I have lots of belly fat, Can smart Lipo be used to jumpstart weight loss?

It is very difficult to advise without pictures or seeing you in person.The key to liposuction is
your skin elasticity. If the skin tone is good then liposuction which removes
the fat will allow skin the shrink up. If the skin is loose liposuction
simply makes it looser.

You must consider your overall body weight.
Too much lipo suction can be dangerous.
if you continue to lose weight the skin will get
looser and you will be an even better candidate for skin tightening procedures
but your surgical risks will diminish.

I would recommend you consult with a
board-certified plastic surgeon to begin a healthy diet and exercise regimen
with an eye towards the appropriate procedures when you have accomplished your
diet and weight loss goals. In my opinion this would be the safest way to go.

I recommend you see a board certified PS first for a physical assessment. Sometimes, the bloated pregnant look may actually be caused by separated abdominal muscles. This can only be corrected with a tummy tuck. If, however, you do have excess fat, then liposuction might work but it's best to be at your idea weight first, and have it be stable. It improves the safety of the surgery.

The real issue is how much of your belly fat is between the skin and your muscle, which the Smart Lipo can get to, and how much is inside of your abdomen. That fat is not treatable with any liposuction technique. Your surgeon should be able to examine you and give you an idea of where you fall.

Smartlipo is good for those who have fat
deposits that do not respond to diet and exercise. This procedure will help to
remove any unwanted fat while tightening the skin. It is best to consult with
your surgeon to find out if this is the best procedure for you. Good luck!

No liposuction or laser lipolysis system is a good option for weight loss.  Even when 5 liters of aspirate is removed (the generally accepted limit for outpatient liposuction), not all is fat, so safe outpatient liposuction can only remove about 10 pounds of fat at the very most.  "Large volume liposuction" may remove more, but is best done in an inpatient facility, as the body's fluid shifts afterward can create issues best observed in a hospital.  This is a procedure that I and most plastic surgeons don't do, because of the risks and the fact that the patients afterwards are still obese. Best to lose the weight first, even if it requires bariatric surgery.  To your question about SmartLipo, I don't think SmartLipo (laser lipolysis) make sense in someone overweight, unless the fat is mostly debulked with regular liposuction first.  SmartLipo is great for smaller areas of fat accumulation, especially when some subtle skin tightening is desired.  Definitely don't pay extra for SmartLipo for your situation - there's really no advantage to it.  You will likely still have loose abdominal skin if you do anything other than a tummy tuck.

While the general concept is that any form of liposuction is not a weight loss method, you seem to have a realistic expectation of what liposuction can do in someone who ideally needs a tummy tuck. Removing abdominal fat can help some people get jump started on to additional improvements. And at the least, it does not preclude one from having a tummy tuck later if desired.

It's difficult to tell without photos if liposuction of any type will correct the problem that bothers you. If you have good thick skin elasticity in the area and the area is just fat then SmartLipo should definitely address the problem. If there are stretch marks and loose skin, or separation of the underlying muscles that are causing the problem, SmartLipo or any other form of liposuction are unlikely to help. See a board certified plastic with an expertise in body contouring in your area for a detailed consultation. They should be able to answer your concerns more specifically. In my practice in the San Francisco Bay Area I have come to the conclusion that the happiest patients are those that have realistic expectation on what a procedure will and won’t do for them. Good luck! Dean Vistnes.

For someone who is unable to go through abdominoplasty, and there are many reasons for that, your approach is perfectly reasonable. As long as you're not expecting a miracle you might be surprised as to just how much skin shrinkage takes place. It will certainly not be what you would get with the major operation but then again you could always do that sometime in the future. Good luck with your decision.