What Exactly is Lipo 360?
Lipo 360 is a 360-degree liposuction procedure that is intended to treat the full 360 degrees of your midsection. Lipo360, also known as circumferential liposuction, typically includes excess fat removal from the upper and lower abdomen along with the flanks (lower back, “muffin top”). Removal of stubborn fat deposits in these treatment areas will get you the best possible result on trimming your waistline, because it allows for liposculpture of the sides from both the front and the back.
What is Laser Liposuction?
Laser liposuction uses laser energy to break up fat cells during a liposuction procedure. You can read more about laser liposuction here.
At Imagen, we use SmartLipo and VASER Lipo to liquify the fat cells prior to removing your unwanted fat. All our liposuction procedures are done under local anesthesia with the aid of oral pain medications and sedation. This helps to avoid the inherent risks of general anesthesia, which is often used with traditional liposuction. Once your oral medications have kicked in, we will make tiny (1/4” incisions) on the tummy and back. Because the goal is to have a beautiful aesthetic result, we hide the small incisions in places like your belly button and pubic area. Through the incisions, we will instill the tumescent numbing solution. This will help to ensure your comfort during the minimally invasive surgical procedure. After the area has been numbed, we use the energy to liquify the fat and then use small cannulas to remove the proper amount of fat, giving you a beautiful, hourglass shape. The final step in our Lipo 360 procedure is to use Renuvion or JPlasma, which tightens the tissues and stimulates collagen production to get you a smooth finish.
How is Lipo 360 Different from Traditional Liposuction?
Lipo 360 can be performed with traditional liposuction. The “Lipo 360” is a description of the areas being treated, while traditional liposuction is a description of the methods used to perform the liposuction.
What is the difference between Lipo 360 and a Tummy Tuck?
Although a tummy tuck may incorporate lipo 360, they are not the same thing. Lipo 360 is a liposuction procedure that removes fat from your tummy and love handles (sculpting your entire midsection). Tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a plastic surgery that removes skin as well as fat. A tummy tuck will result in a large scar across your lower abdomen and will typically require several weeks of downtime. If you have a lot of excess skin (ie a “mother’s apron” of skin hanging down), a tummy tuck may be the only way to get a beautiful result and for this we would recommend you visit with a plastic surgeon to discuss a mommy makeover. If your skin does not flop over, you may be a candidate for lipo 360 with or without skin tightening.
Who is a Good Candidate for Lipo 360?
To be an ideal candidate for 360 lipo with local anesthesia, you should be in generally good health with a few problem areas. You must have realistic expectations as well as a realistic view of your own body. Patients with body dysmorphic disorder often regret their cosmetic surgery.
How much weight does lipo 360 remove?
A good candidate for any liposuction procedure is within 30 pounds of their ideal weight. Patients who have a BMI over 30 will not generally get a good result with liposuction alone. Many patients ask, “How much weight does Lipo 360 take off?” but in reality, liposuction is more about inches and body shape than pounds and weight loss. Most of our patients lose less than 10 pounds from a liposuction surgery alone. The best results occur in patients who combine a Lipo 360 procedure with general weight loss.
It’s also important to consider your belly fat ratios. Everyone has a combination of fat types in their abdomen. During your initial consultation, our surgeons can give you an idea of your fat ratio. Visceral fat, which is behind your abdominal muscles, is not accessible to liposuction or tummy tuck or any other cosmetic procedure. This fat is only treatable with general weight loss through diet and exercise. Subcutaneous fat is the pinchable fat on top of your muscles (flex your tummy muscles and then try to pinch). This is the fat that can be treated with cosmetic procedures. It’s important to remember that cosmetic surgery is not a weight loss treatment and that you will need to practice good diet and exercise habits to maintain your results.
A good candidate will also understand the importance of following your post-operative care instructions, including wearing your compression garment and attending your follow up appointments.
What is the Recovery Time for Lipo 360?
One of the benefits of Lipo 360 with SmartLipo is the rapid recovery time. Most of our patients are back to a pretty normal life in just 2-3 days. Obviously, the recovery time will be dependent on how each patient heals. There is some discomfort associated with any liposuction procedure, but most patients describe the pain as an “ache” or “soreness.”
You can get all the details in our week-by-week recovery guide.
Because we don’t use any drain tubes after the procedure, you will have some leaking from your incision sites. This is typically just noted for the first 12-24 hours after your procedure, but it can be quite a bit of fluid draining out. Make sure you’re prepared for the drainage by having a pack of Depends (incontinence garments) and a shower curtain liner to put on your bed.
There will be swelling after the procedure and oftentimes there will also be bruising. The swelling typically peaks at about a week after the procedure and by a month has reduced significantly. There will be small pockets of swelling that may remain for several months after the procedure.
Getting up and moving around after your Lipo 360 procedure is important. This will help your body to process the inflammation and will help with your swelling and pain. It will also help prevent complications like blood clots.
Although it’s counter intuitive, drinking lots of water will also help to reduce your swelling. You should also try to maintain a low salt diet for several months after your procedure, since sodium will cause your body to retain fluid. This may lead to an increase in your swelling.
It is very important to follow your cosmetic surgeon’s guidance in terms of post op instructions. It is imperative that you keep your compression on 24 hours a day for the first 4 weeks. This will not only help to shape your body, but also control swelling and reduce the risk for complications such as seromas. Be sure to wash your garment every day (hang it to dry) and if it’s warm outside you will want to wear a cami or other thin t-shirt under your garment to help control moisture. These steps will help you prevent yeast infections on your skin.
What are the Risks of Lipo 360?
In general, liposuction is a very safe procedure. Nationwide there is a less than 1% risk of serious complications with liposuction (including traditional liposuction).
Common Side Effects:
Swelling and bruising are very common, even expected, side effects of Lipo 360. Arnica (both topical and oral) can help speed the recovery from these side effects. Almost all patients will also notice numbness in the treated areas. This may last for several months and is related to the swelling in the skin, which causes pressure on the nerve endings so that they “fall asleep.” As the swelling resolves, normal sensation will return. However, many patients do experience a period of abnormal sensation as the nerves “wake back up.” Like the pins and needles and “zings” you can feel when your foot falls asleep, these sensations can range from burning and itching to quick, sharp pains.
The most common complication of liposuction that we see is called a seroma. This is a small fluid collection in the area that was treated. They typically appear 1-2 weeks after the procedure, though some may develop earlier than that. Seromas are most common in patients who undergo Hi Definition Liposculpting or those that are not compliant with their compression garments.
Rare Complications:
Blood clots (DVT and pulmonary embolism) are rare but serious complications of liposuction. To reduce your risk of blood clots, it is important that you follow all of your post-operative care instructions and get up and move around as much as possible. If you have any underlying risks for blood clots (family history, birth control pills, smoking or a history of cancer), be sure you discuss these risks with your surgeon so that together you can determine the best way to reduce your risk.
What About CoolSculpting for Lipo 360?
Because Lipo 360 is a liposuction procedure, you cannot use CoolSculpting for the procedure. CoolSculpting is a noninvasive body contouring procedure that can be used to reduce fat around the waistline though! CoolSculpting is best for patients with focal fat deposits rather than diffusely distributed midsection fat.
Which Areas Can be Treated with Lipo 360?
Lipo 360 is liposuction of the abdomen and flanks (lower back). It is a description of the specific areas of the body treated rather than the procedure used to treat them. We perform Lipo 360 with SmartLipo or Vaser Lipo (both forms of tumescent liposuction). You can add other areas (most commonly the upper back, bra line or mons/FUPA) to your Lipo 360. In addition, many patients “recycle” their fat in a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) to really accentuate a small waist and curvy backside. The BBL is a Buttock Augmentation procedure which incorporates Fat Transfer with the Lipo 360.
How Long Does Lipo 360 Results Last?
The results of any liposuction procedure are permanent. Adults use fat deposits as energy storage sites and the number of fat cells in any given area remains constant throughout your adult life. The removal of fat cells from an area will typically lead to the resolution of that area as a “problem spot.” If you consume calories that you don’t burn, your body will find somewhere to store them. Because of this, you will need to continue good diet and exercise habits after your Lipo 360, but if you take care of your investment, you should maintain your beautiful results for the long term. Do keep in mind that as we age, our fat deposit sites may change. Skin laxity also may become an issue with age. Because we are unable to stop natural processes, you will continue to age.
How Much does Lipo 360 Cost?
The cost for your Lipo 360 body contouring will depend on several factors, including the experience of your surgeon and the technology used. At Imagen Body Sculpting, our board-certified cosmetic surgeon, Dr Frank Soto, has over a decade of experience with Lipo 360. Dr Frank performs hundreds of Lipo 360 cases every year. Our Lipo 360 cost is typically between 7-9K.
Is lipo 360 worth it?
That’s a question you’ll have to answer for yourself. Take a look at our before and after galleries and then come in to talk with our team about what Lipo 360 can do for you!
Schedule a Consultation for Your Lipo 360
If you are interested in learning more about Lipo 360, BBL or CoolSculpting, please call us at 402-347-4433 to schedule a complimentary consultation. After a brief exam, one of our doctors will discuss your goals and expectations as well as cost and financing. If you are not in Omaha, Lincoln, Council Bluffs or the surrounding metro, we do offer virtual consultations as well!
