Can I get upper back and shoulder lipo? (Photo)

Question

I have no muscle and a lot of fat in my upper back and shoulders and upper arms. Is it possible to lipo these sections? I've attached a before and what I hope for after picture. I've also drawn out in yellow the areas I'm unsure if would be liposuctioned if I get arm lipo

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

yes VASER 360 HD lipo + internal heating like renuvion will help to improve arms, shoulders and back.  I would use that fat for curves or store and use later if you want It for any other body contouring or volume. as a fit woman you really need to see an expert who does a lot of female contouring.
You need a formal evaluation by an expert in body shaping and contouring to determine what is best.  Traditional liposuction awake and smart liposuction are old methods and do very poorly for tightening skin or significant skin tightening or contouring.  Small problem areas can be improved slightly by these methods.  The best in body contouring not only removes fat with energy devices like VASER ultrasound but also internally heat the skin with radio-frequency devices such as J PLASMA/RENUVION, InMode BodyTite, ThermiRF to heat the under surface of the skin and tighten it at the same time as fat removal. These combinations are called 4D HIDEF VASER contouring and can only be done by a well . trained body contouring specialist. At the same time fat should be harvested, PRP and stem cells added and injected into muscles or indentations/cellulite to get body shaping and contouring.  This is known as a Brazilian butt lift when you inject the fat to the buttock for contouring and lifting, but fat can also be used in areas such as the chest/breast, arms/shoulders, calves and face.  Cellulite should also be treated with cellfina, sculptra, subcision and/or fillers such as bellafill, renuva synthetic fat, or sculptra.  If skin is very loose before surgery then it will need to be removed such as lower abdominal skin (tummy tuck/abdominoplasty), breast skin (breast lift), arm skin (brachioplasty).  Overall you need a full assessment, but simple liposuction alone will not tighten skin and needs a combination of various methods -- fat removal, skin tightening, defining, fat grafting, skin removal -- to get the best in body contouring and body sculpting.  Dr. Emer.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear lcamarena0517,
it is hard to tell for sure without an examination. Based on your photos, it looks like you would get good results from liposuction. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Robert W. Sheffield, MD · Answer

Thanks for your photos. I would like to perform a personalized examination before recommendation for a particular procedure. Generally, the upper back and shoulder areas have great aesthetic outcomes with a liposuction procedure. Looking at your photos, you appear to be a good candidate for liposuction, and you will have significant noticeable aesthetic effects. The natural elasticity of skin of the back comes to effect when liposuction is carried out, and the skin tightens up to give you a slim outline. Your arms can have the same benefit from liposuction though the skin is less elastic in this region compared to back.I hope it helps.

Johnson C. Lee, MD · Answer

Thank you for your photos. Yes those areas work very well with liposuction. The back skin has some of the most elasticity on the body so when you liposuction out the fat, it will tighten and give you a more a slim silhouette. The arms will benefit from liposuction as well however the skin is not as elastic in that area. In order to avoid sagging skin after liposuction, you can have J plasma skin tightening at the same time in the area which will help tighten your arms without leaving any scars. Hope this helps!Johnson C. Lee, MDBoard Certified Plastic Surgeon

Arian Mowlavi, MD, FACS (license on probation) · Answer

High defintion VASER liposuction allows your PS to contour your back and highlight muscle definition. The Gold Standard for superior liposuction results requires use of the advanced technology of ultrasound assisted VASER liposuction. As an official trainer of VASER liposuction, I perform full body liposuction cases every week. VASER liposuction has been the only modality that has consistently resulted in outstanding liposuction outcomes. VASER liposuction ensures a smooth contour regardless of degree of excess fat by virtue of being able to remove any and all remaining fat comprehensively and uniformly. If skin redundancy is observed, Renuvion technology can be simultaneously applied to tighten your skin to optimize your overall contour outcome. A Skype or FaceTime consultation with a VASER specialist will help you get an accurate recommendation and pricing.
Respectfully, 
Arian Mowlavi MD, FACS
Realself 100 Hall of Fame Inductee

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

You can definitely get Liposuction with potential nice improvements.The biggest variable is the skill of the surgeon.The second biggest variable is differentiating the difference between skin laxity and excess subcutaneous fat.The armpit area always has skin laxity with the arm in a down position.I typically take before and after pictures of arm Liposuction with the arm in a down position. This typically shows body fat more accurately and helps to take skin laxity out of the equation.Please take a look at my arm Liposuction before and after pictures posted under my profile on real self. It will give you a better understanding of how to view arm fat and the type of results that are possible.Liposuction is not going to do much for skin laxity but can give a spectacular results especially for the arms.Arms can be technically challenging so I suggest having numerous consultations trying to find the most talented and experienced board-certified plastic surgeon in your area who has extensive experience with extremity Liposuction.To find  the best provider I suggest the following.

For the whole process to go smoothly and get the results you want I suggest relying exclusively on in person consultations avoiding virtual consultations.  An in person consultation will allow you to review all the providers before and after pictures not just the sample pictures sent to you.this is really important to help show and differentiate skin and subcutaneous fat.Read each providers negative reviews on all the various physician review websites including real self, yelp, vitals, rate MD, health grades etc.Providers that have fairly similar numbers of reviews on each one of the review websites shows evidence of minimal positive review manipulation.Organic reviews simply tend to be evenly disbursed among different websites.Reading positive reviews is reassuring but I find the negative reviews are far more telling of what patient experiences have been.Asked provider to show numerous before and after pictures of the same anatomic area.An experienced provider should be able to show you at least 20 sets of before and after pictures but preferably 50 or more.  obviously we all have to start somewhere and it takes time to build a collection of before and after pictures.  Delivering consistent high-quality Liposuction results is a bit more difficult than it may seem.Ask providers to show you results that weren’t so favorable and talk about why the results are different.I encourage patients to ask to see 10 consecutive Liposuction results.Some providers may not offer this and it may be challenging for arms but it’s worth asking.Find the right provider and everything falls into place including setting correct expectations.Lastly, my first hand experience with skin tightening procedures including radio frequency such as Renuvion, J plasma or bodytite have been underwhelming.Skin surgery is probably not warranted because of the potentially visible scar.Liposuction should deliver nice results but understanding what it can and cannot deliver has a big impact on the sense of satisfaction after the procedure.

Best,

Mats Hagstrom MD

Frederic H. Corbin, MD (license restricted) · Answer

Thank you for the question and photos and the simple answer is Yesbut an examination is needed.   So go on some complimentary consultations with experts and compare recommendations after a full examination and discussion of desired results Dr Corbin

Mahmood Kara, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Hello
Thank you for your inquiry and pictures. Both surgical and non surgical options (such as cool sculpting) are available for you to get results. However, for your best aesthetic results a surgical option (liposuction) is my recommendation.  Based on your photo alone, it seems that you would be a candidate for liposuction. Your skin integrity would have to assessed in person to determine the elasticity and better determine if you would get retraction of your skin after the procedure, or if your concerns would be better addressed with a brachioplasty.We utilize S.A.F.E. liposuction. A method which involves multiple steps: infiltration, separation, aspiration, fat equalization. These steps ensure the greatest safety and efficacy for the patient. In addition, this method leaves you with a smooth contour, and less chance of 'lumps and bumps' after surgery. 
We recommend compression and lymphatic massage after surgery for your best aesthetic outcomes.
We encourage you check out our website and instagram (drkaraplasticsurgery) for lots of before and after pictures!
During the COVID-19, we are offering complimentary online consultations that are secure and private. Please visit our website and fill out the online form. 
M.Kara,MD,FRCSC (27+ years of experience) 
-Specializing in 24 hour recovery/ out to dinner breast augmentation in-hospital private surgical facility for your added safety and peace of mind

Can I get upper back and shoulder lipo? (Photo)

Answers (8)