Abdominal Liposculpture

Liposculpture can give you a flatter and shapelier abdomen. Abdominal liposculpture permanently removes fat in the upper and lower abdomen and helps stimulate skin tightening, restoring a tighter and toned appearance. The procedure takes less than two hours and you can return to light activities the following day and return to a desk or office job within 48 hours.

Upper & Lower Abdomen Before & After
Sample photos of liposculpture performed by Dr. Alan Bittner and his team. Your results may vary.

As men and women age, the abdomen begins to bulge out and accumulate fat deposits. Men often get a large belly and love handles while women, especially those who have been pregnant, often notice a lower abdominal bulge and a general increase in tummy flab. Both men and women begin to have an undefined waist as they age and become more straight or thick in shape. Abdominal liposculpture can restore a waist and smooth abdominal bulges so that the stomach is flat. When combined with love handle liposculpture, the results can be dramatic and the shape of the body looks not only slimmer, but younger and better contoured.

Abdomen Before Abdomen After
Male Abdomen Before & After
Sample photos of liposculpture performed by Dr. Alan Bittner and his team. Your results may vary.

Patients of all ages and sizes have abdominal liposculpture and because very small to very large amounts of fat can be removed, abdominal liposculpture can significantly change the way clothes fit or the way the patient looks in a bathing suit.

Lower Abdomen Before Lower Abdomen After
Lower Abdomen Before & After
Sample photos of liposculpture performed by Dr. Alan Bittner and his team. Your results may vary.

Unfortunately, even people who exercise and diet vigorously can have protuberant stomachs. After childbirth women often find that no amount of dieting or exercise seems to give them a flat stomach or take away their accumulated “baby” fat. The way the abdomen ages is largely determined by genetics - even relatively thin or young women can suffer from a bulging stomach or love handles. Abdomen liposuction safely and permanently removes abdominal fat and helps correct for skin laxity, resulting in a flatter and smoother abdominal shape.

Abdomen Before Abdomen After
Full Abdomen, Love Handles, Hips Before & After
Sample photos of liposculpture performed by Dr. Alan Bittner and his team. Your results may vary.
More Before & After Pictures

 

What are the benefits of abdominal liposuction?

Abdominal liposculpture flattens the abdomen, reduces upper and lower tummy bulges, and stimulates skin and tissue tightening. Most patients see a reduction in overall "jiggliness" and stomach circumference. After the procedure, the abdomen is smaller, clothing fits better, and the stomach area is in proportion to the overall body contour. For male patients, abdominal liposculpture can restore a lost "six-pack" and for women the procedure can bring back the sleek stomach they had in their youth. Because up to 10 liters (well over 2 gallons!) of fat can be removed, the results of abdominal liposculpture can vary from natural to very dramatic. The results are permanent and unlike a tummy tuck, abdominal liposculpture leaves no unsightly scars and does not require any stitches.

What is the abdominal liposuction procedure like?

Abdominal liposculpture takes less than two hours and is done at our office in Beverly Hills with only local anesthesia. No IV sedation is used and patients walk-in and walk-out. Patients remain awake and alert, listen to music or talk with Dr. Bittner during their procedure. Most patients report that the procedure is comfortable or nearly pain free.

The procedure is safe and simple. First, the skin is numbed with lidocaine and a total of 4 tiny punctures (smaller than a spaghetti noodle) are made on the upper and lower abdominal area. A small instrument called a canula is inserted and fat in the treated area is numbed with a saline-based solution. This numbing process is called tumescence. Once the fat is numbed, it is removed by the canula with mild suction. Dr. Bittner uses a gentle micro-liposculpture technique with instruments that are ½ the size of traditional liposuction canulas. The canulas are blunt tipped, flexible and are approximately the size of an angle hair pasta noodle. These smaller, safer, flexible instruments lead to a more precise results with a faster recovery.

What is the recovery from abdomen liposuction like?

After the procedure, patients feel very little discomfort. You will be able to walk around, go grocery shopping, and drive a car. A light compression garment similar to a wide ace bandage is worn over the abdomen for about 7 days, depending on individual comfort levels. There are no stitches and the tiny adits leak fluid and then close on their own within about 48 hours. Most patients experience only minimal bruising which resolves in a about a week or two. The day after the procedure patients are sore, similar to a doing a strenuous series of sit-ups or abdominal crunches. The skin on the abdomen is usually slightly numb for two weeks and some patients experience an itchy sensation for the first few days. Our office sends patients home with all the medications that they will require, including pain medication and a muscle relaxant, however many patients treat any soreness with ibuprophen or Tylenol. Soreness improves every day after the procedure and is usually gone entirely in less than 3 weeks.

Unlike abdominoplasty ("tummy tuck"), abdomen liposuction patients are immediately able to walk and participate in light activities like driving. Most patients drive themselves home and many patients with office jobs are able to return to work the following day. Returning to exercise is up to the individual – you are encouraged to do as much exercise as possible. The more you keep moving and walking, the faster the recovery.

Because the abdomen is both muscular and fibrous, a good result can usually be seen in three months, but final results take up to six months, by far the longest of any liposculpture area. Most patients notice an initial difference the first few days, however beginning about four days after the procedure about half of patients experience swelling in the abdominal area that lasts up to two months. The fluid retention it the abdomen makes the tissue feel hardened and lumpy, almost as though cardboard is under skin. The hardness can last a up to 3 months, though most people return to their normal fleshy texture in about 6 weeks.

The swelling is slight to moderate and even though large volumes of fat have been removed, the patient remains at about roughly the same size as before the procedure. The swelling in the abdomen is a natural phenomenon and happen after many torso procedures and while it is frustrating, it is not generally painful. Women usually have longer abdominal swelling periods than men. If you tend to retain fluid easily, you will stay swollen longer than average. Results in the abdomen are among the most dramatic, but due to the natural body's swelling and healing mechanisms, many patients remain the same size for several weeks and the final outcome can take between three to six months to become apparent. The love handles typically heal much quicker than the abdomen and patients see initial results in about two weeks.

What are the aftercare instructions for abdominal liposuction?

After the procedure we will put you into either a compression garment that looks like a wide elastic wrap with velcro or a compression garment that looks like black crotchless bicycle shorts. Which compression garment you get depends on what areas were treated and where your adit sites were placed. Some patients are given both garments. Under the compression garment we will place absorbant pads over your adit sites to help absorb any drainage. The pads should be changed every 8 to 12 hours until you stop leaking, usually in 2 to 3 days. You can shower any time after the first day, however if you are leaking, you may prefer to wait to shower until the leaking has stopped. After you stop leaking, you can launder your garment in a washing machine. Your garment should be work for 7 days, taking it off only for showers or laundry. After the first 7 days, experiment with taking breaks from the compression garment. If you find that you feel good with the garment on, continue to wear it. If you find that you feel better with the garment off, you don't have to wear it. Many people find that wearing the garment for certain activities, like exercise, feels good for up to a month after their procedure. After 7 days, the choice to wear the garment is yours and you can treat your abdomen as usual, including any sun tanning, lotions or exercise.

Am I a good candidate for abdominal liposuction?

Abdominal liposuction is a very safe procedure and is performed on men and women and of all ages and sizes. In fact, our patients for abdominal liposculputre ranged from ages 17 to 83! If you are in good general health and are unhappy with the overall size or shape of your abdomen, you are likely a good candidate for abdominal liposculpture.

Dr. Bittner's refined micro-liposculpture technique stimulates collagen formation and most women or men, even those who are considering a traditional tummy tuck procedure, are generally very pleased with the outcome.

Men and women who have a large but firm barrel shape to their stomach may not be good candidates since their fat is under the abdominal muscle. To determine the amount of fat you have above the abdominal muscle, stand up and tighten your abdominal muscles. Using your hands, pinch and poke your skin at different points on your abdomen and estimate the distance between your skin and the outside of your muscles. The distance between the skin and the muscle is your abdominal fat layer. Abdominal liposculputre can reduce that layer by between 50 to 90%. Whether or not your abdomen will be flat after liposculpure depends on whether or not your underlying muscle structure is flat before your procedure.

If you have had gastric bypass surgery or have lost more than 100 pounds, you may benefit from a combination of abdominal liposuction and skin resection surgery, like a tummy tuck or lower body lift, to help remove redundant skin.A consultation with Dr. Bittner can help determine if abdominal liposculpture is right for you.

Should I treat my upper or lower abdomen or both?

Most patients treat the full abdomen (upper and lower) and love handles together in one procedure. In fact, the full abdomen and love handles is the most popular area we treat. Unless you are very lean or you have already had liposuction on your lower abdomen, you most likely need to treat the upper and lower abdomen together at the same time. If you are heavy, you must treat your upper and lower abdomen together. If your lower belly hangs or folds over when you are standing, you must treat your full abdomen and love handles together since it is impossible to give you a good cosmetic result without also reducing the fat on the sides that causes the hanging fat roll. Thin or lean patients who do not have fat on their upper abdomen and have a well defined lower belly "pooch" can select to have only their lower abdomen treated. Patients who have undergone a tummy tuck or liposuction in the past can treat the upper belly bulge that often results from incomplete liposuction done elsewhere. A good rule of thumb is that if you have fat you can pinch on your upper belly thicker than 1/4 inch, you most likely need to treat the upper and lower abdomen together for the best cosmetic result.

What if I want additional skin tightening on my abdomen?

If you have abdominal skin that is very thin, loose or wrinkled or you simply want additional skin tightening, you can choose to add the SmartLipo skin tightening laser for an additional $500 per area. The upper and lower abdomen are considered two areas. Most patients who choose to add SmartLipo do so only on their lower and upper abdomen and not on their love handles or hips.

Do I need to add SmartLipo skin tightening?

The majority of patients do not need to the SmartLipo skin tightening laser because liposculpture will yield the desired cosmetic results and will help tighten skin. If you are very concerned with skin tightening, you may wish to add the SmartLipo laser treatment.

Should I have only the SmartLipo laser (no liposculpture)?

No. The SmartLipo laser alone is not able to melt a significant amount of fat or tighten skin sufficiently and will not yield suitable cosmetic results.

What is the difference between the love handles and the hips?

The love handles are section of the side and back that includes the waist and the "muffin top" bulge that is above the waist of jeans or pants. The hips are the part of the sides and back that surround the hip bones and are above the hip joint. A good rule of thumb is that your love handles is the fat that hangs or bulges above your jeans and the hips are the fat that is contained in your jeans. If you are heavy, obese, or curvy, you will most likely get a better cosmetic result if you treat the love handles and hips together. If you are thin or average size man, it is unlikely that you need to treat your hips since men do not usually have much fat on their hips, though most men have love handles.

Will abdominal liposuction affect my future pregnancy or ability to get pregnant?

No.  Abdominal liposuction will have no affect on any future pregnancy or your ability to conceive. The procedure only removes the fat under the skin. It does not affect your muscles or organs.

Will abdominal liposculpture give me perfect 6-pack abs?

Probably not. Abdominal liposculpture only reveals what you have underneath your fat layer. If you have a 6-pack buried under a layer of fat, you will get a well defined stomach.  If not, your stomach will heal in the shape of your abdominal muscle, including any lumps or bumps that might be present.  In men or women who are out of shape, there are often bulges in the abdominal muscle or hernias that are hidden under fat.  Once that fat is removed, these bulges can be revealed.  Similarly, not all patients have flat abdominal muscles.  If your stomach muscle is in a rounded or bulging shape, liposculpture can not give you a flat stomach.  Even though fat will be removed evenly from your abdomen, the human body isn't perfect and it is guaranteed that you will have some minor imperfections and asymmetry due to the unpredictable nature of the healing process and your underlying muscle and bone structure.  Imperfections are present in everyone and you are not perfect now.  The imperfections after liposculpture are very slight and not noticeable to anyone other than you.  The goal of liposculpture is improvement, not perfection.  

What if my abdomen or love handles don't heal evenly or I need more fat removed after my procedure?

We are committed to making you look as good and feel as happy about the procedure as possible and we do not charge for touch up or revision work. The need for touch up work is very rare, however if your abdomen or love handles heal unevenly or you feel that you would benefit from additional fat being removed, please return to our office for a follow up appointment anytime 5 months or longer after your procedure. After 5 months, if Dr. Bittner or his team feel that you are sufficiently healed and the results could be improved with the removal of additional fat, there is no additional charge for revision liposculpture.

Can abdomen liposuction be combined with other procedures?

Yes. Abdominal liposculpture is often performed in combination with liposuction of other areas, including the love handles or thighs. We can remove up to 10 liters (well over 2 gallons!) of fat during one procedure, which for most patients means that an additional area can be treated at the same time as the abdomen.

Is abdominal liposculpture good for me if I am overweight or obese?

Yes. Many patients who are overweight benefit from abdominal liposculpture because the procedure reduces the bulk of the stomach and makes it easier to move and exercise. Some patients who are beginning an exercise routine for the first time in years choose to have their abdomen treated so that they are able to exercise more easily.

Up to 10 liters of fat can be removed from the abdomen at one time which can reduce the bulk of a large stomach by 50-80%. Abdominal liposculpture is not a replacement for weight loss or dieting, however it can reduce the bulk of the abdomen and provide the kick start needed to attain better health. Due to size and health considerations, we do not treat any patient over 350 pounds.

Can I have abdominal liposculpture if I had a tummy tuck or traditional liposuction?

Yes. If you have previously had a tummy tuck or undergone traditional liposuction and you still have excess fat on your abdomen, you can have abdominal liposculpture. Often patients who underwent a tummy tuck or liposuction surgery years ago will accumulate fat on their abdomen as they age or gain weight. Similarly, patients who have undergone a tummy tuck and have "dog ears" on the ends of their scar can see benefit and increased smoothness from liposculpture. Liposculpture can also correct a bulging upper abdomen, love handles or pubic area that results from an incomplete tummy tuck or subsequent weight gain after a tummy tuck. If you no longer have fat on your abdomen but are unhappy with loose skin or scar tissue, liposculpture is not the correct procedure for you.

Can abdominal liposuction correct asymmetry or previous liposuction surgery?

Yes. Dr. Bittner can often correct for asymmetrical abdominal bulges or revise previous abdominal liposuction surgery performed elsewhere.  Before making an appointment for a liposuction correction procedure, you must first have a consultation with Dr. Bittner.

How does abdominal liposuction compare to a tummy tuck?

For most patients with abdominal bulges or excess fatty tissue, abdominal liposculpture gives results similar or better than traditional tummy tuck surgery. Abdominal liposculpture can tighten the skin and abdominal tissue so that flaccid or lax abdomens appear more firm and flat. Even very heavy patients or women who have had multiple pregnancies are very pleased with their outcome and do not need to have a traditional tummy tuck after having abdominal liposculpture.

Abdominoplasty, known commonly as a “tummy tuck”, is a major surgical procedure to remove excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen and tighten the muscles of the abdominal wall. The procedure can dramatically reduce the appearance of a protruding abdomen. However, abdominoplasty does produce a permanent scar, which depending on the extent of the original problem and the surgery required to correct it, can extend from hip to hip. The surgery is performed under heavy anesthesia, often times requiring overnight observation. Due to the extensive tissue trauma, patients must plan for 3-4 weeks off work and must not exercise vigorously for 4-6 weeks. Complications can be serious and life-threatening.

Abdomen Liposculpture vs. Adominal Liposuction

Traditional Abdominoplasty Abdominal Liposuction
Procedure Invasive surgery performed under heavy anesthesia requiring intra-abdominal drains. Minimally invasive procedure performed with only local numbing.
Pain Severe to marked lasting for months. Perscription pain medication required. Minimal to mild managed with ibuprophen or Tylenol.
Complications Increased risk of severe complications requiring hospitalization. Minimal without serious incident.
Recovery Prolonged requiring weeks off work and restricted exercise for 2 or more months. Patients can drive themselves home and resume normal activities as tolerated.
Results Dramatic results are possible, but large permanent scars. Dramatic results are possible with no unsightly scars.
Cost $5,000 to $9,000 in total costs and fees. $3,800. No additional fees.

What is the cost of abdomen liposuction?

Abdomen liposuction costs $3,800 for both the upper and lower abdomen. The upper or the lower abdomen done separately is $2800. The abdomen consists of the area under the breast crease on the rib cage to the lower abominal region below the belly button (above the pubic region) and from hip bone to hip bone. The addition of the love handles, which includes the sides of the waist around to the lower back, brings the total to $4,800. The addition of the hips, the area above the hip joint to the waist, brings the total to $5,900.  There are no additional fees or costs and there is no tax on medical procedures.