This phrase has been popping up everywhere. It’s an old idea with a great new name. The Lipo is just liposuction, the 360 refers simply to liposuction being performed 360 degrees all the way around you as opposed to just concentrating on the abdomen or just the flanks, etc.
When you presents for body contouring my evaluation starts at your shoulder and goes to your hips.
If you are a candidate for liposuction alone of the abdomen and flanks I start looking at the lateral chest, the area above and below the bra strap, the flanks/love handles as well as the abdomen and mons/pubic area. Extension along the low back/upper buttock to the midline as well as most of the way across the bra line is my standard technique.
If you are having skin removal in the form of an abdominoplasty, the Lipo 360 will be performed in all the same areas just mentioned above. Many doctors like to segment or compartmentalize each area and then charge you for each one, but the truth is, all of these areas go together and when 1 area is left full and fatty it takes away from what might be an otherwise excellent overall result. What’s the sense of having a great waist line and flank when you have a fat roll above, or worse below your bra line?
For most the standard Lipo 360 is enough. But for a few people with excess fat on their upper back/shoulder blade area, along with the posterior neck/upper back junction (aka buffalo hump). Extended Lipo 360 is performed. This is evaluated and added on and a case-by-case basis.
Frequently Lipo 360 is combined with liposuction of the outer thigh or fat transfer to the outer thigh and/or buttock depending on your shape and goals.
The goal of the procedure is to achieve significant contour improvement with a nice tight waist that lets all of your curves show through. This is true whether looking at you from the front, side or even behind.
Recovery
My liposuction procedures have become more aggressive such that more fat is removed on each patient; leading to an overall thinner and better contoured and defined result. This however has increased the recovery by a bit.
Pain and significant swelling is seen usually for 3 to 7 days depending on the starting point for the patient, heavier patients with a longer recovery. Swelling persists for a few weeks and really starts shaping and clearing up by about 3 to 4 weeks.
Return to work is generally 5 to 14 days. Exercise at 3 to 6 weeks. Compression garments for 4 to 8 weeks.
Because of the multiple areas being treated, this is performed with anesthesia, usually outpatient.
Lipo 360 is often part of a full body makeover/”mommy makeover” as well. It’s really a mindset on my behalf looking for the best shape for my patients.
Multiple small incisions are utilized for this procedure. They however are placed as specifically as possible to try to hide them within underwear/bra lines.