Tummy Tuck Vs Smartlipo or Other Procedure?

I'm 37 years old and have 2 kids, the youngest one is 4. I'm very short, 4' 11" and weight about 115lbs. I've been working out and watching my diet but the stubborn belly fat won't go away. I've lost some of it but there's still plenty to go. Adding to the whole picture is the number of stretch marks i have. being so short and having an 8.5 lb baby left me with horrible scars. I want to know if smart lipo could be a good option for me. if possible i want to avoid a long recovery and the expense. thanks

Tags:

Comment on this

9 Doctor Answers | Asked by sebgabi

Doctor Answers (9)
Community Comments (0)

Tummy

If you have loose skin and stretch marks, a tummy tuck is likely the procedure you would need. It is impossible to say without photos.Lipo, smart or otherwise, probably would give you one slight improvement. The benefits of lipo include lower cost and easier recovery with tiny scars but in a case that sounds like yours, the tummy tuck will give the better result.

Smart Lipo vs. Tummy Tuck

Smart Lipo will do very little to improve stretch marks. In addition, it will not treat a significant amount of skin laxity. I have seen several patients after smart lipo who were unhappy with their end result. Most of these procedures were performed by non-plastic surgeons who were not trained in performing tummy tuck procedures. Essentially all they have is a hammer, so each patient is the nail... I would caution you against seeking out liposuction surgery... more

Liposuction does not get rid of stretch marks.

Thank you for your question. Liposuction does not get rid of stretch marks. To be sure, see two or more board-certified plastic surgeons in your area for a full and complete evaluation to make sure you are a good candidate and that it is safe for you to have surgery. I hope this helps.

Smart lipo not an alternative to tummy tuck

A tummy tuck is still the gold standard for treating loose skin in the abdomen after pregnancy. Additionally, any localized fat can be removed and muscle separation repaired if needed. None of these 3 things respond to exercise, Lipo will remove localized fat effectively but the laser assist as with "smart lipo" does not add enough tightening to be a true alternative to a tummy tuck. The use of the laser does however increase the risk of scarring and can make the tummy tuck problematic to do... more

Smart lipo will not help you.

Laser-assisted lipo is liposuction of the fat with laser energy used to break up the fat and also cause controlled burn to the skin from the underneath to cause the skin to shrink. However, laser liposuction does not shrink the skin evenly and can cause wrinkling and dimpling from burns to the skin. I have seen a number of patients done elsewhere who have scar tissue and dents from laser lipo. A tummy tuck is the procedure that will dramatically improve your look. It... more

Tummy Tuck Vs Smartlipo or Other Procedure?

Tummy tucks are performed to remove loose skin from the tummy and also often to tighten the stretched muscles and fascia of the abdominal wall (diastasis recti). Liposuction is performed to remove excess thickness of fatty tissue, but this does not tighten the skin...if the skin tone is good, it should retract, if the skin tone is poor the skin may get looser. There is no benefit to SmartLipo compared to standard liposuction. SmartLipo is a franchise most commonly... more

Hello

From your quick history of having 2 children it’s hard to say that smartlipo or any liposuction would give you the results you are looking for. Without a picture or an exam it’s hard to be exact. A tummy tuck repairs the muscle that has been damage by giving birth to 2 children. Again without a picture we can’t say if it’s only fat or muscle damage.

Tummy tuck versus liposuction

Photographs would be necessary to address your specific case. However, if the issue is fat in the midline, liposuction would help BUT if your stretch marks are accompanied by stretched, excess skin, then liposuction would not produce a satisfactory result, regardless of the method used. When excess skin is removed in a tummy tuck, some of the stretch marks/scars will be resected and the others flattened out. See a board certified plastic surgeon to explore your options.

Tummy Tuck Vs Smartlipo or Other Procedure

Thanks for your question. The main thrust of your question is not easy to answered without photographs. In general liposuction is used only to remove excess fat. A tummy tuck on the other hand is useful to remove excess skin and fat and also to tighten the abdominal wall. Small amounts of skin tightening occur with liposuction in many patients. However if excess skin is apparent before contemplating surgery a tummy tuck will usually be a superior choice. Liposuction was thank for... more