Bilateral Hip Lift after tummy tuck? (Photo)

Question

I saw my surgeon yeatetday and feel slightly defeated. October 14 I had a tummy tuck with lipo and 450cc saline implants placed. My surgeon suggested working from the tuck and doing a bilateral hip lift. He quoted me 6,100 for the procedure and all facility and anthesia, and said the surgery would take about 2.5 hours. I've found no comparable procedure costs so I'm wondering if the price is in the normal range. And have attached pictures and would love your opinion of this is the right course of action .

Ritu Chopra, MD · Answer

A lateral hip lift is like a tummy tuck, but on your sides.  It appears you may have been a good candidate for a "belt lipectomy" in the first place, as your things and hips reveal a bit of laxity.  If I had to guess, and I do, I'd say you lost a good bit of weight at some point.  Price-wise, the quote is low, so your surgeon seems to be granting you some consideration.  It will make a lot of difference, and you should consider it.  Good luck!

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

I think that the plan is reasonable, but I would have to examine you to determine what I may recommend.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

Paul M. Steinwald, MD · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question.  It's a bit early to be making further surgical plans (would wait until at least 6 months for all swelling and most scarring to resolve), but I am also not sure what your surgeon means by a "hip lift".  Is this to address "dog ears" (bulges at the corners), which appear fairly minimal to me at present, or is it designed to also improve your outer thigh areas?  This presumably would mean an extension of your incisions for at least several (but more likely 8-10) cm on either side, but that concept invites an(other) extension to the idea of performing a total/circumferential body lift, which ostensibly can also improve the appearance of the buttocks (although there is never really a 1:1 translation of skin removed in the immediate scar area and the improvements away from the incision, especially with the effects of gravity).A more aggressive excision of this skin probably would improve your overall appearance, but if it will extend to your backside anyway, I would ask your surgeon if a body lift is essentially what he/she has in mind.  In our practice that conversion from an anterior tummy tuck to a circumferential treatment as a second step would likely be in the $6-8K total range (and take 2-3 hours; both would probably be more for a massive weight loss patient), so $6K for the hips alone may seem a bit high.  In short, ask your surgeon to clarify his/her plan, and the intended goals of the procedure . . . best of luck!

Melinda Lirag Lacerna-Kimbrell, MD, FACS · Answer

It looks like extended tummy tuck incisions and even a circumferential lower body lift would have been a great plan you for you. Let yourself heal a bit longer and then make plans to finish up.Thank you for your pictures and your question! Good luck!

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

Not sure exactly what you desire. appears you needed extended TT incisions more than hip lifting????

Remus Repta, MD · Answer

Dear Naubell,It sounds like you probably would have been a good candidate for a lower body lift.  This can be thought of as a tummy tuck in the front, lateral thigh lift, and buttock lift.  If you would like to improve the appearance of your thighs, extension of the tummy tuck scar with removal and tightening of the lateral thighs skin/soft-tissue can be performed.  The price is comparable for what I would assume although that changes around the country.All the best,Dr. Remus Repta

Michael Hueneke, MD (retired) · Answer

You do have extra skin that could be improved with this procedure. All markets are different so I can not say what price is appropriate in Houston.

Bilateral Hip Lift after tummy tuck? (Photo)

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