30, relatively good health - what is the best way to get multiple procedures done?

HI Gentle. I commonly perform multiple procedures during the same surgery. A combination surgery including tummy tuck, lipo and fat grafting can safely be done at the same time. Combining these surgeries is ideal to minimize recoveries. There is a limit to the amount of liposuction and fat grafting that can be performed at one time, so if the liposuction and/or fat grafting amount is extensive, you may need it broken up into multiple sessions. I encourage you to seek out a board-certified plastic surgeon to see if you are a good candidate for this multi procedure surgery. Best of luck in your aesthetic journey!

Thank you for your question regarding the best approach to safely and effectively stage multiple procedures, including tummy tuck, 360 liposuction, fat grafting to the breasts, buttocks, and face, as well as chin and arm liposuction. You’re in your 30s and in relatively good health, which makes you a strong candidate for combination procedures—but strategy and timing are everything.

For patients like you who want to remove fat and use it for grafting while also planning a tummy tuck, I recommend staging the 360 liposuction with fat transfer first. This means starting with 360 lipo to harvest the maximum amount of high-quality fat, then immediately using that fat to perform a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) and fat grafting to the breasts and face. This approach allows us to take advantage of all available fat before any is removed with skin during the tummy tuck. Once the fat is transferred and has had time to settle and "take," you can then return for the tummy tuck, which removes the maximum amount of loose skin without wasting valuable fat.

If you do the tummy tuck first, you’ll lose a significant amount of usable fat with the excised skin, which could reduce the effectiveness of the fat grafting procedures. That’s why we almost always recommend doing liposuction with fat transfer first, followed by a skin removal procedure like a tummy tuck later.

Depending on how extensive your arm and chin lipo needs are, that can often be added to your first stage as well, especially if you’re under the recommended anesthesia time (generally around 6–8 hours). Each patient is different, but this two-stage plan tends to give the best aesthetic outcome with the safest recovery process.

Thank you again for your question regarding options for staging surgery and making the most of your fat for grafting. Please be sure to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon who has significant experience in both body contouring and fat transfer. Look for someone who has performed at least 100+ of these combination cases and can show you before and after photos of real patients with similar goals. If you can’t find someone near you, it’s worth considering travel to see a true specialist.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen
(President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, International College of Surgery, and American Board of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, and RealSelf Hall of Fame.)

Thanks so much for your question,
Combining multiple procedures can be done, but there are a few key safety and staging considerations that surgeons will base your surgical plan on.

Consult with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon,
will evaluate: Your skin quality, fat availability, anatomy, How much can be done safely in one round, What must be staged vs. what can be combined.

Sincerely
Dr. Emmanuel Mallol