If you have concerns about your abdominal area, you have lots of company. Even people at a healthy weight often have loose skin or accumulated belly fat. Liposuction and a tummy tuck offer two methods to eliminate these abdominal concerns. Which one will work for you depends on your individual needs.
Do I Need a Tummy Tuck or Liposuction?
The human body has a natural tendency to store fat in the abdomen. Pregnancy or weight changes can add sagging, loose skin to this problem. If a flatter, slimmer stomach is your goal, a tummy tuck or liposuction may be right for you. Only a consultation with an LPS surgeon can determine which one will work best for your needs. For some people, a combination of a tummy tuck and liposuction will achieve the best results.
What is Liposuction?
Liposuction removes fat from targeted areas of the body to slim and contour. It uses a cannula inserted through small incisions to remove excess fat using suction. Liposuction is not for weight loss but removes enough fat to sculpt and shape the treated area. Liposuction makes a good option for those who have stubborn abdominal fat that will not budge despite a healthy lifestyle.
What is a Tummy Tuck?
A tummy tuck uses an incision hidden below the bikini line to remove excess skin and fat from the abdomen. Your surgeon will also correct separated abdominal muscles frequently occurring during pregnancy and reposition your belly button for a natural appearance. A tummy tuck is a much more extensive procedure than liposuction but can make more significant changes.
Liposuction vs. Tummy Tuck
If your abdominal skin has good elasticity, but you have concerns about a “pooch” of fat you cannot get rid of, liposuction can help. Liposuction cannot address loose skin, so a tummy tuck may work better if you have sagging abdominal skin and fat. Your LPS surgeon may perform liposuction as part of a tummy tuck to achieve a flat, sculpted abdomen.
Liposuction and Tummy Tuck Recovery
Liposuction uses only a few small incisions, but you will have some soreness and swelling in the area where fat was removed. This will improve after the first few days, and most people can return to work in one to two weeks. After a tummy tuck, you will have a significantly larger incision. Most people return to work after about two weeks, but full recovery can take several months.
Am I a Good Candidate for Liposuction or a Tummy Tuck?
Good candidates for these procedures have no significant health problems and do not smoke. Ideal candidates have reasonable expectations about their results. You may not be a good candidate if you have health issues that would prevent you from healing normally. If you plan to become pregnant in the future, you may want to wait until afterward to have a tummy tuck.
Take the Next Step
Interested in learning about tummy tucks or liposuction? Schedule your consultation with Longwood Plastic Surgery today by calling our Brookline office at (617) 383-6250. We serve the Brookline and Greater Boston area with distinction