Do I need a Tummy Tuck or lipo? How much would it cost?. 180 lb 5'3 (photos)

First, you need to lose a bit of weight. Once you do so and reach a maintainable weight then schedule a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon in your area to discuss a tummy tuck. My best,
Dr. Sheila Nazarian
@drsheilanazarian on Instagram

You have excess fat and skin in the abdomen as well as laxity of your abdominal wall. These are best addressed through Tummy Tuck with liposuction to adjacent regions.Tummy tuck, also know as abdominoplasty, is a procedure to remove excess skin and fat from the lower abdomen and to restore the weakened abdominal wall, giving a firmer and smoother appearance. We nearly always add liposuction to our tummy tucks to sculpt the body 360 degrees to achieve an ideal feminine figure. Both are very powerful techniques in the right hands, and can have dramatic results if done correctly. You definitely have to choose your surgeon correctly and make sure that he/she has the training and experience to meet your goals with absolute safety. Don’t settle for less than a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with specialized expertise in these procedures.

A Tummy Tuck is the best for you. You will need
muscle tightening in order to have a smaller waist and flatter abdomen. The
Tummy Tuck can also take away some of the stretch marks, and extra skin.

Liposuction requires that the skin has enough elasticity to shrink smoothly after fat removal, and it seems more likely that you will need a tummy tuck for that reason. Your BMI is almost 32, so you will want to get it below 30 to minimize the risk of complications from surgery. (Weight less than 170.)

You will get the best answer
to your question by scheduling an in person consultation with a plastic surgeon
certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and discuss your unique
situation and concerns. The surgeon would meet with you, examine you,
physically feeling the tissue, assessing your desired outcome, taking a full
medical history, and discussing the pros and cons of each operative procedure
in person and what to realistically expect. Then you can make an informed
decision on which procedure(s) to start with according to your desires,
recovery time necessary, your history and current health. Surgery is very
rewarding for our "Mommy Makeover" and all our patients.

The cost of a Tummy Tuck
varies from practice and location but the cost of not going to a licensed
Facility and Surgeon just to save money can end up costing much more in the
long run. Most important is to pick a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon -
Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. It can be hard and
confusing for consumers when a physician may tell you they are Board Certified.
Make sure it is Board Certified in Plastic Surgery as many Physicians are
certified but it is in another area such as Dermatology, Gynecology, ENT, or
some other specialty that does not have the years of training and Certification
in Plastic Surgery required to be a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.
Rather than finding a non-certified surgeon that
may give you better pricing it can be helpful to find a newer Board Certified
Plastic Surgeon that has years of experience in training and surgery-required
to become Board Certified in Plastic Surgery but is newer in practice. They
have the latest up to date training and highest standards as currently set by
the newest technology and are able to pass on to the consumer much better
pricing. Newer highly trained Board Certified Plastic Surgeons often
assist patients with special pricing to make sure the patients are getting the
expertise and experience rather than cut corners. Check for special pricing
here on RealSelf and make sure the surgeon is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
and you may find the perfect Plastic Surgeon for you who is able to work with
your budget without cutting corners!

You need to start a weight loss program first, then after you reach your ideal weight, you will need a tummy tuck to take care of your extra skin.Surgery in a patient with a BMI higher than 30, is most likely to have complications in the postoperative period.Be sure you seek the help of a board certified plastic surgeon, preferably a member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

This is a very common dilemma for many women.  I get this question often at my San Antonio Plastic Surgery office.  There are a lot of factors that go into determining which is best for you.  I would recommend getting consultations from several Board Certified Plastic Surgeons.  Based on your height and weight your BMI is: 31.9.  I would recommend trying to get your BMI under 30 prior to any surgery.

Thank you for the question and pictures.  Based on the images, you will likely get more benefit from a tummy tuck.  Liposuction will likely only accentuate the excess skin that you already see.  You will get your best result by reaching your goal weight prior to surgery.  Make sure you see a board certified plastic surgeon who is willing to show you before and after photos of their work. 

Dear Ms. Y.v,Thank you for your questions. Unfortunately without a examination I can advise you in general terms, however I hope you will find them helpful.Based solely on your photos I believe your best choice is a abdominoplasty and flank liposuction after reaching your goal weight.Total costs are based on several components:A)what part of the country you have your surgery (coastal cities are generally higher than inland cities)B)surgeons fees (more experienced surgeons are higher than less experienced)C)anesthesia fees (nurse anesthetist vs Bd. Cert. Anesthesiologist) D)facility fees (operations done in a hospital setting are usually higher in total cost)E) special equipment needed or supplies (implants, etc).Please search RealSelf & Am. Society of Plastic Surgery web sites for the sections on the average costs and fees.Most Plastic Surgeons have financing options available.I feel compelled to state that while total cost should always be takeninto consideration it  is your body and we usually "get what we pay for".I recommend that you make several consultative appointments with Plastic Surgeons who are experienced and Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. In addition ideally they are members of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (denoting by membership as having met additional criteria and a focus on Cosmetic Plastic Surgery).I wish you my best and success,R. A. Hardesty, MD, FACSDiplomate and Certified by the Am. Bd. of Plastic Surgerywwwimagineplasticsurgery.com4646 Brockton AveRiverside, Ca 92506(951) 686-7600

it is impossible to make good suggestions based on your photos. Despite being significantly overweight, it does not appear that you have any overhang of skin or fat. There is no posterior photo to assess your love handles. If i had to guess, i think a lot of your fat is intra-abdominal which means it is behind the muscle and located where your stomach and intestines are. This means it is not amenable to either Smarlipo or a TT. This means, neither of these will benefit you very much. You would have to lose weight  - at least 30 lbs and then get reassessed. It is always best to get my opinion checked by someone who can see you in person and examine you. IF you are going to see someone, make sure that it is a board certified PS.good luckdavid berman md