Love Handles After Tummy tuck is a must for anyone who has undergone this procedure and is now left with rolls of excess skin on their lower abdomen. It’s so uncomfortable; it doesn’t allow you to sleep or walk around comfortably.
With a traditional tummy tuck, the incision runs along the lower abdomen, just above the pubic area. This allows the surgeon to remove stubborn fat and extra skin from the front of the abdomen and can create a slimmer waistline overall, but the love handles are not specifically treated during a tummy tuck.
Love Handles After Tummy Tuck
Love Handle Liposuction: Does it Work?
Plastic Surgeon Serving Indianapolis, Indiana
Love handles are those deposits of fat and skin that reside just above the waist. Like all accumulations of fat, love handles may be the result of dietary choices and a lack of physical activity. They may also be a result of hormones or an underlying medical condition such as hyperthyroidism or sleep apnea.
By and large, love handles are addressed through diet and exercise. Choosing a diet that focuses on fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and complex carbohydrates while eliminating foods high in sugar, white flour, and artificial ingredients is a great place to start. But fat elimination cannot always be accomplished through diet alone.
The Mayo Clinic reports that the Department of Health and Human Services recommends adults get, at a minimum:
- 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise weekly (or)
- 75 minutes of intense aerobic activity weekly (plus)
- 12 to 15 repetitions of strength training per muscle group twice per week
If you are trying to reduce your love handles, you will want to double this – aiming for at least 300 minutes (about 45 minutes per day) of moderate aerobic exercise weekly or 150 minutes of intense aerobic exercise. For optimal results, many trainers recommend combining moderate and intense activities at intervals.
Your efforts notwithstanding, diet and exercise do not always work. You may need assistance from a plastic surgeon to reach your goals. Board-certified Indianapolis plastic surgeon Dr. Joseph Fata welcomes an opportunity to meet with you and discuss those goals, allowing him to help you determine if liposuction is the best fit for your needs.
How Much Does It Cost to have Love Handles Removed?
The cost of love handle liposuction at Renaissance Plastic Surgery may be as low as $3,400. If additional areas are being treated, liposuction costs can increase up to $6,700. Factors that impact the cost of liposuction include how many areas are being treated, how much fat is being removed, and the type of liposuction being performed.
Why a Tummy Tuck Won’t Get Rid of Your Love Handles
Tummy tuck surgery, also known as abdominoplasty, is one of the most common cosmetic procedures for men and women today, and it’s easy to understand why. The midsection is a problem area for many individuals and nonsurgical solutions can only go so far. When it comes to your love handles, however, a tummy tuck may only leave you feeling disappointed. Here’s why those pesky rolls of fat surrounding your hips won’t respond to abdominoplasty.
Hips vs Abdomen
The difference between love handles and excess fatty tissue in the abdomen is primarily their location. The love handles are located on the hips, the sides of your body. This area is out of the range of treatment for a standard tummy tuck. Rather than focusing on the lateral sides of the body, a tummy tuck focuses exclusively on the front of your abdomen.
Tummy Tuck Benefits
While a tummy tuck won’t treat your love handles, the procedure can resolve a number of other appearance concerns. For instance, a tummy tuck can tighten separated abdominal muscles left over from pregnancy or weight fluctuations. A tummy tuck also removes excess fatty tissue from the abdominal cavity for a slimmer shape. Finally, a tummy tuck tightens your stomach skin for a taut, youthful appearance.
Liposuction for Love Handles
If you’re concerned with love handles, you may wish to consider liposuction. Liposuction is a fat-removing procedure that can be used virtually anywhere on the body, and the love handles are one of the most common target spots. Consider combining your tummy tuck with liposuction so that you can tighten and tone your abdomen and slim down those love handles at the same time.
The Reason a Tummy Tuck Won’t Help Your Love Handles
Many men and women believe that a tummy tuck should give them a more slender waistline, love handles and all. Unfortunately, the nature of abdominoplasty surgery isn’t quite that all-encompassing. While getting rid of your love handles with a tummy tuck isn’t impossible, it does mean including liposuction to eliminate excess fat that abdominoplasty alone would leave behind.*
A Tummy Tuck Primer
It’s useful to think of a tummy tuck as a 180-degree approach to waistline reduction. During surgery, excess fat, skin and loose abdominal muscles between the hips and across the front of the trunk are targeted. A tummy tuck alone can make a tremendous improvement in the appearance of the belly itself.* However, for those patients who struggle with love handles—that pesky excess fat extending around the sides of the waist—additional contouring using liposuction can be added for a more full-spectrum approach to body contouring.*
Tummy Tuck with Liposuction
Including liposuction with a tummy tuck offers two primary benefits:*
- Lipo can get rid of love handles at the same time as a tummy tuck, without the need for a second surgery and separate recovery time.*
- Liposuction also helps create beautiful, natural tummy tuck results that don’t look too “flat” or surgical.*
While both procedures contour the body, each approach has its inherent strengths. When used together, we can tighten and restore tone to loose skin and muscles in the abdomen while reducing localized fat from the flanks and love handles for a leaner look overall.*
Will Tummy Tuck Remove Love Handles?
Love handles are deposits of excess fat that accumulate in the waist. Often stubbornly resistant to diet and exercise, love handles can be a source of embarrassment, limit clothing options, and may even increase your risks for a number of serious illnesses and diseases. For these reasons and more, many men and women look to surgical options that can eliminate love handles and produce a healthier and fitter appearance.
Tummy tuck surgery is designed to remove excess skin from the abdominal area. Denver plastic surgeon Dr. Paul Zwiebel can also use this procedure to tighten abdominal muscles that have separated due to weight gain or pregnancy. In so doing, the waist is drawn in during tummy tuck surgery, but on its own, the procedure is not equipped to eliminate love handles or other deposits of fat.
When stubborn fat deposits around the hips, waist, and abdomen are present, Dr. Zwiebel may recommend liposuction in addition to tummy tuck surgery. Liposuction is designed to remove subcutaneous fat from nearly every area of the body, producing refined definition and improving contours. The best way to determine if liposuction in addition to tummy tuck surgery would be of benefit for your body is through a one-on-one consultation at our Highlands Ranch plastic surgery center.
Tummy Tuck Before and After
For individuals in Baton Rouge, LA, struggling with their lower abdominal area, surgical contouring with a tummy tuck may be the next step. Both women and men can feel self-conscious about how their stomach area looks, especially after dramatic weight loss. An extended tummy tuck procedure is a customized approach to help individuals with excessive, loose skin in their lower abdomen. Patients who have lost a substantial amount of weight or women who have post-pregnancy issues with their midsection can have a flatter, more toned-looking stomach and feel great about how they look with this tummy tuck procedure.
Dr. Erick Sanchez is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon with a private practice in Baton Rouge, LA. Sanchez Plastic Surgery is a state-of-the-art surgical and nonsurgical facility that aims to help both women and men with all areas of the body. Dr. Sanchez and his professional team customize each procedure so patients can achieve their desired aesthetic goal. When it comes to body contouring procedures, there are various tummy tuck options. After a thorough consultation, Dr. Sanchez will devise a surgical plan and determine which type of tummy tuck procedure is needed.
Differences between tummy tuck and extended tummy tuck
Both of these procedures target the lower abdominal area to remove loose, sagging skin. As the name implies, an extended tummy tuck extends further than a traditional tummy tuck to accommodate a larger target area in the lower abdomen. It goes hip to hip as well as outward to incorporate the lower back or flank area. It is more invasive and can remove more significant amounts of loose skin. If needed, excess fatty tissue can be removed with liposuction. Underlying abdominal muscles can also be tightened when necessary, and the belly button is repositioned, much like with a traditional tummy tuck. One other difference between these two surgical techniques is that an extended tummy tuck scar is longer.
Six things to consider before and after an extended tummy tuck
An extended tummy tuck may be an ideal option for individuals with large amounts of excess skin, generally due to significant weight loss or multiple pregnancies. Here are some things to know before and after an extended tummy tuck procedure.
The most important factor is finding the right, qualified plastic surgeon to perform your extended tummy tuck. Most extended tummy tuck procedures also involve liposuction to remove any unwanted pockets of stubborn fat. Dr. Sanchez is a board-certified plastic surgeon who offers a modern, state-of-the-art surgical facility to give each patient the results they want.
Being in good health before your surgery can help you have a smoother recovery. With an extended tummy tuck or any type of abdominoplasty procedure, it’s important to be at or close to your ideal weight before surgery. Be mindful of what you drink and eat before and after an extended tummy tuck procedure so your weight stays consistent.
Prepare for your recovery
Prepare for your recovery before your extended tummy tuck. Have your recovery space ready, medications filled, and the right help in place, so your recovery can be worry-free.
Follow your surgeon’s instructions
When undergoing a surgical procedure, your doctor is the expert. Follow their post-surgical care instructions and protocol to have a successful extended tummy tuck recovery. Take prescribed medications as instructed, follow their guidelines regarding light activity, and attend all follow-up appointments as scheduled.
Listen to your body. Taking it slow and not overdoing it will aid in a quicker, smoother recovery. Even if you feel great, take the time to heal and rest.
Your results won’t be completely visible until your body fully heals. An extended tummy tuck scar is more substantial than the scar from a traditional tummy tuck, but it will lessen over time. Scarring can typically be concealed by undergarments or a bathing suit when performed by an experienced surgeon like Dr. Sanchez. Your body needs to heal, so remember to have realistic expectations when looking in the mirror. Before you know it, your full results will be visible, and you can enjoy your flatter, more fit abdominal area.
Good candidates for an extended tummy tuck
Surgical contouring procedures like an extended tummy tuck generally involve individuals who have experienced extreme weight fluctuations. Excessive amounts of weight can cause the skin in the stomach area to lose elasticity or become stretched out. This is a common occurrence with mothers of twins or triplets, as well as individuals who have undergone a significant weight loss. Dr. Sanchez’s patients at Sanchez Plastic Surgery are candidates who have maintained their ideal weight for more than six months but are struggling with heavy, loose skin in their lower abdominal area.
Many factors can affect a patient’s recovery before and after an extended tummy tuck procedure. Every person and situation is different, but these general guidelines can help you know how to prepare and what to expect from your surgical contouring procedure. If you are in the Baton Rouge area and are struggling with loose skin in your abdominal area, we invite you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Erick Sanchez of Sanchez Plastic Surgery. An extended tummy tuck can help you feel better and look better, so contact us today to get started.
does tummy tuck help with love handles
There may be many people who love the so-called “love handles,” but if you have them, you may find them somewhat less than lovable. What’s worse, you may have also discovered that the love handles – more properly called the flanks – are among the more difficult areas of the body to tone and trim through diet and exercise, no matter how hard you try. Fortunately, plastic surgery offers a potentially ideal solution in the form of body contouring.
Body contouring is not a single procedure, per se, but an umbrella term covering several procedures used to improve the shape of the body. These procedures can generally be performed in conjunction with one another or in isolation, focusing on specific areas of the body. For patients with accumulated deposits of fat in the flanks, the appropriate treatment will depend largely on their goals, as well as on how extensive their treatment needs are. Dr. Kimberly Henry offers several outstanding cosmetic treatments for the flanks at her San Francisco, CA plastic surgery practice, and she helps patients decide which is best suited to their individual cases during confidential, one-on-one consultations.
Have you fallen out of love with your love handles? We invite you to schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Kimberly Henry today.
Liposuction
For patients who are at or near their ideal weight, but who have fat that has built up in the flanks, liposuction may be the best available solution. Liposuction targets isolated deposits of fat, breaking them up and then gently suctioning them out of the body through a device called a cannula. Surrounding healthy tissues are left intact; only the fat is removed. After a healing period, patients emerge with smoother skin and a trimmer contour. Liposuction is particularly ideal for patients whose flanks are out of proportion with otherwise well-toned abdominal regions.
Extended Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)
For patients whose fat has accumulated in the flanks and the abdominal region, an extended abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, may be the best option. Unlike conventional tummy tuck surgery, extended abdominoplasty addresses the entire abdominal region, to the flanks, all the way around to the sides of the lower back. Dr. Henry removes excess fat and skin from the region through an extended incision, tightening the underlying musculature as necessary. She then pulls the remaining skin taut and sutures the incision closed. The entire abdominal region, including the flanks, will be trimmer and better defined.
Both liposuction and extended abdominoplasty can be combined with other procedures such as breast lift, thigh lift, breast augmentation, arm lift, face lift, and neck lift as part of a comprehensive aesthetic rejuvenation plan.
liposuction vs tummy tuck
Are the procedures similar?
Abdominoplasty (also called a “tummy tuck”) and liposuction are two different surgical procedures that aim to change the appearance of your midsection. Both procedures claim to make your stomach appear flatter, tighter, and smaller. They’re both performed by plastic surgeons, and are considered “cosmetic,” so they aren’t covered by health insurance.
In terms of the actual procedure, recovery time, and risks, there are some key differences between the two. Keep reading to learn more.
Liposuction and tummy tucks often appeal to people with similar cosmetic goals. But there are some important differences.
Liposuction
Liposuction may be a good fit if you’re looking to remove small fat deposits. These are commonly found on the hips, thighs, buttocks, or stomach area.
The procedure will remove fat deposits from the targeted area, reducing bulges and improving contour. However, liposuction isn’t recommended as a weight loss tool. You shouldn’t get liposuction if you’re obese.
Tummy tuck
In addition to removing excess fat from the abdomen, a tummy tuck also removes excess skin.
Pregnancy or significant shifts in your weight can stretch out the skin that surrounds your stomach. A tummy tuck can be used to restore the look of a flat and contoured midsection. This procedure may involve bringing the rectus abdominus, or sit-up muscles, back together if they’ve been stretched or separated by pregnancy.
You may want to reconsider a tummy tuck if:
Liposuctions and tummy tucks are both performed by a plastic surgeon and require incisions and anesthesia.
Liposuction
You may be intravenously sedated for this procedure. In some cases, your surgeon will apply a local anesthetic to your midsection.
Once the area is numb, your surgeon will make small incisions around the site of your fat deposits. A thin tube (cannula) will be moved underneath your skin to loosen the fat cells. Your surgeon will use a medical vacuum to suction out the dislodged fat deposits.
It may take several sessions to achieve your desired result.
Tummy tuck
Your surgeon will put you to sleep via general anesthesia. After you’re sedated, they’ll make an incision at the bottom of the skin that covers your abdominal wall.
Once the muscles are exposed, your surgeon will sew the muscles in your abdominal wall together if they have become stretched out. They will then pull tight the skin over your abdomen, trim off excess skin, and close the incision with sutures.
A tummy tuck is done in one procedure. The entire surgery typically takes two to three hours.
Although liposuction and a tummy tuck both claim permanent results, significant weight gain after either procedure can alter this outcome.
Liposuction
People that have liposuction on their abdomen tend to see a flatter, more proportioned midsection once they have recovered from the procedure. These results are supposed to be permanent. But at least one study disagrees. According to this study, up to a year after the procedure, the fat deposits reappear, though they may show up elsewhere on your body. If you gain weight, fat will reaccumulate in your body, though not typically in the areas that were suctioned.
Tummy tuck
After a tummy tuck, the results are considered permanent. Your abdominal wall will be more stable and strong. The excess skin that has been removed won’t return unless fluctuation in weight or a subsequent pregnancy stretches out the area again.
Although there are side effects associated with any surgery, each procedure poses different risks that you should be aware of.
Liposuction
With liposuction, your risk of complication increases if your surgeon is working on a large area. Performing multiple procedures during the same operation can also increase your risk.
Tummy tuck
In one study, 8.5 percent of people who had a tummy tuck needed to return to the hospital because of some kind of complication. Wound complications and infections were among the most common reasons for readmission.
Other possible risks include:
The recovery process is also different for each procedure.
Liposuction
Your recovery process will depend on how many areas were operated on, and whether additional liposuction sessions are needed.
