Will liposuction of the abdomen and flanks help me look better? Rough estimate cost?

Thank you for your question. Based on your pictures, I do not believe that liposuction alone will give you the results you are looking for. Because you do appear to have skin laxity in the stomach, liposuction will potentially increase the amount of extra skin once there is less fat. In order to remove and tighten the skin, as well as the abdominal wall, the only solution is a tummy tuck. If you were to have only the liposuction, it is likely that the amount of excess skin would actually increase, as there would be less fat to fill it out. When your skin is stretched by multiple variables (such as pregnancy, weight gain, and getting older), it can be like a rubber band. Once it has been stretched to a certain degree, it cannot go back to its original size. Similarly, our skin is unable to tighten on its own once there is a certain degree of skin laxity. A tummy tuck combined with liposuction will remove the extra skin that you notice hanging over and give you a better result.I hope this helps.Nick Slenkovich, MD, FACS

Because your stomach hangs, liposuction will not tighten this up. Your skin will remain saggy and “hanging over”. Therefore a tummy tuck, or body lift, are more suitable options for you as they both tighten up loose skin.

liposuction would help however tummy tuck is also needed if you would like to have better results.  The cost is $2500 for the lipo and $5000 for the tummy tuck

Thank you for your question and photos. If you do only liposuction you will not get great results as it will leave you with a good quantity of loose skin hanging on your tummy. You´re a good candidate for a full tummy tuck which will remove excess skin and fat from the lower abdomen and restore the weakened abdominal wall, giving a firmer and smoother appearance. We nearly always add liposuction to our tummy tucks to sculpt the body 360 degrees to achieve an ideal feminine figure. Tummy tuck is a very powerful technique in the right hands, and can have dramatic results if done correctly. You definitely have to choose your surgeon correctly and make sure that he/she has the training and experience to meet your goals with absolute safety. Don’t settle for less than a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with specialized expertise in this procedure.

I do not think liposuction will give you the results you are looking for because it will not remove the loose, hanging skin and may, in fact, worsen it. A tummy tuck is the procedure that will correct your issues.  To lessen potential risks, I would recommend continuing to lose as much weight as you can before proceeding. At a lower weight, you will obtain a better result with fewer potential risks.  Surgery will also be less costly because it will take less time. Keep up the good work with diet and exercise and then see a board certified plastic surgeon for a consultation when you are ready.