What Areas Does Lipo 360 Cover? Arms, Back and Thighs

What does Lipo 360 include?

Lipo 360 treats your midsection from every side in one surgery, usually the upper and lower abdomen, the flanks and waist (the "love handles") and the back. The arms, thighs and hips are separate areas that can be added to the same surgery. Your surgeon confirms which areas your plan and price cover at the exam.

There is no official definition, so what one clinic calls Lipo 360 can differ from another. The useful question isn't "how many areas?" but "which areas are in my plan, and which cost extra?"

What areas does Lipo 360 cover?

Cleveland Clinic says that although there isn't an official definition of Lipo 360, the term refers to liposuction that treats your front, sides and back, like the 360 degrees of a circle, typically the stomach, waist, love handles and back. Its liposuction page describes the core as the upper and lower abdomen and the space above the hips, and says that sometimes this includes the back. The two descriptions agree on the front and sides; the back is where plans differ.

At Alluring, Lipo 360 usually treats the abdomen, the flanks and the back in one surgery, so the waist is shaped from every side rather than one area at a time. Your surgeon confirms which areas your plan and price cover at the exam. The prices below are the add-on prices on the practice's price sheet, for an area added to another procedure.

Each price is the sheet's price for that area when it is added to another procedure, not the price of a separate surgery, and not a statement of what the Lipo 360 price covers. You can see the full list of areas liposuction can treat on the liposuction page.

Does Lipo 360 include arms?

No. The upper arms are a separate area, and Lipo 360 is about the torso. You can have arm liposuction in the same surgery, priced as an add-on: $1,000 added to another procedure such as Lipo 360.

Whether arm liposuction is the right choice depends on your skin. Liposuction removes fat but doesn't tighten skin, as The Aesthetic Society notes, so if the skin of the upper arm hangs, an arm lift, which removes skin, may suit you better. Your surgeon checks this at your exam.

Does Lipo 360 include the upper back and bra rolls?

Often, because Lipo 360 usually treats the back, but ask. How much of the back is in your plan, and whether the bra rolls are part of your Lipo 360 price or added to it, is something your surgeon confirms at the exam. The liposuction page describes the back as an area that takes in the bra line and the lower back, and the price sheet lists back and flank liposuction as its own $1,500 add-on.

Two nearby areas are separate:

• The buffalo hump. Fat at the top of the back, at the base of the neck, is its own area. On the price sheet it is $500 and is added only to a back procedure.
• The armpit. The price sheet lists armpit (axillary) liposuction as its own add-on, $600 added to another procedure. If the fold between your bra strap and armpit is what bothers you, point to it at the consultation and ask which area it falls under.

If bra rolls are what bother you most, say so at the consultation and ask your surgeon to show you exactly where your plan starts and stops.

Does Lipo 360 include thighs?

No. The thighs are separate areas, below the torso Lipo 360 treats. Inner and outer thighs can each be added to the same surgery, at $800 each added to another procedure. The hips, the curve below the waist, are also a separate $800 add-on.

Adding areas lengthens the surgery. Liposuction usually takes 1 to 3 hours at the practice, depending on how many areas are treated, and you go home the same day.

What are the "12 areas" of Lipo 360?

The "12 areas" is a way of counting, not a medical standard. Some clinics divide the torso into numbered zones, for example the upper abdomen, the lower abdomen, each flank, each side of the lower back, the mid back and the bra line on each side, and add them up to a number. Another clinic can draw the same torso with fewer, larger zones or with more, smaller ones.

A count tells you how the map is drawn. It doesn't tell you how much fat is removed, how evenly, or whether two quotes cover the same body. When you compare quotes, ask each clinic:

1. Which zones are in the plan, marked on your body or on a diagram?
2. Which areas cost extra, and how much?
3. Does the price include anesthesia, the facility, the compression garment and follow-up visits?

Who is a good candidate for Lipo 360?

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) describes ideal candidates for liposuction as adults within 30% of their ideal weight, with firm, elastic skin and good muscle tone, who don't smoke or vape. That is a description of who tends to do well, not a cutoff; your surgeon decides at an exam.

Lipo 360 is a shaping surgery, not a weight-loss one. ASPS says liposuction is not a treatment for obesity or a substitute for diet and exercise, and The Aesthetic Society says it removes fat without tightening skin or improving cellulite. So Lipo 360 suits fat that stays around the waist and back despite a stable weight. It doesn't suit an overhanging lower belly or skin that folds after pregnancy or weight loss; a tummy tuck removes that skin. Our guide to tummy tuck vs liposuction explains how to tell which you need, and the liposuction page covers who is a good candidate for liposuction.

Lipo 360 vs traditional liposuction vs Lipo 360 with a BBL

Cleveland Clinic draws the difference this way: traditional liposuction focuses on a single section of your body, while Lipo 360 removes fat from several areas at one time. Because the waist is shaped from the front, sides and back together, the change shows from every angle rather than only from the front.

A BBL adds a second step: fat taken during Lipo 360 is transferred to the buttocks. It is a bigger operation with its own recovery rules. A study of an insurance database of cosmetic surgery concluded that combining liposuction with other procedures, especially in older patients or patients with obesity, can significantly increase complication rates (Kaoutzanis and colleagues, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 2017). If you are weighing the two, read about the Brazilian butt lift in Miami and how long BBL recovery takes.

How much does Lipo 360 cost in Miami?

At Alluring, Lipo 360 starts at $4,000. Liposuction of one more area added to the same surgery is $500 to $1,500, depending on the area. Your surgeon confirms which areas your plan and price cover at the exam. See Lipo 360 cost in Miami for the current price list and what moves it.

For comparison, ASPS puts the average cost of liposuction at $4,711, a surgeon's fee that does not include anesthesia, operating room facilities or other related expenses. Ask any clinic, us included, for an itemized quote, and ask about financing.

What is recovery like after Lipo 360?

Because Lipo 360 treats a large area, recovery centers on swelling and the compression garment. These are the figures the main medical sources give for liposuction:

• Walk right away. MedlinePlus advises walking as soon as possible after surgery to help prevent blood clots.
• Swelling peaks, then settles. The Aesthetic Society says swelling peaks around 48 hours, mostly goes down within 2 to 3 weeks, and slight swelling can last up to 4 months.
• Wear the garment. The Aesthetic Society says you wear a compression garment over the treated areas for 4 to 6 weeks.
• Work. The Aesthetic Society says most people return to work within a few days, depending on their job; ASPS's recovery timeline puts it in weeks 2 to 3. A desk job comes back sooner than one with lifting.
• Exercise. The Aesthetic Society advises avoiding strenuous exercise for 4 to 6 weeks.
• Final shape. Cleveland Clinic says it can take 3 to 6 months for swelling to go away completely before you see the result.

For the details, read liposuction swelling, week by week, when you can work out after lipo and how many lymphatic massages after Lipo 360.

If you want to talk through which areas would make the most difference for your shape, a consultation for Lipo 360 in Miami with Dr. Victoria Karlinsky, MD, FACS, is where you can ask which areas your plan and price cover.

Frequently asked questions

How many areas is Lipo 360?

There is no fixed number. Lipo 360 covers the midsection from the front, sides and back, and clinics divide that into as many zones as they like, which is why you see different counts. Ask which body areas your plan includes rather than how many zones it has, and compare quotes by area, not by number.

Can Lipo 360 get rid of a hanging belly?

No. Liposuction removes fat but doesn't remove or tighten skin, so an overhanging lower belly, sometimes called an apron, usually needs a tummy tuck. ASPS says a tummy tuck removes excess fat and skin and, in most cases, restores weakened or separated muscles. Some people have both, and your surgeon can tell you which fits at an exam.

Is Lipo 360 good for plus-size women?

ASPS describes ideal liposuction candidates as adults within 30% of their ideal weight, with firm, elastic skin. That isn't a strict cutoff, but Lipo 360 is not a weight-loss treatment, and there are safety limits on how much fat can be removed at once. If you are planning to lose a lot of weight, The Aesthetic Society advises waiting until you have.

How long does Lipo 360 surgery take?

Liposuction at the practice usually takes 1 to 3 hours, depending on how many areas are treated, and you go home the same day with someone to drive you. Adding the arms, thighs or a BBL makes the surgery longer. Your surgeon gives you the expected time for your own plan at the consultation.

Is Lipo 360 permanent?

The fat cells removed don't grow back: Cleveland Clinic says liposuction permanently removes fat cells. The fat cells that remain in your body can still grow if you gain weight, so ASPS says results last as long as you keep a stable weight and general fitness. Your habits after surgery matter as much as the surgery itself.

Does Lipo 360 leave scars?

Liposuction is done through small incisions, and your surgeon plans where they go before surgery. The Aesthetic Society says the small incisions used for access fade over a number of months and usually become barely visible. Protect them from the sun while they heal, follow your surgeon's scar care, and ask at your consultation where yours will be.

Is Lipo 360 the same as liposculpture?

Not quite. Cleveland Clinic describes liposculpture as a procedure that removes fat from small areas to add muscle tone and definition, while Lipo 360 treats the whole midsection from every side. The words overlap in everyday use, so ask your surgeon what she plans for each area rather than going by the name.

Sources

• Cleveland Clinic: Liposculpture
• Cleveland Clinic: Liposuction
• American Society of Plastic Surgeons: Are you a good candidate for liposuction?
• American Society of Plastic Surgeons: Liposuction
• American Society of Plastic Surgeons: What should I expect during my liposuction recovery?
• American Society of Plastic Surgeons: How much does liposuction cost?
• American Society of Plastic Surgeons: Tummy tuck
• The Aesthetic Society: Liposuction
• The Aesthetic Society: Liposuction aftercare and recovery
• MedlinePlus: Liposuction
• Aesthetic Surgery Journal: Cosmetic liposuction: preoperative risk factors, major complication rates, and safety of combined procedures (Kaoutzanis and colleagues, 2017)