Tummy Tuck: Prices, Photos, Reviews, Info, Q&A

Tummy tuck better than lipo for loose skin

Although liposuction may help tighten skin a little bit, it is not an alternative to a tummy tuck for loose skin after pregnancy. This is true for laser lipo such as smart lipo. Ask about the progressive tension suture method. (Richard Baxter, MD, Seattle Plastic Surgeon)

Before anything, I would make sure you are done having children, as any future pregnancies may have a deleterious effect on your cosmetic results.

Based on your photos and the amount of loose skin and fat present, I would recommend a full tummy tuck with liposuction of the flanks.

Lipo or tummy tuck photo

I think liposuction alone will lead to more skin laxity, which can retract to an uncertain extent, but I do not think it will be enough to give you a nice aesthetic result. The good news is we can frequently remove C-section scars, as well as many lower stretch marks, with a tummy tuck/ abdominoplasty procedure.

The tummy tuck will also be able to tighten your abdominal muscles, which are frequently stretched out and lax after the stress of pregnancies. It sounds like you are doing your due diligence in researching the procedures and the qualifications of your local physicians. See what your consults have to say and choose the plastic surgeon you feel most comfortable with. (Parviz Goshtasby, MD, FACS, Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon)

Tummy tuck and/or Lipo

Lipo or abdominoplasty

You definitely have excess skin in your abdominal area. In “diving position” this become more prominent. A full “transpositional” abdominoplasty is a must, however liposuction and preferably a liposelection of the flanks is highly recommended to have better improvement in the silhouette of your abdominal area. Go ahead with your surgery. (Fereydoon S. Mahjouri, MD, Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon)

Forget about liposuction. Weight loss and tummy tuck (which includes removal of C section scar and replacement by abdominoplasty scar) are most transformational.

Lipo or tummy tuck image

I’ve seen some great results achieved by a regular Realself contributor from the Seattle area. Your pregnancies have resulted in weight gain, stretching of skin, and stretching of abdominal wall. Liposuction corrects none of this.

Lipo is a procedure to remove and sculpt fat contours in a localized area of your body, but the fat you’ve accumulated is not localized. it is widely distributed. Weight loss is the answer, and it is ALL mental. Liposuction does ZERO for your stretched skin and abdominal wall, it only treats fat. Abdominoplasty results can be quite dramatic, and when combined with weight loss, you will be very happy with your body. (Steve Laverson, MD, San Diego Plastic Surgeon)

I would recommend a full tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) with liposuction of the flanks (love handles). You can do this even with your c-section scar (which will be cut out!)

Lipo or tummy tuck operation

You will love the removal of the excess skin and the new waist you achieve with liposuction of the sides. (K. Roxanne Grawe, MD, Columbus Plastic Surgeon)

Tummy tuck or lipo. Why not both?

Tummy tuck or lipo are not mutually exclusive. Most surgeons do some liposuction with their tummy tucks. In my practice I use the VASER which allows me to do advanced body shaping as opposed to traditional liposuction. You are an excellent candidate for a lipoabdominoplasty with contouring of your full back, bra rolls, hips, abdomen and arms. Yes, the arms too. I see too many photos of abdominoplasties with good contour of the midsection and chunky arms.

Lipo or tummy tuck recommended

See a board certified plastic surgeon who is familiar with advanced body sculpting techniques for an in person consultation. For best results, you need both of these procedures. (George Marosan, MD, Bellevue Plastic Surgeon)

You have both excess skin in the abdomen and fat deposit on the flanks and upper back. Liposuction alone will not remove excess skin and would not provide enough skin retraction to give a good contour. I recommend a combination of abdominoplasty and liposuction of the flanks.

We do routinely performed abdominoplasty through previous C-section scar and the scar is removed during the surgery. The added benefit of an abdominoplasty is tightening of the abdominal rectus musclse to improve the waist line and tone the abdomen. (Mytien Goldberg, MD, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon)

With the loss of skin elasticity you have developed as a result of pregnancies, your skin will have very little if any contraction after liposuction.

Lipo or tummy tuck surgery

It would be a waste of a surgery and of your money. The C-Section scar will be removed during the TT and is not a problem. (Ronald V. DeMars, MD, Honolulu Plastic Surgeon)

If you have a combination of excess skin with overhanging skin and excess fat, you will have the best result with a tummy tuck. Doing liposuction alone will leave you with more loose skin and an irregular abdominal contour. If you are planning to lose weight then you should have the tummy tuck after you have achieved your weight loss goals.

If you wish to have a tummy tuck now then some liposuction may be included as well to better contour the abdomen, flanks and hips. When doing liposuction with a tummy tuck the surgeon needs to be conservative with the amount of liposuction as not to damage the blood supply of the skin with excessive liposuction to cause ischemia of the abdominoplasty skin flap. (Benjamin Chu, MD, FACS, Argentina Plastic Surgeon)

Lipo Will Not Correct Skin Excess

The lipo or tummy tuck operation

I do not think that liposuction alone will provide you with a result with which you are happy. The excess skin which you have can only be satisfactorily corrected with a TT. This would also enable a muscle repair which would be beneficial. (John Whitt, MD)

Full tummy tuck necessary for hanging skin.

1) Liposuction of the abdomen (when done both deep AND superficial, Gasparotti technique) is very powerful, but of course there is a limit.

2) I think you have enough excess skin that you really need a full tummy tuck. (George J. Beraka, MD (retired), Manhattan Plastic Surgeon)

When a prospective patient has some skin overhang, that is a pretty good predictor of a poor outcome for treatment by liposuction. Liposuction works well when the excess tissue is limited to fat.

Lipo or tummy tuck abdominoplasty

A tummy tuck, on the other hand, will address excess fat, excess skin, and can tighten the abdominal wall, all of which seem to be issues in your photos. Tummy tucks are often done in women who have had c-sections. Often the scar is used as the central part of the tummy tuck incision, unless it is positioned too high for an optimal result. (Jourdan Gottlieb, MD, Seattle Plastic Surgeon)

Liposuction vs. mini-tuck vs. full tummy tuck

The wrinkles and laxity in skin indicates that some sort of tightening and skin reduction is necessary to improve your contour. The “bulges” suggest that some sort of thinning of the fat layers would be beneficial using liposuction. An complete consultation with examination can decide on whether a flu or mini-tuck would be recommended as both with give you some improvement.

Lipo or tummy tuck before

The mini-tuck uses a shorter incision and does not change the belly button and also does not appreciably tighten the skin above the belly button while a flu-tummy tuck usually requires a longer incision and a scar around the belly button but tightens and smooths the entire anterior abdomen.

Liposuction should be done very cautiously or not at all at the same time as the full tummy tuck. (Robin T.W. Yuan, MD, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)

Tummy Tuck or Liposuction?

When the skin is loose, and especially if you have a fold of skin, liposuction will only make the skin looser and hang more.

The best way to tighten the skin is to get rid of the excess with a tummy tuck. A board-certified plastic surgeon who can review your goals, examine you, and discuss the standard tummy tuck, which addresses both the upper and the lower tummy, and compare it with the mini tummy tuck, which addresses just the lower tummy. (Heather J. Furnas, MD, Santa Rosa Plastic Surgeon)