Liposuction vs Tummy Tuck – Make the Right Decision
When even the most vigilant and dedicated exercise and diet program fails to reduce the fat in your abdomen, you may wish to consider cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic surgery should not be taken lightly since these procedures are surgical procedures with risks. However, if you do your research and talk to doctors, you will be able to make an informed decision as to whether cosmetic surgery is suitable for you. In the case of battling a “pouchy” abdomen – hen your stomach stubbornly sticks out no matter how many sit-ups and crunches you do – the question you may ask yourself when considering cosmetic surgery is, “Liposuction vs tummy tuck?”
Liposuction is a cosmetic surgical procedure that involves removing fat cells underneath the skin using a metal rod and a vacuum. Small incisions must be made in your body in order to insert the metal rod. The powerful vacuum attached to the rod then sucks out the excess fat cells. Liposuction must be performed while the patient is anesthetized. In the past, general anesthesia was used; in other words, the entire body was anesthetized and the patient was unconscious during the procedure. However, with the advent of the tumescent new liposuction technique, local anesthesia – where only the affected area is anesthetized – is more commonly used. Local anesthesia has fewer risks and a faster recovery time than general anesthesia.
A tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, is a surgical procedure that removes excess fat and skin from the abdominal area while tightening the abdominal muscles. The surgeon makes a large incision from hip bone to hip bone and opens up the flap of skin to reveal your abdominal muscles. The surgeon repositions your muscles for a tighter abdominal area and removes excess fat and skin before closing the incision over your flatter tummy. Your belly button will need to be repositioned to match your new tummy. As the tummy tuck procedure is more invasive than liposuction, it will need to be performed while the patient is under general anesthesia; however, some doctors do perform it while the patient is under local anesthesia and sedation. The tummy tuck procedure also takes longer than an abdominal liposuction procedure. A tummy tuck can take anywhere from 2-5 hours.
Another factor to consider in the liposuction vs tummy tuck decision is the nature of your tummy area. One key advantage of a tummy tuck is it can remove excess skin. If you have sagging skin from a pregnancy or dramatic weight loss, a tummy tuck can remove it for you while liposuction can not. However, if you do not have a problem of excess, sagging skin, liposuction may be a more suitable option.
Recovery time and cost are other factors to consider in the liposuction vs tummy tuck question. Since the tummy tuck is much more invasive, it usually costs more than twice the cost of liposuction and can take up to four times as long to recover. While recovery time varies with the person and procedure, it will usually take longer for someone to recover from a tummy tuck than liposuction. Scarring is another factor to consider. The incision from a tummy tuck is much larger than the small incisions used in liposuction.