Will liposuction alone deliver results or should I consider a tummy tuck as well? (photos)

Question

I’m 5’ 2” and weigh 118 lbs. I went in for a consultation for a breast augmentation and lipo but my doctor suggested a full on tummy tuck. I am waiting on my doctor to reply but would like other opinions. I wasn’t told if I have Diastasis Recti, but he did tell me I had an umbilical hernia. Can I get the lipo360 without a tummy tuck and it still look good?

Gary M. Horndeski, MD · Answer

In your photos, you can see that your abdomen is protruding anteriorly and you have an umbilical hernia.  If you are not planning future pregnancies, I recommend abdominoplasty with mesh reinforcement.  The mesh creates a more hourglass figure by compressing the abdominal wall resulting in early satiety and helps maintain a reduced weight.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Gerald Minniti, MD, FACS · Answer

Although liposuction will do a fantastic job on  your waist, it will do very little to your belly contour, which is almost entirely do to laxity of the muscle wall. Further, you have an umbilical hernia and skin laxity around it, which can only be fixed by a tummy tuck. A word of caution: nothing but a FULL tummy tuck will help take care of everything and give you an optimum result, but many surgeons will not perform a full tuck on you because of what they will call a 'lack of extra skin'. This proclamation is based on the fact that most surgeons don't want to leave you with a short, midline, vertical scar in your lower abdomen. That scar represents where the skin was once attached to your belly button. Some surgeons might perform a full tuck, but leave you with an unacceptably high transverse scar for the same reason. You'll need to go to a surgeon that cares not about leaving you with a small vertical scar and very difficult to see and very low long transverse scar. So, going on consultations you should ask your surgeon 'how will you manage the hole in my skin from where it was attached to my belly button'? The only acceptable answer is 'I will simply close it, leaving you with a small vertical scar'. You can see many examples of this on my 5ocial m3dia.

David Janssen, MD, FACS · Answer

This forum never replaces an in person exam. The laxity that is seen on the side views implies that you have more muscle wall laxity especially around your umbilicus with less of a fat issue than muscle. Your bulge will persist if you do not fix the "gristle" tissue around your muscles in a formal TT. You will likely be disappointed with lipo.

Will liposuction alone deliver results or should I consider a tummy tuck as well? (photos)

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Will liposuction alone deliver results or should I consider a tummy tuck as well? (photos)

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Everything you need to know about Lipo 360

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.