Vaser Lipo on its own or with a tummy tuck? (photos)

Question

Hi, I’m I definitely going ahead with Vaser Liop on my abdominal area and flanks. I’ve enquired with 2 surgeons and both have said I’m a good candidate for it, my only issue is one has suggested a mini Tummy tuck for excess skin on my lower tummy, where the other surgeon said I shouldn’t be left with a fold. I exercise 4 to 5 times a week, I’m healthy at 42 years old. Would you go for the tummy tuck?

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question and for sharing your photos. Based on your photos, you're an excellent candidate for a tummy tuck. I can confidently say you’ll have amazing results with this procedure. Due to the amount of excess skin in your abdominal area, if you opted for Vaser liposuction alone, you would likely be left with hanging skin since Vaser can only help the skin contract to a certain extent.

Combining a tummy tuck with liposuction of the flanks and even the lower back would give you even better results, as it will provide more definition and create a contoured, hourglass shape. Additionally, muscle plication (tightening of the abdominal muscles) during a tummy tuck will significantly improve any protruding of your tummy, giving you a flatter, more toned appearance.

Please consult with multiple plastic surgeons to see what's best for you. Plastic surgeons on realself often offer free or discounted consultations. I would take advantage of that and find a plastic surgeon whose goals align with yours.

Good luck!

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

Mark H. Tseng, MD · Answer

Hi sammyj100,I am happy to answer your question.Vaser liposuction can be an effective way to remove stubborn fat deposits in the abdominal area and flanks. However, it's important to keep in mind that liposuction alone may not address excess skin or abdominal muscle laxity. If you have significant excess skin in your lower tummy, a mini tummy tuck may be a better option to achieve your desired results.
During a mini tummy tuck, excess skin and fat are removed from the lower abdomen, and the remaining skin is tightened. The incision is typically smaller than a full tummy tuck, and the recovery time is shorter.
It's important to discuss your concerns and goals with your surgeon and ask any questions you may have. They can evaluate your anatomy, skin elasticity, and muscle tone and recommend the best approach to achieve your desired results. They can also explain the risks and benefits of each procedure and help you make an informed decision that aligns with your goals and expectations.
Remember to choose a board-certified plastic surgeon with experience performing Vaser liposuction and tummy tuck procedures, and follow their pre- and post-operative instructions carefully to ensure a safe and successful outcome.

Kelvin Eusebio, MD · Answer

You are a great candidate for a tummy tuck to remove the fat-skin excess and fix the belly for a flatter one. Lipo on the upper abdomen, Sides, upper-lower back with waist definition plus fat transfer to the buttocks and hip area BBL.

Sean Satey, MD, FACS · Answer

Exercising 4-5 times a week is a huge deal, and congratulations to you! HD lipo will definitely help remove excess fat, and enhance your toned, athletic body. However, the redundancy of skin under your belly button will be best served with an excision. Depending on how much fat your surgeon will remove, you will inherently have some degree of skin laxity. Now, adding that skin laxity (looseness) to the current skin redundancy (excess) may become an issue. The more taught your skin is, the better the results will be. 
In my practice, I offer my patients two pathways after high definition VASER lipo- either skin tightening (with Renuvion J Plasma or BodyTite) or skin excision (mini tuck, pubic skin excision, etc.). The take home point is that the skin needs to be addressed in one way or another. 
Cheers,
Dr. Sean Satey

Shawna R. Kleban, MD · Answer

Liposuction alone (even when adding VASER) removes fat but does not have the ability to significantly tighten up loose skin. There can be some minimal to moderate skin tightening when adding on VASER (Ultrasound-assisted) or radiofrequency to traditional liposuction. The advantage of a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is the ability to remove excess skin and also address the underlying musculature. In patients with rectus diastasis, a tummy tuck allows for tightening of the abdominal wall (muscle plication) which cannot be performed with liposuction alone.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

Individuals with skin laxative are not ideal candidates for liposuction.
That is not to say that you can’t have good results but the best candidates for liposuction tend to be young pudgy women with tight skin.
The equipment used is some of the irrelevant though providers ones familiar with VASER definitely like that equipment. The same results can be obtained with any form of liposuction and the equipment is not a determining factor in regards to quality outcome.
Delivering consistent quality liposuction results is more difficult to the most people believe in this includes most plastic surgeons.
Liposuction results are permanent and more or less irreversible. If done poorly it can leave people disfigured.
To find the best provider I recommend patients have multiple in person consultations with local board-certified plastic surgeons. During each consultation ask each provider to show their entire collection of before and after pictures of abdominal liposuction results. being shown a handful of sample pictures which most likely represent the best results of each providers career is insufficient to get a clear understanding of what average results look like in the hands of each provider. Ask providers to show you previous patients with similar body characteristics to your own. this is also true if you want to include a tummy tuck or mini tummy tuck.
Sufficiently experienced plastic surgeons should be able to show you pictures of patients who have had liposuction with a tummy tuck or mini tummy tuck.
An experienced provider should have no difficulty showing you at least 50 sats up before and after pictures for common procedures like abdominal liposuction. ask providers to show you examples of excellent outcomes, average outcomes and less than outcomes.When reviewing results look carefully at all areas that were treated to make sure there are no contour irregularities anywhere on the treated areas.
Ask the surgeons what area were treated and what areas were not treated and where the transition zones are between treated and entréed areas. look carefully at these transition zones to make sure they look completely natural with no evidence of having had previous liposuction.
Personally I view the torso as a single anatomic unit and generally recommend treating the entire torso if somebody wants liposuction on any part of their abdomen.
A full torso includes upper abdomen, lower abdomen, love handles, waist, full back and under arms all the way to the side of the breast.
The decision of including a tummy tuck depends on what you’re trying to achieve and what you’re willing to go through. A full tummy tuck with muscle tightening will have a major impact on what the recovery is like.
A full tummy tuck with muscle tightening is a major operation that takes two full weeks of recovery without commitment to work or child care obligations.
The recovery from a mini tummy tuck or a skin only tummy tuck without muscle tightening is not much different than just having liposuction with the exception that most surgeons will most likely place drains. drains can be frustrating, uncomfortable and a fairly unpleasant part of surgery especially if they need to stay in for longer than a week.
If you want a tight flat abdomen then you have no option but to include a tummy tuck. if you want tight skin above your belly button then it needs to be a full tummy tuck.
To judge providers for quality work regarding the full tummy tucks look specifically at who gets the most natural looking belly buttons. getting a natural looking belly button is the hardest part of a full tummy tuck and surgeons who can do that on a consistent basis typically know how to do all aspects of the procedure well. Other aspects of quality work when it comes to tummy tuck results include a low set scar that follows an atomic contour naturally. The torso should look good from all angles including from behind.
He used the same approach when reviewing before and after pictures and again experience surgeons should have no difficulty showing you at least 50 sets of before and after pictures of common procedures like a full tummy tuck. what the scar looks like has little to do with this skill of the surgeon and has more to do with the timeframe when pictures were taken. What the surgeon does have control over is the design of this car, how low the scar is set and if the procedure makes the entire torso look attractive. in particular getting a good looking belly button which is the hardest part of a full tummy tuck.
Properly vetting plastic surgeons and finding the right provider is a major time commitment and in my opinion patients should interview a minimum of five plastic surgeons but may need to interview as many as 10 or 15 before finding the right provider.
Once performed results cannot be changed from these procedures and patients are stuck with the outcome for life.
Being board-certified in plastic surgery with an overall good reputation is insufficient to confirm somebody can do either of these procedures well on a consistent basis.
The decision of including a tummy tuck is a very personal decision that you should make yourself. For some people having a tight flat abdomen is very important and for others it’s not.
Some people don’t mind a long recovery and are OK with the surgical scar implications of having that procedure. some patients simply do not want a tummy tuck and are OK with having loose skin while others find it justified and are willing to go through it to get that type of result
In the end don’t choose providers based on what equipment they use. Find the right plastic surgeon and everything falls into place.
The right equipment makes no difference but skill, experience and dedication to excellence does.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD

Alejandro Mendez Sashida, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Hi good morning
Your figure can be greatly improved with HD liposculpture. If you have open muscles, you could do a mini tummy tuck to close those open muscles and remove excess skin.

Kristine Brecht, MD (license suspended) · Answer

Dear Sammy,
Great question! 
You are in a inbetween place with your skin.
Lipo alone will be good, but loose skin will be left in the lower abdomen area. A tummy tuck is the gold standard for tightening skin, but then you have a long incision. An additional option available is Renuvion, which tightens the skin underneath through the same dots as the liposuction. My patients love it as an option.
Best. DrBrecht 
Seattle, Wa

Randy Dean, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Hi and welcome to our forum!
From your photos, I note a full abdomen associated with a hanging abdominal pannus. 
Without a physical examination, I cannot discern between a lower abdominal fat repository versus a diastasis recti where the anterior abdominal muscles have been splayed apart during pregnancy as the fetus grows beyond the ability of the anterior abdominal muscles to contain the increasing internal volume. In addition, the overlying skin has stretched out as well, resulting in the hanging flap of skin and soft tissue above the pubis.
Liposuction alone may result in a residual hanging pannus and will not correct a diastasis recti.
Abdominoplasty will flatten the abdomen and eliminate the lax skin.
Best wishes...

Vaser Lipo on its own or with a tummy tuck? (photos)

Answers (9)

More Vaser Liposuction Questions

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS

Answers (9)

More Vaser Liposuction Questions

Have a LINX magnetic implant for reflux management - can I still have Vaser Liposuction?

34, 5'8, 72lbs weight loss in 2 years - am I a good candidate for Vaser? (Photos)

Vaser Lipo as an addon?

Scars and evaluation of my results after Vaser lipo? (Photo)

Is Vaser Liposuction on the jawline and lower cheek dangerous?

29 years old, 5’4, 120lbs: am I a good candidate for Vaser Liposuction on tummy/flanks? (photos)

WE SEND PRETTY EMAILS

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS