I want to know how safe is it to have tummy tuck and fat injections to the buttocks? How long is the recovery and how would I sit or lay down? Should I have tummy tuck and then wait and have fat injections or should I just get it done all at once.
A: combining tummy tuck with fat transfer to buttock
You can have a tummy tuck at the same time as a fat transfer to the buttock or they can be staged- this should be discussed thoroughly with your surgeon. First of all, you need to be in good overall health and need to have medical clearance by your primary care physician prior to any combination surgery. As far as the fat transfer is concerned, it’s important that you avoid sitting on your buttock area after the surgery for at least two weeks to minimize trauma to the newly transplanted fat cells. This can sometimes be difficult in conjunction with a tummy tuck from a position standpoint-patients then need to ideally be on their side for sleeping. Adjustments can be made while sitting by using pillows placed under the back of the thigh to reduce the direct trauma placed on the fat cells.
Another factor to consider is that if you do a tummy tuck without the fat transfer, the fat from the abdomen will be discarded and you then have “lost out” on the opportunity to use that important tissue for the buttock augmentation in the future.
Please consult with a board certified plastic surgeon prior to scheduling this combination of surgeries.
Best wishes,
Dr. Bruno
