overweight pregnant woman hand on belly
Advice CentreMummy Makeover

Liposuction for post-pregnancy fat reduction

Published by Elena Prousskaia Elena Prousskaia
overweight pregnant woman hand on belly
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Most mums struggle to lose stubborn fat after pregnancy – the significant physical changes are difficult to reverse. You’ve tried diets and workout plans but the weight just won’t budge. It could be time to consider Liposuction to finally lose weight.

Compared to other surgical options, liposuction is minimally invasive and can remove fat cells almost anywhere in the body, including the arms, legs, tummy, flanks and buttocks. You’ll need an overnight stay in the hospital, so most women choose to combine liposuction with another plastic surgery procedure.

You’ll learn what to expect from your liposuction procedure and whether it can remove your unwanted fat. We’ll compare the Tummy Tuck and lipo and explain the benefits of a transformative all-in-one procedure.

How does Liposuction work?

A plastic surgeon will mark out where they plan to remove a fat deposit. The patient will be under general anaesthetic for this procedure. The first stage of plastic surgery is to make small incisions in the areas marked.

Next, high-frequency radiowaves or pressurised water break up fat tissue. VASER liposuction uses radiowaves – the heat and frequency help stimulate collagen production and skin tightness; meanwhile, avoiding damage to blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue. Your plastic surgeon will explore each liposuction technique at your initial consultation.

Once the targeted fat cells have been loosened, they can be removed using a suction tube. The incisions are stitched up and you will spend a night in our state-of-the-art, North Bristol Private Hospital (or regional clinic) to recover. You may experience tenderness and bruising where fat cells were removed, compression garments are helpful to reduce swelling. You can see the results of the cosmetic surgery after 3-4 weeks post-op.

pregnant belly and stretch marks

Can Liposuction get rid of belly pooch?

Many women complain of a stubborn, protruding belly pooch, even after fully recovering from pregnancy. In most cases, this pooch is the result of belly fat combined with weakened or separated abdominal muscles (diastasis recti).

Liposuction is ideal for targeting stubborn belly fat. VASER lipo is particularly preferable for mums who want skin tightening. However, if you have a bulge just above your belly button, you could have a weak abdominal wall or diastasis recti. Lipo cannot fix this bulge because it’s not made up of fat.

You may want to choose a Tummy Tuck to correct your belly bulge, while also removing excess skin and stubborn fat.

What does lipo look like after pregnancy?

Lipo alone may not fix your pregnancy pooch because it doesn’t correct the weakened abdominal muscles. However, liposuction helps you achieve your dream body by removing the stubborn weight that the tummy tuck can’t.

This patient has undergone the Mummy Makeover – the tummy tuck has corrected the lower abdomen, meanwhile, her liposuction result has toned the upper stomach – as you can see, this helps create a beautifully balanced figure.

Woman had Mummy Makeover which reduced overhanging belly, toned the stomach and enhanced shape with breast implant surgery, size, symmetry and lift.

Woman had Mummy Makeover which reduced overhanging belly, toned the stomach and enhanced shape with breast implant surgery, size, symmetry and lift.

Another patient of Elena had Liposuction and an Adominoplasty to fix her pregnancy belly. You can see the areas marked with rings (left) have been significantly reduced by lipo. This helps you get a toned stomach and flanks – not just in the lower belly.

Woman underwent Mummy Makeover surgery to fix lower belly pooch, excess tummy fat, skin and drooping breasts.

Woman underwent Mummy Makeover surgery to fix lower belly pooch, excess tummy fat, skin and drooping breasts.

Is it better to have Liposuction or Tummy Tuck?

It’s very common to pair the abdominoplasty with liposuction for a tight and toned midsection. However, if you’re choosing between them, you should consider your lifestyle and budget. The tummy tuck can provide a more drastic transformation for mums, whereas lipo is less invasive and requires less recovery time. Compare the pros and cons of each procedure below.

Liposuction

Tummy Tuck

Pros
  • Minimally invasive

  • 3-4 weeks of recovery time

  • Removes fat tissue from anywhere

  • Leaves minimal scarring

  • Achieves a leaner midsection

  • Usually more affordable

  • Removes excess belly fat AND loose skin

  • Removes your most severe stretch marks

  • Discreet scarring along the bikini line

  • Corrects diastasis recti (upper belly bulge) and tightens abdominal muscles

  • Achieves a flatter stomach and leaner midsection

  • Mini tummy tuck available

Cons
  • Can’t correct diastasis recti (upper belly bulge)

  • Can’t remove stretch marks

  • Can’t remove loose skin.

  • Scars are not always in discreet areas.

  • Tummy tuck recovery takes 8 months (gentle exercise allowed from week 8).

  • Invasive procedure

  • More costly

Transform your post-baby body and regain confidence with combined plastic surgery. The Mummy Makeover combines the Tummy Tuck, abdominal liposuction, Breast implant surgery & lift and body contouring to give you the body you always dreamed of.

Inquire about the Mummy Makeover today!

Seven benefits of the Mummy Makeover?

When you choose the Mummy Makeover, you choose world-class transformative cosmetic surgery from the best female board-certified plastic surgeon in the UK – Elena Prousskaia.

The Mummy Makeover combines several surgical techniques to give exceptional mums an exceptional figure to match. You’ll benefit from breast enhancement and lift, Abdominoplasty, Liposuction and skin tightening. The benefits of the makeover surgery are endless but the following outlines the most significant.

  1. Get rid of excess belly fat and loose skin

  2. Lose your most severe stretch marks

  3. Tighten the abdominal muscles (fix diastasis recti)

  4. Breast augmentation, breast reduction and breast lift

  5. Remove excess fat in the tummy and flanks for a lean appearance all-round

  6. Tighten the skin and improve collagen formation – achieve a younger-looking body

  7. Get all the benefits from a single plastic surgery and recovery journey

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Frequently Asked Questions


Like the mum pooch, the c-section bulge results from weakened or compromised muscle or connective tissue. Because the c-section cuts through seven different layers of tissue, including abdominal muscle, it’s much harder for the body to ‘snap back’. Liposuction surgery can help remove excess weight making the pouch less prominent but it cannot fix the underlying bulge. Wait at least 12 months before considering an abdominoplasty surgery after a c-section.


Luckily lipo is a very low-risk surgery, less than 1% have complications. If you combine the procedure with the tummy tuck or breast surgery, you should take care to consider the additional risks – especially if you have a high or low weight. Read about the risks of the Mummy Makeover.


Lipo on 1-4 sites can cost from £4,950. However, you can choose a 0% finance payment plan to split the cost of the surgical procedure.

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