13 stone 7lbs, 5'3, age 38, 38H, how successful would lipo be or is it better to have a tummy tuck? (Photos)

Thank you for seeking advice regarding your options for addressing excess weight in your abdominal area. Based on the information you have provided and the photos you have shared, it seems that liposuction may be a viable solution to reduce excess fat. However, it may not be the best option if you also have loose skin or muscle laxity, which can occur following significant weight loss or pregnancy.

Considering your concerns, it may be more beneficial to consider a tummy tuck procedure. A tummy tuck involves removing excess skin and fat from the abdominal area, while also tightening the underlying muscles to create a smoother and flatter contour. Combining the tummy tuck procedure with liposuction of the flanks can provide optimal results by contouring both the front and back areas of your torso.

The amount of weight loss achieved through either procedure will depend on multiple factors, including your initial weight, body composition, and lifestyle habits post-surgery. Other areas of the body can be treated with liposuction simultaneously with a tummy tuck, depending on individual circumstances and the extent of the procedure.

I would recommend scheduling a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon in the UK to further discuss your options and help determine which procedure would best suit your individual needs and goals.

Thank you for your question, and I wish you all the best in achieving your desired body shape.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

Liposuction and a tummy tuck can only remove the fat that is located just below your skin. It can’t remove the fat located around your internal organs. Your plastic surgeon would first have to determine how much fat is located below your skin, then can let you know if you would be a suitable candidate. If most of your fat is located around your internal organs, then only a healthy diet and exercise regimen can help.

In addition, these techniques aren’t for weight loss. You’ll most likely lose only just a couple of pounds, at most. Therefore, you may want to consider diet and exercise first before turning to plastic surgery. A dietitian and personal trainer can help.

Dear Cheerful976876,
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. Flanks liposuction would give you a better shape. 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

At 5'3 and 13 stones, your BMI is 35 which puts you at high risk for complications. You can undergo liposuction first. 10 lbs can be removed safely and the session can be repeated if necessary. Once, you get your BMI down to 32 or lower, then you can consider a tummy tuck. If you are not planning future pregnancies, I recommend abdominoplasty with mesh reinforcement. The mesh creates a more hourglass figure by compressing the abdominal wall resulting in early satiety and helps maintain a reduced weight.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

I would start with liposuction of your abdomen and flank areas. You may do very well with just removing the excess fat.

When considering elective plastic surgery it is best if a patient has a BMI of 30 or under. Those above this threshold have a higher risk of complications such as poor wound healing, seroma and infection. Lowering your BMI will also allow your surgeon to maximize your results. Once you are ready for surgery your photos indicate you would benefit from a tummy tuck with liposuction for contouring. This is not a weight loss surgery, and in fact patients typically only a few pounds. It is a contouring surgery that can really help to define your natural curves.

Dear Cheerful,
Based solely on your photos (a physical exam would be much more accurate), you may be a good candidate for a large volume liposuction of your abdomen, sides and lower back. This would significantly reduce the size of your waist line and serve as a jump start for further weight loss. I would be willing to be that a moderate amount of your anterior abdominal curvature is due to visceral fat (fat inside the abdomen which cannot be treated with liposuction but rather diet and exercise).
Best wishes,
Dr. Taranow

Hello, thank you for your question and pictures.

After evaluating your case you seem to be a great candidate for a Tummy Tuck to remove the skin excess on the abdomen combined whit 360 liposusuction to reshape your body. The BMI neet to be under 33 for surgery. By combining these procedures we can achieve goog results.

Make sure to approach to a certified surgeon to help your clear all your doubts.

Best wishes!

There are four variables that determine what someone’s abdomen looks like. An assessment should address each of those four variables and the choice of procedure should be made depending on what is the primary, secondary and tertiary underlying problem.
The four variables are abdominal skin laxity typically due to previous pregnancies or weight fluctuations, excess subcutaneous fat, muscle separation from previous pregnancies called diastasis recti. and lastly excess visceral or intra-abdominal fat.
To differentiate skin laxity pull up on your abdominal skin until it’s tight and see if it improves the contour.
To measure the thickness of subcutaneous fat gently push against your skin what’s the tip of your finger until you feel the underlying muscle wall. It does not require much pressure at all. It’s a very gentle touch. Most likely your subcutaneous fat layer is about one and a half inches. You can expect Liposuction to remove 75% of that fat.
A straight abdominal muscle wall should create a B line between your sternum and pubic bone.
You can use your own hands to feel both your sternum and pubic bone and then field where your muscle ball is the same way you check the thickness of your subcutaneous fat layer and see how much it’s bulging.A bulging abdominal wall represents either muscle separation, visceral fat or both.
To differentiate between visceral fat and muscle separation see how much pressure it requires to press your abdomen flat or try laying on your back and see if your abdomen goes completely flat while laying on your back.
If the abdomen still bulges while laying on your back visceral fat is most likely contributing significantly.
In regards to treatment options a full tummy tuck primarily treats muscle separation and skin laxity. it will reduce subcutaneous fat on the front of your abdomen to some degree by pulling the skin and fat layer tight just like a rubber band becomes thin when you pull it tight.
Visceral fat can only be lost through weight loss and subcutaneous fat can be reduced with weight loss or liposuction.
Based on your pictures you have significant muscle separation, moderate skin laxity possible excess visceral fat and are the quintessential ideal tummy tuck candidates.
Liposuction will not address the muscle separation or bulging abdominal wall and therefore is limited. It will bring in the front of your abdomen by 1 inch maximum.
Liposuction is however the best treatment for contouring the waist, love handles, back and under arm area.
Delivering consistent quality liposuction results is more difficult than most people believe and this includes the majority of plastic surgeons.
The majority of plastic surgeons have not mastered this procedure that is often unfortunately viewed as simplistic and unsophisticated. In reality being able to deliver consistent quality body contouring results using Liposuction with accurate assessment an accurate predictions of consistent outcomes is far more difficult. Mastering Liposuction requires a purposeful commitment to excellence with having had experience of doing preferably thousands of cases.
You’ll find that the more talented someone is doing a procedure the morning respect they have for how difficult it is to master it completely.
Those who view liposuction as a simple internal operation will never be great at doing liposuction.
The diversity in outcomes based purely on who does the procedure varies more for Liposuction than any other plastic surgery operation.
For that reason patients should take the selection process of providers quite seriously and put in their due diligence when it comes to vetting plastic surgeons to find the most talented and experience provider for their needs.
I recommend doing this by scheduling multiple in person consultations preferably with local board-certified plastic surgeons.
Whenever possible avoid virtual consultations.
During each consultation ask each provider to open up their portfolio and show you their entire collection of before and after pictures. Ask especially to see as many pictures as possible of patient was very similar body characteristics to your own.
A thorough consultation should ideally include expression of each of the tissue components described above.
Look very carefully at the results pictures making sure none of the areas treated have any skin contour irregularities. Ask the surgeons to point out what areas for treated and what areas were not treated and look very carefully a transition zones between treated and untreated areas. you may need to have the plastic surgeon help you with this.
Bring with you pictures of your own torso taken in the same way plastic surgeons take before and after pictures after tummy tuck or liposuction surgery. you can use pictures of your own body as a reference for finding similar body types and comparison.
An experienced provider should have no difficulty showing you at least 50 sets of before and after pictures. highly experienced surgeons will have hundreds or even thousands of before and after pictures of commonly done procedures.
To assess or judge plastic surgeons for the outcomes of a full tummy tuck look carefully at which plastic surgeons get the most natural looking belly buttons on a consistent basis. That tends to be one of the harder parts of the procedure and surgeons who don’t get consistent good looking belly buttons tend to be better at the procedure. other characteristics of a quality tummy tuck include a very low with a side scar with a slightly convex curvature over the mons pubis with the incisions following anatomic contours naturally and even on both sides with the torso looking balanced attractive and appropriate from all angles including from behind.
Become familiar with what quality results should look like from both Liposuction and a full tummy tuck so you have a reference form judging providers during consultations.
Continue having consultations until you feel quite comfortable you found the right plastic surgeon for your need.
When in doubt slow down and schedule more consultations.
While a full tummy tuck is probably a better procedure for you you’ll also find that plastic surgeons were not comfortable or have the skill to deliver consistent quality Liposuction results will immediately steer away from recommending Liposuction and only promote a tummy tuck.
In the end a full tummy tuck may be a better procedure but there’s not to say that everyone who is a candidate for a tummy tuck should have one. In the end the procedure you choose should be based on being well-informed understanding the problems and what each procedure can and cannot accomplish.
After that the decision it should be based on what you’re trying to achieve and what you’re willing to go through.
Weight loss will always make you a better candidate for a tummy tuck and a will to some degree reduce your candidacy for liposuction since weight loss will reduce subcutaneous fat on its own. Weight loss will however not change the fat distribution it just reduces the overall amount of body fat.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD

Hi. You will likely get most benefit from tummy tuck and lipo done at the same time. It appears you have extra fat and may have rectus diastasis, which would be repaired during a tummy tuck.