Liposuction vs Tummy Tuck: What am I a candidate for?

Let’s face it: we all think liposuction will give us the abs we’ve always dream of, flat and tight abs and it’s sort of true. Liposuction can enhance some areas of our body without affecting our general figure. Confusing, huh? Let’s break it down a bit. Let’s begin by explaining how liposuction works.

LIPOSUCTION

Making a small incision where your board certified plastic surgeon will introduce a cannula with which he will remove the fatty tissue underneath the skin. The doctor will extract whatever extra fat may be there. However, he will not remove it all, he will leave a thin layer of fat that will give your skin a smooth and even look.

Nevertheless, there are some cases were liposuction would not be beneficial to your figure. Wait, what? How? Well, our bodies are formed with more than just fat. We have to take into consideration our muscles.

Liposuction in your abdominal area is not recommended when there has been a significant weight loss (from a Bariatric Surgery, for example) or there have been previous pregnancies. The abdominal wall has been distended or stretched already. If liposuction where to be made when either of these two conditions is present, what would happen is that you would be left with saggy skin in your abdomen since there is no more fat for the skin to attach itself to.

So, you may be asking yourself then, what can I do to get rid of this extra fat?¨ A Plastic Surgeon’s recommendation for you would be a Tummy Tuck.

Let’s understand what the Tummy Tuck would do for you:

TUMMY TUCK

A Tummy Tuck is a procedure in which your surgeon will make an incision above your pelvis to remove the extra skin and fatty tissue. The length (circular, semicircular, regular incision) of your incision will depend on the condition of your skin and figure.

Your surgeon will make an incision all the way to the muscle to expose it and repair the abdominal wall. What this means is that the doctor will tighten up the abdominal muscle that has been stretched and distended. This will ensure you will be left with a flat and tight abdomen.

So, as you can tell, sometimes liposuction is not enough to give you the shape you want. To know if you’re a candidate for a tummy tuck or liposuction, contact one of our Patients Coordinators to get started with your journey.

If you want more information on how to reach your ideal goal visit our website or contact us so one of our Patient Coordinator can help you achieve the best version of yourself.