Flanks — the area commonly called love handles — sit at the side of the waist above the hip. Whether they are treated by liposuction or by removing skin depends on the same question that governs the rest of body contouring: is the problem fat, or is it skin?
In patients who have not lost a great deal of weight, flanks are usually fat with reasonable skin, and liposuction handles them well. After major weight loss they are usually skin, and no amount of liposuction will correct them.
The options
| Approach | What it does | Suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Liposuction of the flanks | Reduces the bulge, narrows the waist | Fat with good skin elasticity; small scars only |
| Flank liposuction with abdominoplasty | Improves the waist and lets the abdominal skin redrape better | Very common combination; adds operating time, not much recovery |
| Extended abdominoplasty | The abdominal incision continues around the flanks to remove skin there | Looseness extending to the sides after weight loss |
| Lower body lift | A circumferential excision addressing flanks, hips, outer thighs and buttocks | Looseness running all the way around the trunk |
Dr Kumar will tell you which of these matches what is actually there, rather than offering the list. See body lift.
Why flanks matter more than they look
The flanks determine whether an abdominoplasty produces a waist or just a flat front. A tummy tuck that addresses only the front can leave the sides untouched and the contour looking boxy from behind. This is why liposuction of the flanks is so often included, and why an extended incision is sometimes better than a standard one.
It is worth asking, at your consultation, what is planned for your sides — not only your front.
Men and women differ here
Men characteristically carry flank fat more firmly and more fibrously, which makes it harder to remove and more likely to need a second pass. Men are also more likely to carry fat inside the abdomen, which liposuction cannot reach — a firm, rounded abdomen with pinchable flanks is a common pattern, and only the flanks are treatable surgically. Liposuction for men.
Medicare
Liposuction for contour attracts no rebate. Where redundant skin follows significant weight loss and causes functional problems, item 30169 covers removal of redundant non-abdominal skin. A circumferential procedure may fall under item 30179 — circumferential lipectomy for excess skin and fat after weight loss. MBS figures as at 1 July 2026, surgeon’s fee only, and which applies is assessed on your findings. More about costs.
Recovery
Liposuction alone: back at desk work within about a week, a compression garment for six weeks, final contour at around three months. Liposuction recovery. Where skin is excised as part of an abdominoplasty or body lift, plan on two weeks off work, a gradual return over four and full clearance at about twelve weeks. Drains are used in body contouring surgery.
Common questions
Will losing more weight fix it? If the problem is fat, yes, and that is the cheaper route. If it is skin, weight loss makes it more obvious.
Can it be done on its own? Yes — flank liposuction as a standalone day case is common.
Will the fat come back? Treated fat cells are removed, but remaining cells enlarge with weight gain, and fat may redistribute.
What about non-surgical fat reduction? Those treatments reduce fat modestly and do nothing for skin. Where skin is the problem, they will not help.
How do I know which I have? Pinch the roll and release it. Skin that springs back suggests fat; skin that stays creased suggests excess skin. Examination settles it — or send photos first.
Next step
Bring a GP referral — it is required to see Dr Kumar — and ask specifically what is planned for your sides. He consults at Westmead, Penrith and Orange. Call 1300 267 726. More about liposuction and body contouring after weight loss.
The initial consultation with Dr Kumar is $400, with a Medicare rebate of approximately $88 where you have a GP referral. Surgical fees are quoted individually after your consultation, in a written itemised quote.
All surgery carries risks, and individual results will vary. Read more about the risks of surgery here. A GP referral is required to see Dr Kumar.
Dr Rohit Kumar (MED0001630444) Registered medical practitioner, specialist plastic surgeon (specialist registration in surgery – plastic surgery).
