Is Liposuction a Good Option if I Am Very Fit but Still Not Seeing Ab and Waist Definition?

Question

I work out 5 days a week and I'm happy with the definition and size of everywhere except my midsection. No matter how many planks, no matter how much cardio and how much I tweak my diet, I can't seem to get any ab or waist definition. My midsection looks "pudgy" compared to the rest of my body (and a little bit spills over the waistband of my pants) but I am by no means overweight. Is liposuction good for something like contouring the waist and getting some of the ab definition to show up?

Frank Lista, MD · Answer

Liposuction is not a weight loss tool but is a great way to shape and contour the body. Liposuction is an excellent way for someone, like yourself, who is very active but just unable to lose the last bit of fat in a specific area. A good surgeon can target a small area of fat and contour the body to fit how the patient would like to look. It is important that you choose a surgeon with extensive experience and who is board certified.

Jaime Perez, MD · Answer

Hello. You sound like a very good candidate for liposuction. Liposuction involves the removal of unwanted, localized fat using suction techniques. Usually, fat is taken from the abdomen, flanks, and sometimes the back to literally sculpt the body to provide the desired body contour. As a healthy, active person near your ideal weight, liposuction could be just what you are looking for. If you want to improve the definition of your abs, you might also want to consider lipo etching. Please refer to the link below to learn more about this procedure.

	Jaime Perez, MD
	Liposuction Specialist
	Plastic Surgery Center of Tampa

John K. Wakelin III, MD, FACS · Answer

This is a very common problem, and in many circumstances this is exactly what liposuction can treat very well. It is best to meet with a board certified Plastic Surgeon to determine if liposuction is the best option for you, as an exam in person is the only way to determine whether there is any excess skin that might need to be addressed as well. Nonetheless, the majority of my happy abdominal liposuction patients reported a story much like yours.

Jonathan Berman, MD · Answer

It’s very difficult to definitively answer your question without seeing you, or at the very least seeing a photo. However, it certainly sounds like you’re an excellent candidate for liposuction at the very least, and possibly an abdominoplasty, although I suspect from what you are describing that liposuction would be very adequate for you. 

	Jonathan Ross Berman, M.D. , F.A.C.S.

Kimberly Finder, MD · Answer

When the midsection is still "pudgy", even with a great exercise regimen and being at normal weight, liposuction may be the answer for spot treatment and finessing. Have a consultation with an experienced surgeon to find out about details of your situation. The things that will be important to ask are:

	
		status of skin tone and elasticity
	
		amount of subcutaneous fat present
	
		is there visceral (non-suctionable fat) present also

Is Liposuction a Good Option if I Am Very Fit but Still Not Seeing Ab and Waist Definition?

Answers (5)