32, no children - Tummy tuck or liposuction 360? (Photo)

Dear kias92,

it is hard to tell for sure without an examination. If you are considering surgery, I would suggest you 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

An in-person consultation would be needed to assure proper plan. Upon viewing the photo provided, it does appear that you may need lipoabdominoplasty. If you do lipo alone, you may risk having skin laxity that would leave you dissatisfied.

First off, congratulations on your weight loss! Your presentation included a lot of the information that a plastic surgeon is going to ask you regarding the decision between liposuction vs. a tummy tuck. Based on the information you presented, I think that either of those options is reasonable for you. It really comes down to a matter of what your aesthetic goals are for the surgery.
In liposuction, the fat cells are removed through very small incisions. Depending where the liposuction is performed, fat can be targeted in specific areas (abdomen vs. flanks vs. back). That is a great option for patients who have isolated pockets of excess fatty tissue. Some patients get "Liposuction 360," in which the liposuction is done all around the torso. With liposuction, your skin is going to retract down some naturally on its own. Using one of the skin tightening devices can expedite and potentially increase the amount of skin retraction that you will experience. I usually recommend using one of the skin tightening devices for patients who are going to have aggressive liposuction and/or if they have laxity to their skin, which is fairly common in patients who have had significant weight loss. The downside to doing aggressive liposuction in some patients is that it can leave them with excess, loose skin. The fat is still removed by the liposuction, but the skin's ability to retract might not be enough to compensate for the amount of fat that is removed.
Another difference between liposuction and a tummy tuck is the ability to perform muscle wall repair (plication). With a tummy tuck, the six-pack muscle can be brought back together, or the abdominal wall muscles can be tightened, by this process. That's not possible with traditional liposuction. The reason that is important is because muscle wall repair is what gives a lot of patients the "flat" appearance of the abdomen from the side view. By repairing the muscle or tightening the abdominal muscle, the circumference of the abdomen is decreased, and the protrusion of the central abdomen is reduced. This protrusion isn't present in everyone though. If you haven't had any pregnancies and if your weight loss has been fairly mild, doing muscle wall repair might not be necessary. In that case, liposuction +/- some skin tightening procedure could give you the results that you want.
With a tummy tuck, the muscle wall can be repaired, resulting in a flatter appearance to the stomach from the side view. The excess skin below the belly button is also cut out. That obviously results in a much longer scar than what you'd see with liposuction. There are different kinds of tummy tucks, so I would recommend discussing those with your surgeon if you are interested in pursuing that option.
Some surgeons will also combine a tummy tuck with liposuction. That combination is great for patient who want a really flat tummy and a curvy figure with a more accentuated transition from the waist to the hip area.

Thank you for your photo. Your BMI is 24. I do not see any stretch marks on your skin of your abdomen. At age 32 your skin elasticity is likely still very good. Liposuction would allow you to thin the areas that you were concerned with, with the most minimal scarring. This should help you achieve your goals without a permanent incision line across your entire lower abdomen. The liposuction combined with some skin tightening modalities would be your best way forward. Best wishes.

First of all, congratulations on reaching such a healthy place, getting your BMI down to 24 is an amazing achievement, and it’s clear how committed you are to your transformation! It’s very common, even for fit women, to struggle with that last bit of stubborn abdominal fat that just doesn’t respond to diet or exercise. You’re not alone in wanting that area smooth, tight, and beautifully contoured.
The best choice between 360° liposuction and a tummy tuck really depends on what your skin is doing, not just the fat underneath. If your skin still feels firm and elastic when you pinch it, liposuction with advanced skin tightening (like BodyTite, Renuvion, or Vaser-assisted sculpting) can often achieve stunning results, defining your waistline and flattening the abdomen with minimal downtime and no long scars.
If your skin has lost some of its firmness, especially after weight fluctuations, then a mini or full tummy tuck may be the better choice. It removes the excess skin, tightens the underlying tissue, and creates that sleek, toned look you’ve been working toward, especially when combined with subtle liposculpting around the waist and flanks.
At your current size and age, you’re in the perfect position for a beautifully tailored approach, something designed to enhance your natural shape while keeping your results refined and feminine. Many of my patients in your situation choose a hybrid plan: targeted lipo for sculpting, paired with a small tuck or tightening for that flawlessly smooth finish.
With the right plan, you can absolutely achieve the flat, contoured abdomen you’ve been envisioning, one that looks effortless, natural, and completely your own.
Dr. Sibel Atalay, MDBoard-Certified Plastic Surgeon & Destination Doctor

The best choice depends on whether your concern is excess fat alone or a combination of loose skin, fat, and possible muscle laxity. From your photo, you seem to have good skin quality without significant sagging, which may make you a strong candidate for 360° liposuction.

A tummy tuck is typically recommended when there is stretched skin, loose abdominal muscles, or a lower abdominal “pooch” that won’t improve with liposuction alone. At 32 with no history of pregnancy, you may not need muscle repair unless there’s separation from weight fluctuations.

A consultation allows for a detailed evaluation of skin elasticity, fat distribution, and underlying muscle tone to determine which procedure will give you the best result.

From your photos and your description, you do not appear to have the type of loose skin or muscle separation that typically requires a tummy tuck. At your age, and with no history of pregnancy, your abdominal skin quality is still strong, so a full abdominoplasty would likely be unnecessary.
Your abdomen looks more like a case of stubborn, evenly distributed fat rather than true skin laxity. For this pattern, 360-degree liposuction—possibly combined with a skin-tightening device—usually provides a significant improvement without the large scar and downtime of a tummy tuck.
A proper in-person evaluation would confirm whether liposuction alone can achieve your goals, but based on what you’ve shared, you seem to be a good candidate for a lipo-based approach rather than a tummy tuck.

Based on your post photo and you’re not having children, we like to recommend to avoid a tummy tuck but in person or virtual consultation is needed to better describe your issues. I would lean toward Lipo 360 with J plasma expect fees to range from $8000-$12,000 again best of virtual consult with