subject: Liposuction vs Tummy Tuck [print this page] There is a great debate going on in the country. Proponents on both sides of the aisle claim that their way is best when dealing with the problems of Middle America. No, it is not Clinton vs. Obama, it is a deliberation to determine whether abdominoplasty or liposuction works best for reducing the size of American's midsections.
Gone are the days when doing a few sit ups a day resulted in a flat, well-formed stomach. Now it seems that no matter how much exercise and dieting we do, nothing seems to work on that extra bulk around the middle. As we age, it gets harder to stay trim. Once we gain weight, it is more difficult to get rid of extra bulk. With advances in cosmetic surgery, there is hope. Visiting a cosmetic surgeon for a tummy tuck or liposuction may be just the ticket, but which one works best.
Before the development and subsequent advances in liposuction procedures, most people who wanted to get rid of those extra pockets of fat around the middle elected to have abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck. Now, if the bulges are due primarily to fat, liposuction can address most problems without undergoing extensive surgery.
Liposuction
Liposuction is a minimally invasive procedure that removes pockets of fat from areas of the body that prove especially resistant to diet and exercise. In this procedure, a large amount of saline and lidocaine, usually three to four times the volume of fat that is to be removed is injected into the area. The doctor then inserts a small vacuum tube called a cannula under the skin to suction out the excess fat cells. For most people, liposuction is the only treatment they need to obtain a desirable new abdomen. Because of the skin's elasticity, the abdomen shrinks nicely once the fat is removed.
Abdominoplasty
If the patient has problems with stretch marks, or loose skin with minimal fat underneath, a tummy tuck is often the recommended procedure. Abdominoplasty removes loose skin and sometimes muscle from around the abdomen. Problems where the muscles are loose or extra bulky can only be addressed by abdominoplasty. Unlike liposuction, abdominoplasty is a major surgical procedure requiring general anesthesia and a long recovery time.
Or Both
In many cases, after the excess fat is removed with liposuction, the skin around the abdomen becomes loose and sags, and may not necessarily bounce back. In those cases, both abdominoplasty and liposuction are performed at the same time give the patient the most desirable outcome. So, as in politics, there is no precise answer; everything is relative to the patient's specific needs.
Neither treatment should be considered an alternative to weight loss. Liposuction can only safely remove about ten pounds of fat during a single session. Abdominoplasty, which is a surgical procedure, is only considered for people who are in good general health, and not for someone who has not yet reached his or her weight loss goals.
When considering the best way to eliminate that extra baggage around the middle, make sure to select a board certified plastic surgeon. With their knowledge and skill, they will be able to determine which procedure, or combination of procedures, works best to obtain the most desirable appearance.
