Will a person Need a Tummy Tuck After Liposuction?

The answer to this question depends on the amount of excessive and loose skin, the degree of skin elasticity (often age-dependent), and individual patient goals - such as removal of “stretch marks”. Generally, patients who are younger than 65 years old and have only mild to moderate lipodystrophy (excessive abdominal fat) will have excellent results from abdominal liposuction alone. This is especially true for younger patients who are interested in “liposculpting” of relatively minor regional excessive fat deposits. In these patients, the fat can be removed, and the abdominal wall can be sculpted so that the underlying muscles are visible (often producing a visible “6-pack”). The natural elasticity of the skin, combined with the inflammation from the procedure, will produce excellent skin retraction with a sculpted contour as a result. Radio frequency-assisted liposuction (i.e. Vaser) or laser-assisted liposuction (i.e. Smart Lipo) may be used to ensure optimal post-operative skin retraction.

Thank you for your question. This can depends if the patient after liposuction has loose skin. I would suggest to consult with board plastic surgeon with experience in this procedure, to get the best desired results.Respectfully,Dr. Emmanuel Mallol Cotes.-

Thank you for the question.

It is critical for patients seeking to him improve the appearance of his/her abdominal wall to receive expert advice. In my opinion, this is best done in consultation with a well experienced board-certified plastic surgeon. During this consultation it is extremely important to make the correct diagnosis and tailor recommendations based on the diagnosis.  If for some reason a correct diagnosis is not made (for example physician lack of experience or ethics)  the patient may receive unsound advice and may undergo a surgical procedure with unsatisfactory results. Further surgery may be necessary to improve the results. 

For example,  most patients who have had pregnancies and/or weight loss  experience changes in the abdominal wall musculature (spreading of the abdominal wall muscles) and/or looseness of the abdominal wall skin (related to loss of skin elasticity).   These anatomic changes must be diagnosed correctly and the treatment plan will likely be tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty).   If, for whatever reason, liposuction  surgery is performed instead the patient will likely be dissatisfied with the results and require further surgery (for example tummy tuck)  to achieve the desired results.

Conversely if a patient presents with good abdominal wall muscle tone (without diastasis)  and good skin elasticity he/she may be a good candidate for liposuction surgery alone.  Unfortunately, these favorable anatomic features are rarely seen with patients who have had pregnancies and/or significant weight loss.

Again, it is very important  for patients seeking abdominal contouring surgery to  seek consultation with a well experienced board-certified plastic surgeon to obtain advice (based on good ethics and judgment) to  improve  their chances of a successful outcome and minimize the need for further surgery.


I hope this helps.