What exactly is a two stage tummy tuck with lipo? Is this 2 separate surgeries?

When something is called a 2 stage surgery, yes it refers to 2 separate surgeries. Traditionally, liposuction of the front of the abdomen was not done at the same time as a tummy tuck, due to concern for the blood supply to the remaining tissue. Often just the love handles are liposuctioned at the time of tummy tuck, and more aggressive liposuction of the abdomen is planned as a separate procedure. If you are at your goal weight, and still have a thick layer between skin and muscle, then liposuction can be done as the first step, and tummy tuck as a second step once you are healed from the lipo. Alternatively, in some patients who are more concerned about excess skin, they may prefer to have the tummy tuck first, and then lipo later if they want an even flatter contour. Keep in mind neither tummy tuck nor lipo will address any INTRA abdominal volume excess (the fat inside the abdomen), and the only way to shrink this is by weight loss. 

Hello,Many surgeons still feel uncomfortable performing both liposuction of the abdomen and an abdominoplasty simultaneously. This is due to the old, widespread belief that it was dangerous, and that it led to healing problems and wound formation.  Modern liposuction and abdominoplasty techniques allow surgeons to perform both simultaneously and safely. Go visit a few ABPS certified/ASAPS member surgeons who specialize in body contouring.  Additionally, you want a surgeon who appreciates scar position (very low near the thigh-abdominal border), and avoids the use of drains to minimize your risk of seroma. Best of luck!

The option of performing a full liposuction procedure of your abdomen, hips, and back followed at a later date, usually more than 6 months later, by a tummy tuck is given to some patients who have a lot of fat in those areas as well as a lot of loose skin and muscle weakness. Some liposuction can be done during a tummy tuck but it can't be done as aggressively as when it's done as a separate procedure. I hope this helps!Thomas Taylor, MD, FACS

Thank you for your question. You are right, they are two separate surgeries. Some patients are not great candidates for a tummy tuck with liposuction in a one stage procedure. It often ends up with less than desirable results and with a very long scar. I personally, like to do the liposuction and sculpting first. This allows me to remove all the fat from the abdominal wall without compromising the blood supply. Often, I find that in these patients I need to fat graft the buttocks for shaping. The abdominoplasty is  done 4-6 months later as the second stage with possible further lipo sculpting. This will end up with the best body shape and much shorter abdominoplasty scar. Some surgeons do this in reverse, to me it doesn't make sense. To do an abdominoplasty with limited liposuction and do a second liposuction later, can lead to more loose skin which needs to be addressed by a third surgery.See a board certified plastic surgeon experienced in advanced body sculpting techniques for an in person consultation/evaluation. Good luck.

Dear vanique84,it is the best to discuss this with your plastic surgeon. When talking about two stage surgeries, most plastic surgeons think about two separate surgeries. In your case, you will probably get a liposuction first and then when you heal you will be ready for second stage (tummy tuck).Daniel Barrett, MD, MHA, MS 
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery  
Member, Am. Society of Plastic Surgery

The answer to this question will depend on the surgeon. Most surgeons (myself included) prefer to do these things in one stage when possible.

is 2 separate procedures.... but if  you're healthy, you can consider a lipoabdominoplasty procedure that combines liposuction and skin excision at the same time with discontinuous undermining of the upper half of the abdomen.  Its safe and I've been doing it for years now and I know there are surgeons in your area that can do it as well.  But maybe your surgeon has a good reason for wanting a staged procedure... so find out the logic behind that and ask about lipoabdominoplasty and why it could not be done instead and see what your surgeon says... then choose what is best for you.

yes first we suck all the fat we can from the abdomen and let the swelling resolve for 6 months.  Then the tummy tuck is done after the 6 months and the muscle is tightened and any extra skin is removed. This is too much surgery to do at once.  Good luck! DSR

Some procedures can be split up into two different parts of the same surgery to make the procedure safer or the results better for the patient. When the goal is for a tight and flat abdomen, liposuction can be combined with a tummy tuck for the most dramatic results. By performing both at the same time, you are cutting down on surgery and anesthesia time, however the surgeon may have to be more conservative with the liposuction or the tummy tuck portions to minimize stress to the skin which can cause skin damage/loss from disrupted blood supply. A larger scar may also be needed to remove more skin. By splitting the surgeries and performing liposuction first, you allow the body to heal and blood flow to restore to the overlying skin. You can also be more aggressive with the liposuction and remove more fat. During the healing period, your skin will also naturally tighten to a degree. At the second stage tummy tuck, your scar may be less due to less skin having to be taken out and your skin will be less stressed. Two separate procedures however means two costs, two times under anesthesia, and two recovery periods, so there are risks and benefits to each option. Hope this helps!Johnson C. Lee, MD Plastic Surgery@drjohnsonlee

Always best to run these types of questions (in order to avoid confusion) by the plastic surgeon who you have communicated with; unfortunately, there is no standard use of terminology in the plastic surgical field.

 Having said that, when plastic surgeons refer to "stages", they are usually referring to separate operations. For example,  there may be a patient who benefits from a two-stage tummy tuck/liposuction procedure. In the first stage (operation) liposuction surgery (or tummy tuck procedure) is performed; in the subsequent stage (usually separated by a period of at least several months), the tummy tuck or liposuction procedure can be performed.

 Often, the decision to stage a surgical procedure is made in order to improve safety considerations of the operation (concerns such as blood supply, wound healing…) and/or to optimize the aesthetic outcome achieved with the procedures.For example, care must be taken during tummy tuck surgery to avoid excessive "trauma" to the blood supply of the abdominal wall flap;  for example, if too much liposuction surgery is performed at the time of  tummy tuck surgery, it may be a cause of compromise of blood flow and resulting wound healing problems...


 I hope this helps.