Why the flanks respond well
Flank fat often stays put at a steady weight, especially in men, and the skin there is usually thick enough to settle smoothly. Treating the flanks together with the stomach and sometimes the lower back shapes the waist from every side, which is what clinics call 360.
Who it suits
Liposuction is probably not for you if:
- you are still losing or gaining weight, or your BMI is well above the healthy range
- the problem is loose, hanging skin rather than fat (that needs a skin-removal operation)
- you smoke and won't stop before surgery: smoking slows healing and raises the risk of blood clots
- you are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning a pregnancy soon
- you hope it will change how you feel about your whole body, not one area
Recovery
You wear a compression garment around the waist for several weeks. Sleeping on your side is sore at first. Most people are back at a desk within about a week, at gentle exercise in three to four weeks, and at full training when their surgeon agrees.
Risks
Common in the weeks after any liposuction:
- bruising and swelling, which can last up to six months
- numbness, which usually settles in six to eight weeks
- small scars where the tube went in
- fluid leaking from the cuts for the first days
Less common, and the reason you want a specialist and a proper hospital or clinic:
- lumpy or uneven results, sometimes needing a second operation
- bleeding under the skin (a haematoma)
- numbness that lasts for months
- changes in skin colour over the treated area
- infection, or an allergic reaction to the anaesthetic
- a blood clot in a leg vein, which can travel to the lungs
- fluid on the lungs from the fluid injected during surgery
- damage to internal organs, which is very rare
Your surgeon should tell you how likely each one is for you, and what they do if it happens. See the full guide to liposuction risks and side effects.
Cost
Flanks alone: €2,200 to €4,500. Flanks and stomach: €3,000 to €7,000. Flanks, stomach and back: €3,500 to €7,000.
By law every doctor practising in Ireland must be registered with the Medical Council, and a doctor can only practise independently as a specialist if they hold specialist registration. For liposuction, look for an entry in the Specialist Division under Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery. You can search the register yourself on the Medical Council's website.
Questions people ask
Are love handles one area or two?
Clinics usually count both sides as one area. Ask how your quote counts them.
Will lipo on my love handles make my stomach look bigger?
It can change the balance, which is why the stomach and flanks are often done together. Your surgeon should look at the whole waist.