Fleur de lis abdominoplasty/tummy tuck vs lower body lift, what are your suggestions? (Photos)

Hello.
Great question. Thank you for your pictures and congratulations on your weight loss. Based on your images, you appear to benefit from a tummy tuck procedure. Please visit a board certified plastic surgeon for a detailed surgical plan to achieve your desired results.

Congratulations on your weight loss. That is a very impressive accomplishment! I perform all of the above options; the option that is best for you depends not only on where you are starting but also what your goals are. The fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty will allow you to address both circumferential and vertical excess skin but at the expense of a potentially challenging vertical midline scar. In order to justify this scar, the amount of loose circumferential skin has to be substantial. I am not sure you need this, but a formal exam would be helpful. An extended abdominoplasty with flank liposuction would be address the loose anterior abdominal skin as well as the excess love handle fatty tissue. It will not, however, pull up the lateral thighs or the buttocks if this is a concern. A torsoplasty can address loose vertical skin on both the from and back of the torso. Some patients will also add fat to the buttocks if this is deflated. 

Hello,
Given your symptoms, there is a good change this could be covered by insurance. If you aren't opposed to a vertical scar up/down your abdomen, fleur-de-list will give you the best contour. However, a tummy tuck alone will still give you a great result. Lower body lift is also an option but simply liposuctioning your back will also dramatically improve your contour.

Congratulations on losing all this weight. It really is a life changing process. In looking at your photos, I think I would do an extended tummy tuck that extends laterally into the hip area rather than a fleur de lis. The vertical scar is noticeable and since you do not have one vertically now, I would use a lower abdominal incision and extend it laterally. The recovery is the same as the Fleur de lis but easier than a lower body lift which is another option. Secondarily if the skin across the back or buttock ptosis is an issue, which is hard to tell from the photos, you can always do a buttock lift or lift and fat transfer to the buttock later. This is a safe option with shorter recovery time and lower surgical risk than doing it all at once. Congratulations again and make sure to see a board certified plastic surgeon that performs these procedures to discuss the possibilities and choose what is best for you.

Hello and thank you for your question and sharing your photos. An in-person consultation is needed to give you a more definitive advice. You seem to be a good candidate for fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty or extended abdominoplasty. I
would seek consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon for a full
evaluation and advice. Best,Pejman
Aflaki, M.D.
Johns
Hopkins-trained double board-certified plastic surgeon

HI power,  At this point , I think that you would do well with an extended TT. Have you finished losing weight? If not, how much more do you anticipate that you could lose? If you intend to lose more, wait until you get within 5-10 lbs. of your goal. Please get several opinions from Board certified PS in your area. You need to have a thorough medical history taken as well as a good physical exam and discussion of your goals.Best Wishes,Dr. Christine Rodgers

Thank you for sharing your excellent question and photographs.  All of your proposed procedures are possible, depending on the goals you are hoping to achieve.  If only your stomach causes you trouble, an extended TT or FDL would be your best option.  Hope this helps.

Thank you for your question and photos. Based on these photos, you would get the best surgical outcome with a tummy tuck and lower body lift. I would not propose a fleur de lis tummy tuck. If you look at your body, it is pear shaped, narrow up top and wide below the belly button. All the extra skin that will be removed goes above your belly button, where you do not have a lot of horizontal laxity to warrant a fleur de lis incision. When surgeons post answers to your question that you could achieve "acceptable results" is that based on what they can provide or they think that would be acceptable to you?See a board certified plastic surgeon experienced in advanced body sculpting techniques for an in person consultation/evaluation. Good luck.

Dear Powerful5371,
based on your photos, you look like a good candidate for a TT. Full tummy tuck should tighten your abdominal muscles and remove the excess skin. I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon because only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD

I am surprised how many questions we get about the fdl tummy tuck.   so obviously there are plenty of surgeons recommending it.   personally I don’t think it is worth it in most cases including yours because of the  scar. A body lift would be a much better choice  in your situation or simply a full tummy tuck.