Am I a good candidate for Smart Liposuction?

Question

I feel like I'm always bloated and I have a stubborn fat on my belly. I lose it when I lose the over all weight but I don't want to lose the weight on my legs and booty. I also have hip dips which makes me self conscious. Am I a good candidate for Smart Lipo? What are the chances of getting lumps and bumps or should I just get Sculptra in my hips dips? It's a weird question but please help

Kimberly Butterwick, MD · Answer

I appreciate your question. Liposuction is an excellent option for removing stubborn fat from targeted areas. I use the tumescent technique, which is minimally invasive and can usually be performed using local anesthetic. Micro-cannulas are inserted directly into the fat deposit to gently suction the tissue away. The procedure leaves little or no visible scarring behind and ensures smooth results because of the tiny cannulas utilized. The fat that is extracted can be used for autologous fat transfer in areas like the hip dips you mentioned. Sculptra is another option for this concern, but if you are having liposuction, it makes sense to use the fat that is harvested. It will be more economical and some of the fat will remain permanently, unlike Sculptra, which will last about two years. Make sure you work with an experienced, board-certified physician to ensure a safe and successful procedure.

Douglas Wu, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. Unfortunately, it is difficult to make a recommendation without at least a few photos to show your areas of concern. In general, liposuction is designed for people who have reached a stable weight but still have stubborn pockets of fat they would like to eliminate. The abdomen is a very common treatment area. I perform the Awake liposuction technique, which uses tumescent fluid to ensure greater precision and a quicker recovery process. Your hip dips could be treated using either Sculptra injections or autologous fat transfer. Make sure you work with a board-certified dermatologist to ensure your treatment is both safe and successful.

Yily De Los Santos, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. It would've been better to see pictures and get a better idea of what you need, but generally speaking, sounds like liposuction and fat transfer are what you need. I highly recommend Vaser liposuction, results are much better than traditional liposuction. As for the dents in your hips, it's common trouble area because that's where there's a division of muscles, you can see that clearly on people who excersice and have tone muscles, most times that dent is present.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

you need to post photos and see what you need in a consultation.  plus, smart liposuction is outdated.
You need a formal evaluation by an expert in body shaping and contouring to determine what is best.  Traditional liposuction awake and smart liposuction are old methods and do very poorly for tightening skin or significant skin tightening or contouring.  Small problem areas can be improved slightly by these methods.  The best in body contouring not only removes fat with energy devices like VASER ultrasound but also internally heat the skin with radio-frequency devices such as J PLASMA/RENUVION, InMode BodyTite, ThermiRF to heat the under surface of the skin and tighten it at the same time as fat removal. These combinations are called 4D HIDEF VASER contouring and can only be done by a well . trained body contouring specialist. At the same time fat should be harvested, PRP and stem cells added and injected into muscles or indentations/cellulite to get body shaping and contouring.  This is known as a Brazilian butt lift when you inject the fat to the buttock for contouring and lifting, but fat can also be used in areas such as the chest/breast, arms/shoulders, calves and face.  Cellulite should also be treated with cellfina, sculptra, subcision and/or fillers such as bellafill, renuva synthetic fat, or sculptra.  If skin is very loose before surgery then it will need to be removed such as lower abdominal skin (tummy tuck/abdominoplasty), breast skin (breast lift), arm skin (brachioplasty).  Overall you need a full assessment, but simple liposuction alone will not tighten skin and needs a combination of various methods -- fat removal, skin tightening, defining, fat grafting, skin removal -- to get the best in body contouring and body sculpting.  Dr. Emer.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear sk22561,
it is hard to tell for sure without an examination. Generally speaking, fat transfer is a great option for hip dips. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to 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

Gregory Chambon, MD · Answer

Belly fat is comprised of a combination of subcutaneous fat (what you can pinch) and visceral fat which lays below the muscle. Any form of liposuction can only address to subcutaneous fat. Smart Lipo in particular is done under local anesthesia, lasering inside to melt the fat and improve skin tightening, and using a smaller canula, with less lumps and bumps. You need a face-to-face consultation to sort out if you are a good candidate.

Leonard Grossman, MD · Answer

There's absolutely nothing better than using your own fat to fill in the voids such as hip dips. Sculptra should be used in patients who absolutely do not have sufficient fat available for fat grafting or cannot have fat grafting for some other reasons. As long as you go to a plastic surgeon who is extremely experienced in fat grafting techniques or the use of Sculptra, you put yourself at a risk. Make sure you find an expert in fat grafting techniques first and let them evaluate you in person or at least provide a good set of photographs for an evaluation. I hope this helps and good luck from New York City plastic surgery

Arian Mowlavi, MD, FACS (license on probation) · Answer

Smart Lipo can not provide the same contour and precision that high definition VASER liposuction can provide. If there is enough fat, you should consider high defintion VASER liposuction. This is also very effective at correcting hip dips.The Gold Standard for superior liposuction results requires use of the advanced technology of ultrasound assisted VASER liposuction. As an official trainer of VASER liposuction, I perform full body liposuction cases every week. VASER liposuction has been the only modality that has consistently resulted in outstanding liposuction outcomes. VASER liposuction ensures a smooth contour regardless of degree of excess fat by virtue of being able to remove any and all remaining fat comprehensively and uniformly. If skin redundancy is observed, Renuvion technology can be simultaneously applied to tighten your skin to optimize your overall contour outcome. A Skype or FaceTime consultation with a VASER specialist will help you get an accurate recommendation and pricing.
Respectfully, 
Arian Mowlavi MD, FACS
Realself 100 Hall of Fame Inductee

Randy Dean, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Hi and welcome to our forum!
This is a common question asked by many. Unfortunately we lack the basic information necessary to provide appropriate advice. 
Your height and weight is extremely important. BMI, or body mass index (weight in kg / square of height in meters) is one criterion to determine the results of a cosmetic surgery. You can find BMI calculators on the internet. If your BMI is greater than 30, the cosmetic result will not be optimal. If your BMI is greater than 35, your operative risk will rise. We recommend that you be at a healthy comfortable stable body weight at the time of surgery. The cosmetic effect improves with lower BMIs. 
Sculptra offers a temporary solution if you are demonstrating a localized area with a lack of soft tissue fullness. Are the hip dips due to a lack of fullness in the dip or excessive fullness around the dip? Photographs are extremely important to depict your problem areas and to determine proper proportions.
Visit a board certified plastic surgeon for evaluation and discussion.
Best wishes...