Can Someone Who is Overweight or Mildly Obese Get Liposculpture or Smart Lipo, for Body Shaping Purposes?

Theoretically, yes, but as you have pointed out liposuction is not for weight loss.  There would have to be a very specific localized are that if treated would make a significant difference for body contour. Patients who have a high BMI and large tummy, usually have a lot of intra-abdominal fat, and in the case mentioned, that is even more likely to be so, since you noted that your hips are relatively narrow compared to your abdomen.
This is why surgeons recommend that patients be as close as possible to their ideal weight or the results will not be optimal.  If the amount to be removed is more than 3-5,000 cc total (6-10 lbs.), then surgery has increased risks. For a patient with a BMI of 39, we would advise significant weight loss before considering liposuction. An example of a patient who had a combined tummy tuck and liposuction with a BMI of 38 is shown below. 

Thank you for sharing your concern with us. I recommend you to loose weight before considerate get these procedures done. You must be a healthy person, within an appropriate BMI of below 30, for safety reasons, to be a good candidate for the procedures you want at the same time, your labs and cardiovascular preoperative evaluation must be optimal.
Respectfully,Dr. Emmanuel Mallol Cotes.

Liposuction is NOT a method of #weight loss or an alternative to diet and exercise. It does not affect one's metabolism. It is usually recommended that patients who have recently experienced weight loss and massive weight loss (#MWL) remain consistent at their weight for at least six to twelve months prior any cosmetic surgery. Such will better ensure longer lasting results of the procedure without risking the fluctuation and stretching of the skin tissue. An ideal  #candidate for #Liposuction is a person in good health who seeks a minimally invasive way to remove stubborn fat. Those who seek increased sculpting of are ideal vaser lipo candidates.
It's best to begin consulting with a board certified plastic surgery to learn if you are a candidate for liposuction. If so, you will then learn more about which #technique will work best for you and your goals. It is important you select a plastic surgeon who is #board-certified and has a great deal of experience with #vaser #liposuction. Information that you read online may not apply to your personal situation.

You are correct, #liposuction is not a weight loss procedure (though you do lose weight). In your case you might want to consider a hybrid approach - lose weight by diet and exercise and when you get to a point where it doesn't seem to want to come off more then consider this procedure. Only see a board certified plastic surgeon for the best result and for safety.

First of all Smart lipo is not recommended for people who are even slightly overweight as it can take multiple treatments to reach desired results making it a very costly alternative. Second, 'Liposculpture' is just a marketing term for liposuction. Thirdly, I find it best for patients to reduce their weight before any cosmetic surgical procedure as results are more likely to be esthetically pleasing. That being said, I believe liposuction can help achieve a smaller waist line, but it would be best to submit a picture to best advise in your particular case. Best wishes, Dr. H 

Without pictures or seeing you in person, it is impossible to give you complete advice.  Also, liposuction is not a weight loss procedure, but a contouring procedure.  With that said, liposuction done in the right candidates can have very nice results.  I would suggest that you see consultation with local board certified plastic surgeons to discuss your options.

 

Good Luck.

Before surgery, patients should be at their goal weight to achieve the best results. It is not recommended that overweight or obese patient have liposuction, as it is not a form of weight loss.

It is always best to get down to your goal weight before undergoing either excision procedures or potential liposuction. A BMI of 39 is pretty high.  Keep doing the great job to lose weight on your own first.  Good luck.

It can be done, but is not advised. Don't even toy with " laser lipo" = not an option. Regular lipo usually limits itself to 5L removal on an outpatient basis -- that is about 10- 12 lbs totally. This is no good for weight loss as you can gain that back really quickly unless you are on a weight loss diet. See a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss all of the ramifications of surgery.

I always advise patients not to undergo liposuction until they have reached a weight at which they are comfortable. This, frankly, is different for everyone. The concerns would be that 1/if you lost weight afterwards, there woud be sagging of the skin, which would not be aesthetically pleasing, and 2/whether you are a candidate for liposuction based on the condition of your skin and its ability to tighten after surgery. To make a differene, you would need full liposuction, not one of the more limited procedures. Also, I would not want you to spend money on a procedure which might give very limited results and require later revision. You are absolutely correct that liposuction is not a substitute for weight loss and, in fact, patients lose very little weight from the procedure--it's about contouring.