Ask Dr. Pane! While Getting a Tummy Tuck, Can I Get Fat Transferred to My Hips?

When a patient wants multiple body procedures done, we at Atlantic Coast Aesthetics often call these “combination procedures.” People are understandably curious about how a combined procedure might work, especially those who experience dramatic weight gain and loss through pregnancy, illness or diet and exercise, resulting in excess skin and fat, double chin, loose skin under the upper arm and so on which make skin tightening a viable option. One example of this came from a patient who is specifically interested in appending fat transferring procedures to abdominal surgery. During a recent Instagram Live patient information session with Dr. Pane, the patient asked, “While getting a tummy tuck, can I get fat transferred to my hips?” This seems like a very simple question, but it has a lot of facets and moving parts. Let’s take a closer look at combination procedures and what Dr. Pane had to say about them!

First, combination procedures can sometimes be done, but there are a number of variables to take into account. One point to consider is the fact that doing multiple procedures at one time is not always the best strategy. Doing a combined procedure such as a thigh lift surgery and breast revision increases healing time and the risk of complications because there are simply more places where something can go wrong, such as postoperative infection or improper incision aftercare.

Another factor is a combination of federal and Florida state law combined with guidance from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Board of Plastic Surgery, the Aesthetic Society and other regulatory and certificatory bodies. Because Florida is an extremely popular destination for out-of-town patients undergoing cosmetic surgical procedures, this state has a lot of experience dealing with the good, bad, ugly and tragic of cosmetic surgery. This in turn has led to tight regulations on what a plastic surgery center and its medical professionals can and cannot do and what is and is not allowed, in the interest of erring on the side of patient safety. Body fat transfers are rigorously monitored, which we’ll hear more about from Dr. Pane shortly.

Another key factor depends on the amount of fat available. In some patients, there simply may not be enough excess fat cells present to provide the volume and body contours the patient is hoping for. This is especially true of patients who have experienced nonsurgical fat reduction through some types of cellulite treatment, exercise or other radical weight loss. The fat cells don’t go away, of course, but they can and do grow and shrink as you gain weight or lose it. This means when you have fat transferred from one place to another, such as transfer to the buttocks during butt augmentation, transfer to the hips during an hourglass hip procedure vs. tummy tuck or a mini tummy tuck, the fat grafting will remain in its new location.

Here’s what Dr. Pane had to say about all of this, in his own words:

“In general, we don’t usually do a full fat transfer very often in an outpatient surgery setting because the rules are 1000cc of fat maximum for cutting procedures. If you do that, you’ll only be able to transfer about 500cc per side, which is generally not enough. However, if it’s a small area, it may be enough, but it is a longer procedure because it adds extra time and extra cost to the procedure.

“Generally, we will say to get the tummy tuck done first and then the BBL after, or vice versa depending on what your main priority is. Also, if you do the full version of both operations at the same time it has a higher problem rate. They do that in some other states, but those are usually states which don’t do cosmetic surgery at the same high rate and so haven’t seen the same problems. As those cases increase, the rules in those states will likely change to prevent [further problems]. In a hospital or ambulatory surgical center, it can be done, but it takes a lot more recovery and the complication likelihood is higher, so we tend to avoid it.”

So, as you can see, having a combination procedure is not entirely off the table. When you meet Dr. Pane for a virtual or (preferably) in-person consultation to get your cosmetic surgery questions answered in the most specific and accurate way for you and your body, it is entirely possible that between the history on your patient registration forms, what he sees and what your goals are, you may be a candidate for a combination procedure which someone else might not be. However, as always, we want to stress that it’s important to be realistic about your goals and expectations regarding cosmetic surgery beforehand and diligent about your postoperative aftercare, to help ensure you get the best possible results. Also, it’s important to consider what financing options you have access to for the procedures you want. This is a separate matter which is far out of the scope of this article, but the financial aspects do need to be taken into account, especially for a longer, more involved procedure or combination procedures.

Atlantic Coast Aesthetics is proud to offer the following services and many more!

• breast implant removal
• breast implant revision
• brow lift
• chin augmentation
• ear surgery
• facial implants
• forehead lift
• hair transplantation
• hourglass tummy tuck
• neck lift
• nose reshaping
• spider vein treatment
• vaginal rejuvenation
• and more!

ACA has a wide range of patient resources. We encourage you to make an appointment to meet the staff, explore our photo and video gallery and contact us if you have any questions or concerns about any aspect of your cosmetic surgery journey. Please follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter; call us at (561) 513-4763; or click here to contact us via email. Your question may be used in an upcoming Ask Dr. Pane segment, giving you the answers you need to make the best possible choices for you, your body and your lifestyle. Remember, at Atlantic Coast Aesthetics, we believe the only bad question is the one you DON’T ask!