Liposuction: Info, Prices, Photos, Reviews, Q&A

Deciding about what surgery is best is a very difficult task. Bigger surgery with best results isn`t always the best for the patient. There are more complications involved and a more difficult recovery.

In your photos, there seems to have stretch marks, skin laxity and abdominal muscle diastase.

The ideal surgery wold be an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck). Since you are not up to a big recovery, an alternative approach seems more suitable. A lipossuction procedure promotes skin contraction in every case, in different degrees.

Some have more contraction than others, but there is always some contraction. So loose skin is not the big problem, but the muscle diastasis will have no correction. The amount of muscle laxity can only be determined in a physical exam.

If it is too much apart, you won`t have a flat stomach. Also there is no impediment for you to have a lipossuction first and see what kind of result you get. Most patients with the same problem are happy with a sufficient result.

In the worst scenario, you can still submit yourself to an abdominoplasty later with a small scar, because you will have less skin and fat to remove due to the contraction. In conclusion, go for a lipossuction and if it is not enough for you, you can in a more opportune time have an abdominoplasty. (Andre Eyler, MD, Brazil Plastic Surgeon)

From your photos it appears you need to tummy tuck. Liposuction will not give you a flat stomach and the excess loose skin can be visible under some clothing. (Janet Turkle, MD, Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon)

Although an examination is required to give exact recommendations, it appears from your photographs that the only way to give you a flat stomach is to have a tummy tuck.

You do not appear to be overweight, so it is unlikely that you have much fat to be removed. You have lost skin elasticity from your pregnancies and it appears that you have loose abdominal muscles also due to pregnancy.

The only way to repair this is to have a tummy tuck to get rid of the excess skin and tighten the muscles. It is most likely the muscle repair that will flatten your abdomen.

Liposuction will almost assuredly be disappointing with looser skin and the bulge will remain. I would not waste the time and money for lipo. (James McMahan, MD, Columbus Plastic Surgeon)

You do appear to have some significant muscle separation which is what is causing the upper bulge look in your upper abdomen. You also appear to already have some loose skin in the abdominal area.

Liposuction is not going to do anything for either of these concerns. Liposuction will only remove any superficial fat that is between your skin and abdominal cavity, but not inside. Any visceral fat that is inside your abdominal cavity and surrounding your organs will have to be addressed with diet and exercise.

It appears as though you have significant weakness of your abdominal wall muscles, and loose skin already. Liposuction alone wouldn’t fix the weak muscles, and would likely leave you with even more loose skin.

You appear to be an excellent candidate for a tummy tuck, which would tighten your muscles and remove much of that loose skin from your belly button downward.

Of course, this is based on the photographs. I recommend consulting with several plastic surgeons in your area to discuss your options. They will also discuss timing of going back to work, and caring for small children (which is a very common scenario). (Daniel Krochmal, MD, Chicago General Surgeon)

Based on your pictures, it appears that you have a distension of your abdominal wall that is causing you to bulge outwards, as well as some overlying excess skin and fat. Liposuction could improve the amount of fat present, but it would not address the underlying abdominal wall.

This would still bulge outwards. You may be able to improve this with dedicated core exercises ( yoga or pilates), but if not, a full abdominoplasty would be needed to tighten the abdominal wall and contour the abdomen in general. (Christopher V. Pelletiere, MD, Barrington Plastic Surgeon)

TT vs lipo

Indeed, the best result would be a tummy tuck . your loose skin and abdominal contour would be restored. Having said that, since your expectations seem reasonable, good results can be obtained with liposuction of the abdomen and waist.

It can be done with light oral sedation under tumescent local with a few days recovery and exercising in 10-14 days in most cases. (Joel Patrick Maier, MD, Cincinnati Plastic Surgeon)

It’s better to do no operation than to have the wrong one in an attempt to save money or in search of an expeditious recovery. You need a full tummy tuck. Liposuction will leave a hanging apron of skin which will be unsightly and it will not flatten your abdomen.

Your abdomen is not flat, in part, because of the diastasis/separation which can only be repaired during the abdominoplasty. You are not a candidate for the mini tuck because this extends above the umbilicus. (Robert L. Kraft, MD, FACS, New York Plastic Surgeon)

A tummy tuck is the only way to rectify your abdominal muscle separation and loose skin. Liposuction alone will not give you a flat stomach. . (Lawrence Bundrick, MD, Huntsville Plastic Surgeon)

The majority of your problem appears to be from muscle laxity or diastasis recti and loose skin, not excess fat. Liposuction alone will do nothing for the diastasis or loose skin and I am not sure that it will make you much flatter.

If you are not ready for a tummy tuck at this time, I would recommend further weight loss and consider a tummy tuck at a later time. Liposuction alone will only lighten your pocketbook, not your tummy. (Don W. Griffin, MD, Nashville Plastic Surgeon)

You can get considerable, but not total, flattening with liposuction alone and it sounds as if that may be adequate for now. It sounds like you already understand the skin may be looser and so a full TT may be something to consider at a more appropriate time in your life. (Ronald V. DeMars, MD, Portland Plastic Surgeon)

Lipo vs tummy tuck? What results would I have with just lipo?

Lipo alone will not give good results because of loose skin and abdominal laxity(bulge). TT will address both loose skin and lax muscles. Full TT will give optimal results. Please consult with a board certified PS for evaluation. (Ven Erella, MD, Austin Plastic Surgeon)

I do not recommend any treatment until at least 6 months from your last pregnancy. This allows time for your body to completely recover.

you have two issues that you need to address to improve your abdominal contour. The first is the poor quality of your lower abdominal skin below your belly button. This skin will most likely look worse after liposuction in terms of level of laxity and wrinkles.

The skin around the belly button will also not improve with liposuction alone. The other issue is the rectus diastasic, or muscle separation which is contributing to the central bulge of your abdominal area (this gets worse with lifting your legs when lying flat).

The muscles need to be tightened during the tummy tuck to improve the contour. This is not addressed with liposuction alone. Notice the central bulge on your side picture above. You are best served by waiting to have a tummy tuck.

Having a drain-free tummy tuck as well as using Exparel, a long acting local anesthetic, at the time of the surgery has really decreased the recovery time. Look for a board-certified plastic surgeon who offers this. (Robert J .Paresi Jr., MD, MPH, Chicago Plastic Surgeon)

Lipo vs. Tummy tuck?

You have a lot of loose skin from stretch marks. Assuming that you can suck your tummy in and make it flatter suggesting that you have muscle tone, liposuction would flatten your tummy out quite a bit though leave you with loose skin particularly down around your underwear a line.

Ideally you are a great candidate for staged aggressive liposuction followed by abdominoplasty. You could hide loose skin in a tight dress without a tummy tuck. However a tummy tuck does address abdominal muscles separation. (Marshall T. Partington, MD, FACS, Seattle Plastic Surgeon)

Mommy Makeover with Tummy Tuck and VASER Hi Def Liposuction

You can get liposuction alone, but you won’t get the skin retraction and tightening you want for a flat stomach. You do look like a candidate for a tummy tuck and liposuction, which will give you great results.

VASER Hi -Def with ThermiRF and/or ultrasound and fat grafting will address the loose skin and give you the flattest, most contoured result. (Jason Emer, MD, Los Angeles Dermatologic Surgeon)