Best route to rid of my fupa and what's the less invasive route? (Photos)

Question

I am 5'1 and 140 lbs, I exercise 5 days a week and I just can't get rid of my stubborn tummy pouch. I'm fairly small and don't have much to remove therefore I prefer a less invasive route. Your answers are greatly appreciated.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

if you have loose skin you will need liposuction with skin removal or internal heating. I suggest you consult.

my whole practice is doing lipoabdominoplasty, or at least liposuction with internal heating (which is not the gold standard for skin tightening with body contouring).

the smaller you are before liposuction the more contouring you can get from the procedure. most of my liposuction patients get pre and post surgical optimization with hormonal therapy (see link to help boost their weight loss before surgery and help them heal after).

You need a formal evaluation by an expert in body shaping and contouring to determine what is best.  Traditional liposuction awake and smart liposuction are old methods and do very poorly for tightening skin or significant skin tightening or contouring.  Small problem areas can be improved slightly by these methods.  The best in body contouring not only removes fat with energy devices like VASER ultrasound but also internally heat the skin with radio-frequency devices such as J PLASMA/RENUVION, InMode BodyTite, ThermiRF to heat the under surface of the skin and tighten it at the same time as fat removal. These combinations are called 4D HIDEF VASER contouring and can only be done by a well . trained body contouring specialist. At the same time fat should be harvested, PRP and stem cells added and injected into muscles or indentations/cellulite to get body shaping and contouring.  This is known as a Brazilian butt lift when you inject the fat to the buttock for contouring and lifting, but fat can also be used in areas such as the chest/breast, arms/shoulders, calves and face.  Cellulite should also be treated with cellfina, sculptra, subcision and/or fillers such as bellafill, renuva synthetic fat, or sculptra.  If skin is very loose before surgery then it will need to be removed such as lower abdominal skin (tummy tuck/abdominoplasty), breast skin (breast lift), arm skin (brachioplasty).  Overall you need a full assessment, but simple liposuction alone will not tighten skin and needs a combination of various methods -- fat removal, skin tightening, defining, fat grafting, skin removal -- to get the best in body contouring and body sculpting.  Dr. Emer.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear FlaSunshyne,
it is hard to tell for sure without an examination. Based on your photos, it looks like you might be a candidate for liposuction. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. 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

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

You have different options to address your abdomen.  If you have finished having children you can consider a tummy tuck.  This procedure will remove excess skin and fat as well as correct any abdominal wall laxity.  You may also be a candidate for BodyTite.  This procedure combines liposuction with skin tightening.  It can be performed without general anesthesia and does not require the long incision associated with a tummy tuck.  I encourage you to discuss your surgical goals with a board certified plastic surgeon near you.

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

I would suggest doing liposuction to remove the excess fat. You would probably do very well. Don't do the nonsurgical route.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

The first step is to get an assessment to understand what the underlying problem is. There are basically four variables that contribute to the shape of the abdomen. These are skin laxity, axis subcutaneous fat, muscle separation from previous pregnancies and women who have children and lastly exes visceral or intra-abdominal fat.

What the underlying ideology is determines what the correct procedure is.

Skin laxity and muscle separation a.k.a. diastase it’s a wreck day is treated with a full tummy tuck. Subcutaneous fat is best treated with liposuction but can to some degree be improved with nonsurgical options though I don’t recommend it. Excess visceral fat can only be reduced through weight loss.

For those who have mild skin laxity of the lower abdomen only a mini tummy tuck is an option.

Women who’ve had full pregnancies typically develop some skin laxity and muscle separation. Neither of these can be successfully treated without surgery.

I suggest having a few in person consultations with local board-certified plastic surgeons to get an assessment and a better understanding of treatment options.

Best,

Mats Hagstrom MD

Best route to rid of my fupa and what's the less invasive route? (Photos)

Answers (6)

Answer: Liposuction

Answer: Liposuction

Answer: Improving lower abdomen

Answer: Improving lower abdomen

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Best route to rid of my fupa and what's the less invasive route? (Photos)

Answers (6)

Answer: Liposuction

Answer: Liposuction

Answer: Improving lower abdomen

Answer: Improving lower abdomen

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Liposuction

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.