I Need A Tummy Tuck And A Liposuction--which Should I Get First?

Liposuction (also called lipoplasty and suction lipectomy) and abdominoplasty (which is also referred to as tummy tuck) are very popular among mothers

. The changes that a woman's body undergoes during pregnancy can often be very difficult to reverse through one's efforts alone. These surgeries help to combat some of the common complaints that women have after their post-pregnancy bodies.

Many women experience that the additional pressure put on their abdominal muscles during pregnancy stretches them out and makes them loose or saggy. This creates a less trim, saggier appearance regardless of how much excess fat the woman is carrying. A tummy tucks can help combat this problem by removing excess or loose skin and tightening the abdominal muscles.

Similarly, it's no secret that a number of women experience an increase in their weight and body fat during pregnancy. Lipoplasty can help this by surgically removing the excess fat.

If a woman has loose abdominal muscles, lots of excess skin and large amounts of excess fat, a lipoplasty or a tummy tuck may not be enough alone. To create an optimal appearance, both surgeries may be necessary.

Given that these two surgeries cannot be performed simultaneously, but must be performed with a few to several months in between to allow the patient to recover, it becomes important to decide which procedure should be performed first.

It seems that opinions vary in the professional sphere regarding this question. A number of cosmetic surgery specialists claim that liposuction should be performed first. These surgeons relate how much more invasive a tummy tuck is. They state that the surgery often causes a large, unattractive scar that can be difficult to hide. Additionally, a tummy tuck gives a much larger chance for dangerous surgical complications such as the formation of blood clots in the lungs. The recovery time for a tummy tuck is two to four times longer than what is required for a lipoplasty. Finally, tummy tucks are much more expensive than lipoplasties; some figures suggest that it is on average about twice as expensive.

These surgeons note that many patients who think that they needed both surgeries actually find that they are satisfied after having undergone the lipectomy alone. The patients are thus spared the additional expense and risk that another surgery would require.

However, some other surgeons claim that it is better to reverse the order. These state that a liposuction reduces the elasticity and blood supply of the skin, which makes it more difficult to successfully and safely perform a tummy tuck.

by: Christian Heftel

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