Is the Lower Back Consider the Flank Area?

I had TT, BA, and lipo of the flanks. I was under the impression that my lower back was part of the flank area. When my PS drew the lines to where he was going to lipo, it went all the way toward my lower back. Its been 10 mos in and I still have the love handle effect on my lower back. I did asked my PS and he said that it is two different areas. Can someone please tell me where the flank area ends and the lower back begins.

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flanks love handles 10 months post-op

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5 Doctor Answers | Asked by 5kim75

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Liposuction of the Flank Areas May Leave Residual Love Handle Fat

Liposuction of the flank area may mean different things to different plastic surgeons. Flank fat has no standardized meaning in the plastic surgery community. If you chose a board-certified plastic surgeon, then I'm sure he or she, in good faith, removed that area that they believed to be covered by the term "flank fat". I wrote an article in Aesthetic Surgery (Aesthetic Surgery Journal March 20, 1995 , 15: 1: 2, doi:10.1016/S1090-820X(05)80016-0). This article may... more

Mommy Makeover with Flank Liposuction

When we perform a mommy makeover, we use patient photographs at the consultation to show any 'flank' area needing liposuction. Since the patient lies on her back for the surgery, the posterior back fullness is not addressed at the time of her breast and tummy surgeries. We always mark the areas to be liposuctioned, with the patient standing and unmedicated, just before her surgery. This is done to confirm that the patient sees the borders of her 'flank' fullness being treated at... more

Definition of lower back and flank areas

It is difficult without pictures or examination to tell exactly what you mean by lower back, is it lower back roll or excess skin a fat adjacent to midline. The flanks usually refer to waist area and stops before the back midline. Having the love handle on lower back may mean you required extended tummy tuck or lower body lift. You need to talk to your plastic surgeon about your concerns.

"Flank” Area Definition?

Thank you for the question. Unfortunately, the definition of the “flank” area may differ from one surgeon to another. I use the term flank to describe the area on a patient's side ( otherwise known as "love handle" or "muffin top”). If you feel that there has been a miscommunication between yourself and your plastic surgeon, it would be best to address this in a calm and nonaccusatory fashion with him. Best wishes.

What is the flank?

Thank you for your question. It's a challenging question because each plastic surgeon may have a slightly different definition. In my own practice I frequently perform flank liposuction with my tummy tucks as part of the procedure. For appropriate candidates with good skin tone I think it just makes the tummy tuck look better. I call this frontal flank liposuction and it basically involve suctioning of the sides of the abdomen as far back as I can with a patient... more