What is Lipo360?

Lipo360 is a liposuction procedure that targets multiple areas on the front, back and sides of your midsection. Lipo360 refers to the fact that you are doing liposuction around all 360 degrees of the circle that is your torso.The areas that are frequently included in lipo360 are the stomach, the waist (also sometimes called the flanks or “love handles”), the upper back, the lower back, and the the underarm fat that may hang over a bathing suit or a bra strap.

What’s wrong with the name “Lipo360”?

Clear communication is a critical part of achieving excellent results in plastic surgery: when the surgeon understands what the patient wants, the surgeon can work with the patient to achieve their desired outcome. The name “Lipo360” can interfere with this process as it takes what should be an in-depth conversation regarding which individual areas the patient is concerned about and blankets them under one term. It oversimplifies the conversation and makes for a potential lack of clarity when a patient is communicating with his or her surgeon.

Instead of just saying “lipo360” when he is planning a liposuction procedure, Dr. Smith prefers to individually assess each potential area involved. He will begin with the abdomen, for example, and see how much extra fat is present, and if a skin tightening procedure is needed. He will then move on to the next area, the waist, and come up with a plan for this too. Each area of the torso is addressed in this manner. When a general term like lipo360 is used, it can lead to a lack of clarity in conversation between patient and surgeon because it lends itself to coming up with a more generalized plan that isn’t focused on the patient’s individual needs. The different areas that can be treated as part of a Lipo360 procedure are illustrated below. Yellow is the stomach, blue is the waist, red is the area around the armpits, or “axillae”, and green is the back.

How does Lipo 360 work?

Your Lipo360 appointment begins with another meeting with Dr. Smith to review the plan and together mark out the areas to be treated with liposuction. Preoperative photographs are taken. This portion of the day takes place in one of our preoperative exam rooms, shown below.

The patient is then brought back to the operating room. All Lipo360 procedures are performed in our state-of-the-art AAAASF Class-C accredited operating room.

Once in the operating room, you will be made comfortable on our heated operating room bed. Since Lipo360 involves multiple areas of liposuction, Dr. Smith does not like to use local anesthesia for these procedures. Local anesthesia can work well for small liposuction cases where low doses of local anesthesia are enough to keep the patient comfortable. In Lipo360, we prefer to use either IV sedation or general anesthesia. Dr. Smith only works with a board certified anesthesiologist to administer both IV sedation and general anesthesia. IV sedation, also called “twilight anesthesia” or “conscious sedation” is the same kind of anesthesia used for colonoscopy. You will be in and out of sleep, comfortable, and breathing on your own. If you would prefer to be completely asleep, we can perform Lipo360 with general anesthesia, in which you are fully asleep and breathing with the assistance of a machine.

Once you are under anesthesia, Dr. Smith will make very well hidden incisions (smaller than a pen cap), and use these access incisions to instill numbing medicine into the treatment areas. After the numbing medicine has had a chance to work, Dr. Smith will perform any skin tightening procedures, like BodyTite, or deep tissue tightening procedures, like VASER, that are necessary. Then, we will use long, thin instruments called cannulas to suction out excess fat. We will carefully reposition the patient as needed to treat all of the chosen areas for a given Lipo360 procedure. At the end of the procedure, we will dress you in a compression garment. Some Lipo360 before and after photos are shown here.

What is Lipo360 + BBL?

Lipo360 can be combined with a BBL (Brazilian Buttock Lift). When Lipo360 is combined with a BBL, the fat that is removed in the Lipo360 portion of the procedure is placed in the buttocks (also using a cannula) through very small access points. The combination of Lipo360 with a BBL is a very powerful body contouring procedure.

Who is an ideal candidate for Lipo360?

The ideal candidate for Lipo360 is in good general health, does not smoke, and is at or near his or her goal weight. He or she should have good skin tone and minimal skin laxity. Additionally, the ideal candidate for Lipo360 should be motivated to participate in their care and have reasonable expectations for the procedure.

Benefits of Lipo360

Lipo360 allows for dramatic contour changes of the entire torso. With the potential to address the stomach, waist, back, and underarm areas, Lipo360 provides a powerful, customized approach to body sculpting that generally has brief downtime and very manageable discomfort.

Related Content: Does liposuction leave scars ? 

How much does Lipo 360 cost?

The cost of Lipo360 may be even more variable than other plastic surgery procedures, as it is not clear from the term “Lipo360” alone which areas will be treated. The price will also likely change significantly based on surgeon experience, geographical location of the procedure, quality of the surgical staff and surgery center, and the degree to which advanced technology is used. Lipo360 in New York City, with a reputable surgeon in a safe environment using basic equipment, is generally between $10,000 and $15,000. It is certainly possible to find far less expensive Lipo360 procedures, however in NYC pricing less than this generally implies corners are being cut in terms of safety, staffing or surgeon experience. While lower cost options may be appealing, the chances of needing urgent care for a complication or revision surgery is higher in these scenarios and this often ends up being more expensive in the long run.

Lipo 360 Cost Breakdown

This table presents a reasonable expectation for low, average, and high prices for different lipo360 techniques in NYC. Prices can vary by size of area treated and other factors, and do not include facility fees or anesthesia fees if applicable.

Recovery

Recovery from Lipo360 in our practice generally requires 48 hours away from work. Many busy professionals will choose to have Lipo360 with Dr. Smith on a Friday so they can return to their jobs on Monday. There is no severe pain after the procedure, but rather soreness that feels similar to a demanding workout. You will be up and walking immediately after the procedure, and can resume light workouts in 4-5 days. A full workout is generally allowed 2 weeks after Lipo360 with Dr. Smith. Early results are visible in a few weeks, and full results are visible after a few months.

See Liposuction Before and After Images

Post-op care tips

Here are some tips Dr. Smith often shares with his patients for recovery after Lipo360. Please remember that each of these procedures are highly personalized and this is not medical advice:

• Get up and walk around right after the procedure
• Frequent walks without over-exerting are beneficial for recovery
• You will wear a compression garment from 48 hours to 1 month depending on the procedure performed
• Minimize salt and alcohol intake to help swelling resolve
• Maintain a healthy diet and exercise regimen to maximize your results
• Adhere to you post-op instructions and follow-up schedule from Dr. Smith