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Liposuction with Tummy Tuck - What Areas Need Lipo?

I have been told I need a tummy tuck to help stabilize my abs. They did not come back together like they were supposed to after my baby.

As part of this, the Drs. I spoke with want to do lipo to contour my waist (40 and now I will have a waist?) the only difference is one says she will do all around my waist front and back, another will do only my belly.

Now, I am not overweight but I do put on fat around my waist when I am heavy.

Should I pay more for the all around or just do the tummy - the difference is about $1500-$2000? What sort of differences would there be in results, recovery, etc.?

Asked 41 months ago by Nika in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

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Be careful with Liposuction and Tummy tuck performed together

Nika, While liposuction of the abdomen and tummy tuck can be performed together safely, the surgeon has to be very careful as to his or her technique and planning of the surgery so as not to damage the healing process. If a patient needs liposuction to their abdomen as well as a tummy tuck, I will usually recomend suction only along the hips and not in the central abdomen so as to preserve as much of the blood supply to the central abdominal skin and therefore promote healing. The other... more

Doctor's Website

Shahram Salemy, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Combining Tummy Tuck and liposuction

Be careful combining these two operations. There are doctors who will carefully will consider liposuction of the hips (below the scar line) at the time of liposuction. Be cautious of liposuction to the central or lateral area above the scar line. The issue here is that entire area has been lifted from a portion of its blood supply, the incision across your abdomen has removed another portion, if the liposuction affects the last remaining source of blood inflow and outflow you could have... more

Doctor's Website

Steven H. Williams, MD

San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Consult carefully with your surgeon

There is no standard formula for abdominal contouring. A tummy tuck is a generic term that does not describe a specific procedure. In simple terms, your surgeon needs to diagnose what components of your anatomy make you look the way you do: muscle, intra-abdominal fat, extra-abdominal fat, skin quality and quantity. You then need to communicate what end-result you are looking for and what will make you content. That is highly variable from one patient to another. Then you and your surgeon... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Liposuction of the flanks is a common adjunct to tummy tuck.

Liposuction of the flanks will often benefit the occasional tummy tuck patient that has unwanted fat in that area. It adds 30-45 minutes to the case and very little extra risk.

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Liposuction with a tummy tuck: A good combination

A tummy tuck is done to tighten the stretched muscles and fascia of the abdomen, ( ie, to reestablish the foundation of the abdomen) and then to smooth and tighten the skin of the abdomen over this new foundation. However, this only contours the front part of the body and many people have fullness in their waist and flanks. Liposuction is ideally suited to treat these areas at the same time as the tummy tuck, to narrow and contour the waist making it prettier, and... more

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD

Boston Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

I perform liposuction in almost all tummy tuck patients.

Liposuction is a great combination with tummy tucks - especially to decrease the fullness of the flanks. You really need to listen to what each surgeon is advising you and decide which approach makes the most sense to you.

Richard H. Fryer, MD

Salt Lake City Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Liposuction contouring of the waist

In my practice when I see a patient for a tummy tuck I assess entire trunk, abdomen, waist and love handle area. Only in this fashion can a truly youthful and beautiful result be achieved. The waist contour is usually achieved by sufficient tightening and correction of muscles during a tummy tuck. Nevertheless in almost every patient at least some lipo-sculpting is required in the wast and love handles area to achieve a beautiful contour. Furthermore, if done... more

Doctor's Website

Boris M. Ackerman, MD

Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Liposuction with Tummy Tuck

Almost all patients who undergo a tummy tuck also opt for liposuction, primarily around the flanks to achieve a more desirable contour. As mentioned in many of my other liposuction posts, it is important to remember that it is not a means of weight loss. Therefore the liposuction should be used to provide better contours rather than to remove large amounts of fat.

Tarick K. Smaili, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Tummy tuck and liposuction is an excellent combination

The combination of a tummy tuck with liposuction is an excellent choice. In our practice, we perform liposuction with every single tummy tuck. This is because liposuction allows us to perform a tummy tuck through a shorter incision but also lets us reach areas that we would not be able to access with a tummy tuck alone. When we perform a tummy tuck we commonly treat the front of the abdomen, the sides, the flanks, the hips and the waist. For your best results, be sure that you're... more

B. Pat Pazmino, MD

Miami Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Liposuction with tummy tucks

Some surgeons avoid extensive abdominal liposuction when doing a tummy tuck. The reasoning is that the additional trauma to the abdominal tissues from liposuction might disrupt the already tenuous blood supply to the abdominal flap. The classic teaching is being questioned lately, as more surgeons are doing the combination with safe results. Flank liposuction is frequently combined with liposuction and is safe. It certainly improves post-op contour.

Scott Sattler, MD

Bellevue Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Tummy tuck plus liposuction

In about 20% of my tummy tucks, I will also do liposuction of the flanks (love handles). It is advantageous to get it done at the same time. You need to be careful where you do the lipo in order to keep good blood flow to the abdominal skin.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Liposuction of waist with tummy tuck is good idea.

Hi. In Manhattan, it is our routine to do liposuction all around the waist together a tummy tuck. Better shape. So, without knowing what you actually look like, I would recommend it.

George J. Beraka, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Both Liposuction and Tummy tuck can be done, but be careful

Many patients undergoing tummy-tuck also require varying degrees of liposuction, depending on the contour pre-operatively, as well as the contour desired. The amount of fat that can be safely removed at the same time as a tummy tuck can only be determined by your surgeon. Too much fat removal/ liposuction can disrupt blood flow to the incision and adversely affect healing, which may result in a sub-optimal scar. Occasionally aggressive liposuction of the flank areas and upper abdomen can be... more