Liposuction after C-Section

For many women, the birth experience is the culmination of nine long months of anticipation, excitement, and anxiety. Afterward, those first few months of motherhood can seem to be a blur of joy, worry, and sleeplessness. At some point, however, a new mother may reach a point at which she will want to work on getting back in shape to achieve the body she had before she got pregnant.

This is when many of these women come in for an initial consultation visit with our surgeons at Jefferson Plastic Surgery about undergoing a liposuction procedure in order to shed some of the extra pounds that are still left following childbirth. In fact, women who have undergone a c-section may be more likely to want liposuction, as the scar from the procedure can leave an undesirable shape to the abdominal region and make any excess fat deposits more noticeable.

Here are some of the more common questions that our surgeons are asked by women who are interested in undergoing a liposuction procedure after their c-section delivery.

Can I Undergo My Liposuction Procedure at the Time of Delivery?

While it may be feasible to combine liposuction with a c-section delivery, our surgeons and most obstetricians would strongly advise against it. A c-section procedure is considered to be medically necessary, in order to prevent or reduce risk to either the mother or the newborn.

Attempting to combine that with an elective liposuction procedure would very likely increase risk to both for blood clots, excessive bleeding, or infection. Since a liposuction procedure is not necessary, why increase the risk for the safe delivery of the infant by attempting to perform it at the same time as the c-section?

Furthermore, even if the obstetrician and cosmetic surgeon agreed to combine the procedures, health insurance would only cover the cost for the delivery. Just because both procedures were performed at the same time, does not mean that insurance will cover the cost of the liposuction procedure.

How Long Should I Wait To Have Liposuction?

While everyone’s healing time following a c-section is different, there are still some basic considerations to keep in mind when determining how long to wait before having liposuction.

First, it will take some time for the uterus to contract to its pre-pregnancy size. The surrounding abdominal tissues and the tough tissue fibers that make up the abdominal walls must also contract, as they no longer need to accommodate for the size of the fetus. Because of this, it can be difficult for our surgeons to determine not only from where, but also exactly how much, fat needs to be removed in order to get the best results. This is why our surgeons usually recommend waiting at least six to nine months following delivery before considering a liposuction procedure. Until then, they further suggest starting on a regimen of regular exercise and a sensible diet to start losing weight.

Being a new mother can be both exciting and scary. However, once you are ready to start looking at getting back into shape, you may want to consider a liposuction procedure to put the finishing touches on all of your efforts to get back into shape after your c-section.