Tummy Liposuction and Tummy Tuck Surgery - What's The Difference?

Tummy Liposuction and Tummy Tuck Surgery - What's The Difference

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Although both tummy liposuction and tummy tuck surgery help people achieve similar results-a flatter and slimmer looking stomach-the procedures are not the same. Whether or not you should undergo tummy liposuction or tummy tuck surgery depends a lot on the results you are looking to achieve.

Prior to liposuction, the only real method of fat removal from the abdominal region, aside from exercise and diet, was tummy tuck surgery. Tummy tuck surgery involves removing loose, sagging skin from the lower abdomen. It is considered the best method for removing large folds of excess skin. This is often the case after someone has experienced a great deal of weight loss or multiple pregnancies.

Although a tummy tuck is a great option for those looking to flatten their tummies, in some cases, liposuction is all that is needed.

When excess fat is the issue, rather than excessive loose skin, tummy liposuction is usually the recommended procedure. Even though excess fat can create extra skin, because of the substantial shrinkage that occurs in the skin after liposuction, the skin does not usually require removal. A perfect example of how the skin in the abdominal region can shrink back down to normal size is how it does so after pregnancy. For many patients, tummy liposuction is all that is needed to correct a bulging belly.

Tummy liposuction also differs from tummy tuck surgery in the sense that liposuction is a less invasive procedure. A tummy tuck often requires removal of a significant amount of skin. As a result, most patients must be rendered unconscious through general anesthesia, which carries its own set of risks. It can also take weeks for a patient to fully recover and return back to their activities of daily living. Tummy tuck surgery also requires a larger incision, one that extends from one side of the hip to the other. In addition, the belly button usually has to be repositioned (lower), meaning another incision and scar.

As for tummy liposuction, no skin is removed-only fat. The fat is removed through a suctioning tube attached to a special vacuum. The tube used in the procedure is small and requires only a small incision in the skin for insertion. The belly button remains in its original location, as well, so there is no additional scar.

Because of the smaller incisions, very little scarring is incurred. With many of the newer liposuction techniques available, tummy liposuction can often be performed under local anesthesia, meaning the patient can remain fully conscious throughout the procedure. This means less risk to the patient. Recovery time is also much less, with most patients returning to work and other activities within a matter of days.

Of course, whether or not you need tummy liposuction or tummy tuck surgery depends on your personal situation and whether your problem is excess skin or excess fat. Through research and discussion with a qualified cosmetic surgeon, you will be able to determine which of the two procedures is right for you.

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