Abdomen Liposuction is as Much an Art as it is a Science.
It is important to recognize that for all medical procedures, including those performed at Imagen Body Sculpting, individual results and experiences may vary *.
What is Abdomen Liposuction?
Abdomen Liposuction is a process of removing fat from under the skin. Everyone has fatty deposits between their skin and muscle and this fat can be some of the most frustrating to lose through diet and exercise because it tends to be very stubborn. In a typical liposuction procedure, fluid is placed into the space to help expand the fat and then the fat is sucked out with a cannula (like a tiny straw). At Imagen, we use SmartLipo Triplex and/or Vaser Liposuction to liquify the fat before we remove it. This lets us use a smaller cannula and makes the procedure less traumatic for the patient. This, in turn, leads to shorter recovery times.
The following video series shows Dr Soto performing the steps of a SmartLipo case:
Am I a good candidate for Abdomen Liposuction?
Everyone has fat, but not everyone is a good candidate for liposuction. We all have 2 different types of fat…visceral fat (which is behind your abdominal muscles, around your organs) and subcutaneous fat (which is between the muscles and the skin.) Only subcutaneous fat can be treated with fat reduction procedures (including liposuction and tummy tuck). Visceral fat cannot be accessed safely and so that fat is only treatable with diet and exercise. During your consultation, your surgeon will be able to tell you which types of fat you have and how much can realistically be removed during a liposuction procedure.
If you have excessive loose skin, you will likely not have a great result with abdomen liposuction. Liposuction alone doesn’t provide any skin tightening. When we add the laser to our liposuction, it does offer some tightening of the skin. Again, a consultation is really the only way to assess how much skin laxity you have and what a realistic expectation is with liposuction.
If you want to read more about this, you can check out our blog, Do I Need a Tummy Tuck?
The best candidates for abdomen liposuction are people who are within 30 pounds of their ideal/goal weight and are maintaining that weight. They typically exercise regularly and have focal pockets of stubborn tummy fat that are resistant to diet and exercise. That being said, there are certainly patients who fall outside of these recommendations. As long as your expectations align with your surgeon’s expectations, you will likely be very happy with the improvements you can get with liposuction.
What are the risks of Abdomen Liposuction?
In-office abdomen liposuction is a very safe procedure over all. Nationwide there is a less than 1% risk of serious complications (You can find the details of the study here.) The most common after effects for our patients are bruising and swelling, which are to be expected after a liposuction procedure. The most common complication that we see is called a seroma. This is when a fluid collection builds up in the area of treatment. This is not usually a serious complication, but it does require draining. This is something that our physicians will discuss with your during your consultation.
If you want to know more about the risks of abdomen liposuction, you can read our blog, Is Liposuction Safe?
How much does Abdomen Liposuction cost?
The cost of liposuction varies widely from patient to patient and from surgeon to surgeon. At Imagen, we base our liposuction costs on the areas being treated, not on how much fat is in the area. Our liposuction prices start at $1429 per area, with some areas being a bit more (larger areas or areas with 2, like your arms). The experience of your surgeon, as well as technology that they may be using, will affect the cost of your liposuction. RealSelf.com quotes the average cost of liposuction as around $6000. Keep in mind that this is an average of all of the smaller, single area procedures (like just your neck) along with all of the larger, multiple area proceeders (such as abdomen, love handles, inner thighs and outer thighs).
If you want more details on what can affect the cost of your abdomen liposuction, you can read our blog, How Much Does Liposuction Cost?
If you want to get an estimate of how much your abdomen liposuction would cost, we would be happy to review your Virtual Consultation and give you a ballpark quote. The only way to get exact pricing would be to come in for an in person consultation. To set that up, please call our office at 402-509-8473.
For information about financing your abdomen liposuction, please visit our Cost and Financing page.
How much fat can be removed with Abdomen Liposuction? What sort of results can I expect with Abdomen Liposuction?
Abdomen Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure. The maximum that can safely be removed during an awake liposuction is 5 liters (which is about 10 pounds). Very few patients have this much fat removed in a single session. Most patients do not have significant changes in weight as a direct result from abdomen liposuction, however many patients do want to take care of their “investment” and so they make lifestyle changes that can result in weight loss. The best way to get a good idea of what your abdomen liposuction results may look like would be to review Before and After Photos*. You should look for patients whose “before” photos look like what you look like now. If you can’t find any on the website, you should talk with your surgeon, they should have more photos that they can look through to find someone similar to your case.
What’s the next step?
If you think that you may be ready to move forward with an abdomen liposuction, or even if you just want more information, we would recommend that you come in for a free consultation with one of our doctors in Omaha, Nebraska. If you live outside of Omaha (we have patients from South Dakota, Des Moines and other cities in Iowa, Kansas City, Grand Island, Kearney and Western Nebraska and even Denver and other cities in Colorado) we would be happy to review your photos in a virtual consultation. To schedule your appointment, please call/text our office at 402-509-8473. We look forward to meeting you!
