Liposuction Vs. Tummy Tuck: Which Procedure is Best for Me?

Liposuction or Tummy Tuck: Which Procedure is Best for Me?

February 5, 2021

Liposuction or Tummy Tuck: Which Procedure is Best for Me? Many patients come to our practice looking to have a flatter, trimmer midsection. Whether due to drastic weight-loss, post-pregnancy effects, or even abdominal fat that can’t be corrected with regular diet and exercise, they are looking for the right procedure to address their unique circumstance and provide them optimal results where their stomach is concerned.

A lot of the times, these patients have done research and know that there are two main procedures that can address issues related to a fat and flabby abdomen, Liposuction and the Tummy Tuck, but they may not be sure which procedure is right for them. So, I’m going to help clarify this for them and everyone else thinking about undergoing an abdominal fat removal procedure. First, I’ll go over what each procedure is and briefly explain how it is executed. Then, I’ll talk about the ideal candidates for each.

Liposuction removes excess fat deposits and fatty tissue helping to slim, contour and reshape areas of the body. It is performed by using a cannula that is attached to an aspirator to suck out the fat. The cannula is inserted just underneath the skin through small, strategically placed incisions made on the treated area. As mentioned, the fat is simply sucked out.

The Tummy Tuck, on the other hand, removes the excess fat and skin of the abdomen and tightens the abdominal muscles. The results are a flatter, tighter abdomen. For a tummy tuck, a large incision is made across the lower abdomen from hip to hip, along the bikini line where it is best hidden. Using this incision, the abdominal skin is detached from the muscle so that the abdominal muscles can be tightened with sutures creating an internal corset and the excess abdominal skin can excised. The remaining skin flap is then tightly sutured to the original incision for it to reattach to the abdominal muscles.

Now, with a better understanding of the procedures, we can see that the main difference between the two is that the Tummy Tuck corrects excess, hanging, sagging skin, while Liposuction does not. Ideal candidates for Liposuction have excess body fat and skin that’s firm enough to not sag following the procedure, while Tummy Tuck candidates suffer from excess abdominal skin in addition to the fat deposits.

Always remember, no matter what plastic surgery procedure you’re interested in, the best way to get a proper recommendation is to schedule a consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon who has a clean license, extensive experience in the procedure you’re interested in and can demonstrate the patient results that you’re looking for with before and after pictures.

You can schedule a consult with Dr. Salama today to see if you’re a good candidate for Liposuction or the Tummy Tuck!

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