgical reason for not doing it, then you would be a candidate. Usually, the surgeon needs to be able to pinch a minimum of a little less than an inch of fat between two fingers to consider a patient a candidate.

It is impossible to know the ideal procedure for you without an evaluation. For many women the waist can expand following pregnancies and a tummy tuck with an "internal corset" can provide a slimmer waist and an hourglass figure. The permanent sutures that are used to flatten and tighten the abdominal wall are typically placed in the midline. The rectus abdominis muscles, prior to pregnancy, are lined up immediately side-by-side. Expansion of the abdominal wall during... more

Shar, You can indeed trim your waistline with liposuction assuming that you have some element of excess fat. The procedure will work best if it is performed circumferentially, i.e. your hips, flanks, back and abdomen. See your board certified plastic surgeon for some advice and guidance. Good luck!