Michael Stephanides MD - Plastic Surgery Nashville

Lipoabdominoplasty (Liposuction With Mini Tummy Tuck)

Although the term is relatively new, Dr. Stephanides has been offering this option to his patients for the past 6 years. It is a combination of liposuction with a "mini" abdominoplasty.

After having two children this patient developed fullness in the abdominal area from both an increase in the amount of fat under the skin and from "stretching" of the abdominal wall (muscle layer underneath the fat).

The same patient after a small amount of skin excision in the same location as her c-section scar, aggressive sculpting through liposuction and tightening of the muscle layer above and below the belly button. The requested "six pack" look was achieved. (The picture was taken one year after the procedure.)

Although typically most women prefer to have some "curves" in the abdominal area, this was an extreme case and a good example of how powerful this technique can be. The patient needs to be a good candidate for the procedure and have a healthy lifestyle to sustain the results.

Having a formal abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) would have made the sculpting through liposuction unsafe. Without the liposuction the abdominal wall thickness would give a less than optimal result.

Advantages of Lipoabdominoplasty include:

1. Improved abdominal shape due to aggressive liposuction
2. Shorter scars in many patients
3. Quicker recovery
4. Safer surgery than a full abdominoplasty and liposuction
5. Much better than abdominoplasty alone in certain people

Lipoabdominoplasty may be combined with liposuction of hips, back and extremities.

• A combination of

liposuction and a "mini"

tummy tuck

• Improves abdominal shape

through aggressive

liposuction

• Allows for shorter scars in

most patients and quicker

recovery time

• Can be combined with

liposuction of the hips,

back and extremities