Liposuction? Will It Work?

Question

I've been thinking about getting liposuction on my belly ever since - already as a child, when I was really skinny, I had this strange "pointed" belly. So I went to see a surgeon and he said, that there were many "layers" of fat and hence, he'd need to make a lot of incisions and it would be very expensive. But the next surgeon I went to see said he could do it "normally", two incisions, he uses the PAL-system and is very cheap compared to the other. Do you see a problem with this? THANKS

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD · Answer

If you pinch in area which doubles up the skin and subcutaneous fat and is more than an inch liposuction will probably help. This is a rough rule of thumb but useful tool.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Liposuction of the abdomen can be performed through 2 incisions, and I do this all the time. I can liposuction the entire abdomen and the upper and lower back and transfer fat to the buttocks with 3 incisions. Find a plastic surgeon with ELITE credentials who performs hundreds of liposuction procedures each year. Then look at the plastic surgeon's website before and after photo galleries to get a sense of who can deliver the results. Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

Very hard to compare the two surgeons without more information. Where both boarded Plastic surgeons? Is the planned operation under local, local IV sedation, local/general anesthesia? One is using the "PAL" system what type of liposuction is the other using?

Joshua B. Hyman, MD · Answer

I would not worry about the type of machine the surgeon is using because ultimately liposuction results are dependent on the surgeon. Companies like Smartlipo did a lot of straight to consumer marketing but it is the surgeon that should decide on the technique used. All surgeon have different price points and lipo is easy and fast and really shouldn't cost a lot of money. The real question is will the surgeon stand by his results and offer free touch ups if more is needed which is common. Also, how will they handle complications which happen as well. I have no idea what that surgeon is talking about in terms of "ELITE" credentials? I would only go with a board certified plastic surgeon, of course. Also, there don't need to be any "incisions" but just 2mm punctures and you should ask for "as many as possible for the results you need" because they are small and will heal.

Jourdan Gottlieb, MD · Answer

Without an in person exam, I cannot tell you if liposuction is the best choice here. But I can say that you made the better choice among the two alternative surgeons. 

	I neither was a plastic surgeon, but rather a practitioner for whom liposuction is the only tool in the toolbox, I would urge you to get an opinion from a plastic surgeon who could offer whatever treatment was felt to be the best for you. Regards.

Liposuction? Will It Work?

Answers (7)