Will Smart Lipo 360 Work? 42F, 171 lbs, BMI 30 (photo)

The belly needs lipo AND tummy tuck. The back and sides need lipo only. The reason for the tummy tuck is the pot belly. Your belly sticks out starting above the belly button because your abdominal muscles are loose and separated. Exercise can't fix this. Lipo can't fix  this. Unbloating can't fix this. Only a tummy tuck will do the job. Lipo alone will leave you with the pot belly, loose skin and a overall displeasing result. People with limited experience in lipo might THINK that lipo alone will do the job, but they would be mistaken.

Liposuction 360 will remove stubborn fat and tighten skin around your waist, back and abdomen without a tummy tuck. I prefer Vaser ultrasound. If your abdomen has internal fat, this will not respond to any surgery- only diet and exercise, which is usually much easier after 360 liposuction removes the outer, stubborn areas.An exam and consultation with a plastic surgeon is recommended to confirm this as well as discuss your options and expectations. 

Smart Lipo is good for stubborn areas of fat, but lacks body contouring and shaping. For best results, I recommend a hi-definition procedure like VASER liposuction, which can be performed at the same time as a tummy tuck, if there is skin laxity. I use VASER HI-DEF with ThermiRF, Renuvion (J Plasma), InMode BodyTite, and fat grafting to get the most fat removal, skin tightening, contour and definition. This combination will give you the most toned result. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a hi-definition physique expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Dear Letty_4,
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
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Thank you for your question. From your pictures it looks like you have good skin quality. It's hard to predict how much retraction of the skin you will get with Liposuction alone. A lot depends on your goals and the downtime you're willing to undergo. SmartLipo with the addition of Bodytite, can give you good results and contour your upper, lower abdomen, flanks and waist to give you a more hourglass appearance. This would only involve three or four days of downtime.   A tummy tuck would be much more involved and require much more downtime and recovery. You look like you could achieve marked improvement with smartlipo and Bodytite done carefully. I hope that helps in your decision making!

TT would give you great results but with large scar, down time and major risk.  J plasma/Renuvion plus liposuction will give you about 70 to 80 % of a TT. the muscle weakness can be improved with CoolTone after the lipo.  Only you can make the best choice for yourself. The bra and waist area will have significant improvement as well.

As opposed to Smartlipo™️, you would benefit the most from an abdominoplasty or tummy tuck. Referencing your pictures, your trouble area may require more invasive procedures to help you achieve the look you want. Liposuction only removes small amounts of subcutaneous fat and will not address loose and sagging skin. Because of this, you may not be satisfied with the amount of skin tightening you could get from just Smartlipo. Although the recovery time is longer for a tummy tuck, the results are much more dramatic. One alternative you could consider would be to combine both a tummy tuck and Smartlipo for more comprehensive results.
 

 

Thank you for sharing your photo! Although it is difficult to say without an in person examination, if you have good skin elasticity, you should be a good candidate for liposuction. Liposuction works best on patients who are of relatively average weight, but who need help with a problem area, or with shedding the ten pounds they regain between diets. I use several innovative forms of liposuction, including SmartLipo, in order to contour and resculpture the area while providing the most beautiful results with minimal scarring.

It is difficult to tell without personally evaluating you, but people who have especially slack skin in their midsection and abdominal muscle weakness need more than what diet and exercise alone can offer. Typical candidates for a full tummy tuck are women with drooping abdomens after pregnancy, women and men who've lost a great deal of weight, menopausal women, or older people with loose skin due to age. In the tummy tuck, the skin from the rib cage down to the pelvic area is tightened, and the navel is moved up and secured in a new position. A mini-tummy tuck is especially effective for people who look pretty good from the navel up. The main difference between the 2 procedures is that the mini-tummy tuck doesn't require moving or reconstructing the navel and the incision is shorter than the one made in a full tummy tuck. I suggest making an appointment with a board certified plastic surgeon for consultation to discuss your options.

Thank you for your pictures and questions! You would really benefit the most from both an abdominoplasty and liposuction of the flanks and back. Based on the pictures your skin looks too lose for just laser liposuction and I would be worried you wouldn't be satisfied with the amount of skin tightening you could get. Although the recovery time is longer for a tummy tuck, the results are that much better and could potential help you loose about 5-10 lbs. I make the scar very low in the bikini line so that in a swim suite or underwear you would not be able to see it. I highly recommend consulting with a board certified plastic surgeon who you feel comfortable with to discuss your concerns and come up with the right procedure for you.

Thank you for your question. Based on the picture, Smart lipo alone will leave loose skin. TT with 360 lipo will give optimal results. Please consult with a board certified PS for evaluation.