Comparison Between Liposuction and Tummy Tuck

Do you also dream of a flatter and shapelier stomach? Cosmetic surgery may be a solution. There are two main ways for you to choose from that can improve look and form of your abdomen, they are liposuction and tummy tuck.

You might have a question in your mind. When key hole liposuction with fast recovery is able to give abdominal shape, why should you go for tummy tuck with a cut and longer recovery?  What is the difference between the two procedures and how do you know which surgery is right for you? Here is a short guide comparing the differences between a liposuction and tummy tuck. But first, let’s know a little bit about these procedures.

Liposuction

Also known as lipoplasty. It aims to improve the appearance of your stomach by removing the fat cells that can’t be shifted through diet and exercise through a suction tube (lipo= fat cells, suction= to suck out).

Your cosmetic surgeon will make small cuts around the designated concealed area, break up fat cells and then through a suction machine, those fat cells are taken out. It is not a major cosmetic procedure and usually gets completed in 1-2 hours. Here is the detailed information on liposuction surgery.

Tummy Tuck

Also known as abdominoplasty. If you have loose excess skin that can’t be modified by diet and exercise, you might consider going for tummy tuck procedure to get rid of that. It is a major cosmetic surgery in which fat along with excess skin is taken out and abdominal muscles are tightened leaving you with a flat tight stomach.

There are various kinds of tummy tuck procedure- mini tummy tuck to circumferential tummy tuck. Tummy tuck are done under general anesthesia. Your cosmetic surgeon will guide you with these procedures. According to your body morphology, needs, expectations of result and your health condition, your surgeon will choose as to what procedure suits you the most.

Comparison Between Liposuction and Tummy Tuck:

Let’s look into these similar yet very different methods in a question answer format:

• Procedure Difference

Liposuction: Small cuts are made in concealed area to remove fat cells from target area. A suction machine is then used to “suck out” the fat cells from that cut.

Tummy Tuck: It is a major surgery that involves removing fat as well that the loose skin hanging over that area. This in turns eliminates stretch marks in that area, and tighten the loose muscle, solving 3 of your problems in single cost.

• Eligibility Criteria

Liposuction: Generally, it works best on people who already have tight abdominal muscles and supple skin (as no excess skin will be removed in this procedure) and who are a normal body weight.

Tummy Tuck: It generally works best for obese people and women who were pregnant and after child birth has excess skin and loose muscle. Pregnancy also shifts and loosen abdominal muscles so tummy tuck surgery will help women to get in shape after child birth by removing excess skin (along with those nasty stretch marks) and tighten loose abdominal muscles. It’s like killing two birds with one stone.

• Time Taken to Do These Procedures

Liposuction:  It takes around 1-2 hours normally to complete this procedure.

Tummy Tuck: It takes around 3 to 4 hours normally to complete this procedure in normal circumstances

• Do I Need to Get Hospitalized?

Liposuction: Usually it is a day care surgery, but it depends on how many areas you are getting this treatment done. Your surgeon will tell you the exact need of getting hospitalization with this procedure. In case you do need to get hospitalized, it would be just for that one-night maximum. No more needed.

Tummy Tuck: 1 to 3 days of hospitalization is needed at least. Depending on your healing you can be discharged early or admitted for few more days.

• How Much Time Will It Take to Recover?

Liposuction: It takes as little as 1 weeks to recover initially. Full recovery is usually achieved within 6 weeks.

Tummy Tuck: Since, tightening of the muscle and cutting of the skin done full recovery time can vary from weeks to months. Although this varies hugely from person to person and their health.

• Will It Be Painful?

Liposuction: It is a painless procedure. We use quality anesthetic solutions to make sure your experience is as painless as possible. This procedure can be done under general anesthesia, epidural or local anesthesia.

Tummy Tuck: It is also a painless procedure. This procedure can only be done under general anesthesia. We use quality, long lasting and powerful anesthetic solutions to make sure you don’t feel any pain. Our pain management protocol takes care very well

• Can They Be Done on Other Body Parts as Well for Getting Rid of Fat?

Liposuction: Yes, it is regularly advocated to other body parts as well like, thighs, hips arms etc. whole body can be shaped by this technique, that’s why it is not just a fat removal surgery. It is a body contouring method. One or more sittings can be required according to the need and condition of the patient.

Tummy Tuck: No, it is a site specific cosmetic surgery for abdomen. Alternatives like brachy plasty for arm, thigh lift, breast lift can be planned to achieve desired results. A face to face consultation will paint a better picture for achieving your desires results.

• Are These Procedures Helpful in Weight Loss?

Liposuction: It is primarily recommended as a body contouring tool than a weight loss apparatus. Although you will lose someweight, itboosts your morale to follow diet modifications and exercises, which you can start quite quickly after having a liposuction.

Tummy Tuck: Again it is a body contouring tool, and weight loss is secondary. During the surgery, a significant amount of fat and excess skin are removed which reduces the excess weight of that particular area.

Tummy Tuck and Liposuction Together?

While these procedures might look same but are entirely different, their aim and result seems to be same. Now in Morden arena, patient who require tummy tuck, liposuction help to give natural contour at the same time, it is called as lipoabdominoplasty. A combination of both the procedures works the best. The major contouring by tummy tuck surgery and final contouring and finishing is done by liposuction. What’s wrong in having best of both worlds!!

Important Points to Remember Before Deciding:

• It is important to note that neither a tummy tuck nor liposuctions are ways of managing your weight. Furthermore, following either procedure it is important to maintain a healthy weight with regular exercise and eating a balanced diet, otherwise the benefits of the surgery could be lost.
• Results of both surgeries are permanent until significant amount of weight is not gained. So must not choose the just any surgeon for this procedure. You should get treated from the finest surgeon who have mastered this craft and a Board Certified Cosmetic Surgeon is your best option.
• Have a realistic expectation. Cosmetic surgery is medicine, not magic.
• A best doctor has qualificationsand experience, but the great doctor has qualifications, experience and patient s reviews. Choose a great step up that is up to the mark with all quality standards (click here to know more) and have most advance machines with highly trained and polite staff.
• Liposuction is minimally invasive procedure, but It will just remove fat cells only. While on the other hand, tummy tuck is a major surgery but it is a complete solution of all the aesthetics of a flat stomach (no stretch marks, tight muscles, flat tummy)
• Age is an important factor to consider before choosing for any surgery. One must be at least older than 18 years to accept the psychological changes associated with surgeries. However, there is no upper limit to the eligibility but it not an unknown fact that more risks are associated with more age.
• It’s recommended to get family completed before having tummy tuck surgery as it will again shift the muscles and make it loose. If you are considering to get pregnant again, you might want to postpone this surgery.
• You should be ready for maintaining a good healthy lifestyle. Diet modifications and exercise are your best friends for life (BFF…Literally)
• It’s very important for you to disclose your past medical history. Chances are that due to any underlying disease you might not be a good candidate for the surgery.
• If you are a smoker, then you will have to stop smoking for 2 weeks before and after surgery.
• You will be given pressure dressings/clothes to reduce swelling as a part of recovery process.
• You will have to avoid any kind of high intense exercise for 1 to 6 weeks depending on extent of surgery.
• You will be given medications and advices to follow. Follow them for having good full recovery.
• You should arrange for help to take care of after getting discharged from tummy tuck surgery. Also if you are actively working, apply for medical leaves well ahead.

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