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Is A Tummy Tuck After Abdominal Lipo Sculpture Dangerous?

asked 9 months ago by fitnessgrrl
Latest answer by David Rapaport, MD
Question viewed 323 times
Tags: combination, risk

I'm considering a tummy tuck to tighten my skin (only 12% body fat). I had lipo sculpture performed 2008: abdomen, flanks, back. But the skin is still sagging on my belly since pregnancies 2002 / 2004. Surgeons are reluctant to perform a tuck due to previous lipo sculpture - the skin has been “separated” from the abdomen and back once already (blood access?) - Is this a valid concern or do they just not understand what Lipo sculpture really is? Any difference if I postpone?

15 answers to Is A Tummy Tuck After Abdominal Lipo Sculpture Dangerous?

Tummy tuck can be done 3 years after liposuction

There should be no risk to your abdominal skin's blood supply at this point since three years have passed since your liposuction procedure. If your skin is loose enough, then you may be a good candidate for a tummy tuck. A board certified plastic surgeon can examine you and easily determine if you are in fact a good candidate. Best wishes, Dr.Bruno

William Bruno, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.williambrunomd.com

TT after lipo is perfectly safe

Liposuction is a very safe procedure before abdominoplasty as long as you have waited for full healing. In fact this is my preferable method of treating mommy makeovers. There is an old well known procedure called the delay procedure to prepare the abdominal skin flap to be raised like in an abdominoplasty. Liposuctin can work similar to that delay procedure to enhance your circulation; not make it worse. Please go to a board certified surgeon and best of luck.

Daniel Yamini, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck after Liposculpture

The safety of a tummy tuck after liposuction really depends on how the liposuction was done and if and/or how the liposuction has affected the blood supply to the abdominal skin. If the superficial layer of fat was suctioned, you may have some blood supply problems which could result in fat necrosis and/or skin necrosis. Make sure you see a surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery if you go forward. A procedure done with minimal underming would be the... more

Lisa L. Sowder, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

www.sowdermd.com

Is A Tummy Tuck After Abdominal Lipo Sculpture Dangerous?

Performing a tummy tuck three years after having had lipo sculpture should not be a problem for you. The only potential problem would the amount of skin removed during the surgery. The previous liposuction causes a lot of scarring which could limit the amount of skin that would be removed . Having said that I have never had a problem with the amount of skin I was able to remove on someone who had previous liposuction. The most important point here is to sit... more

Donald M. Brown, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck after liposuction

I have performed a tummy tuck after liposuction on several occasions. You are at a very small risk of necrosis of some skin because you have had a previous liposuction. However the risk is very small and it should not deter you from having the procedure performed if your surgeon recommends it. I have never had a problem in a case such as yours.

Ronald J. Edelson, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Surgeon is reluctant

As far as doing a tummy tuck 3 years after liposuction, there should be no problem. Assuming that the Doctor is a board Certified Plastic Surgeon, there may be some other reason that he or she is reluctant to do the procedure on you.

Walter D. Gracia, MD
Arlington Plastic Surgeon

Abdominoplasty after Liposuction

There should be no increased at all for your tummy-tuck (Abdominoplasty). I'd agree that, if this is the advice you're getting, that you should check on the training of your surgeon.

Scott E. Newman, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck after liposuction

I do not think you are at increased risk for complications after tummy tuck surgery. The dissection during your procedure may or may not be more challenging because of scar tissue but this issue should not increase your risks of complications. I wonder about the judgment of your previous surgeon who performed the liposuction procedure on you after 2 pregnancies–it is a very rare patient who is a candidate for liposuction in your situation. Obviously, based on your... more

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.poustiplasticsurgery.com

No Problem

This should not be a problem. You should have a Ted Lockwood type tummy tuck to preserve as much blood flow as possible. see video

Miguel Delgado, Jr., MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

www.dr-delgado.com

Caution in doing abdominoplasty after previous liposculpture

In theory there should not be a problem in doing a tummy tuck after having had liposculpture (liposuction) a few years earlier, but there are some potential risks. The main one depends on how much scarring there is after the liposculpture, with more expected if laser was used. This can make it difficult to expand the skin enough without putting too much stress on it. That is why no one can make a definitive recommendation without personally seeing you and assessing the degree of scarring.... more

Richard Baxter, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck safe after liposuction?

I agree with the other surgeons who have stated that liposuction or a previous disruption of the blood vessels long ago actually may improve the blood supply to your skin via a "delay" or neovascularization phenomenon. There has been some concern that past mesotherapy injections or laser-assisted liposuction may actually compromise the blood supply due to vascular fibrosis (scarring) and coagulation of the blood vessel network. That theoretically could impact... more

Michelle Spring, MD
Marina Del Rey Plastic Surgeon

An Abdominoplasty would be an excellent choice for tightening of your skin this long after your

"lipo sculpture" procedure in 2008. A number of my patients would benefit from a combination of liposculpting for contouring, particularly in the upper abdoman, and Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck for correcting loose sagging skin and scarring. Although it might be risky to perform those two procedures together, waiting three months or longer is actually a very good strategy as it allows for a process known as neovascularization (or ingrowth of a new blood supply following... more

Michael H. Rosenberg, MD
White Plains Plastic Surgeon

plasticsurgeryweb.com

Is A Tummy Tuck After Abdominal Lipo Sculpture Dangerous?

Doing a Tummy Tuck 3 years after VASER Liposuction / Liposculpture / Lipo selection is perfectly safe. By that time, the blood supply to the skin has improved by in growth of blood vessels. I suspect the reason why your surgeon is reluctant to do it may be more technical than theoretical - Liposuction has resulted in scarring which makes the under the skin dissection just above the muscle somewhat harder. Good Luck. Peter A Aldea, MD

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

It would be in the patients best interest to wait at least 6 months

To answer your question, it would be in the patients best interest to wait at least 6 months before getting an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) after abdominal lipo scultpure. It is important to wait for the skin and tissue in that area to have enough time to heal properly before it is touched again. However, after waiting 6 months, it would be safe to perform an abdominoplasty.

David Rapaport, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

The wrong "surgeons" doing tummy tuck after Liposculpture are dangerous.

I am concerned that the doctors you may be seeing for this advice, and perhaps the one who did your "liposculpture" 3 years ago, may not be fully-trained and American Board of Plastic Surgery-certified plastic surgeons. Please understand that many doctors who claim board-certification may be certified by specialty boards that have nothing to do with plastic surgery, and a few by entirely "bogus boards." Read about this in my article on the About tab of my Profile page on... more