The difference between tummy-tuck and liposuction. Pasadena, California board certified plastic surgeon John Gross MD and expert member of the plastic surgery channel talks about the options patients have when trying to improve the appearance of their mid-section.
>What are the different options for tummy tuck and liposuction?
Dr. Gross says basically there are two different surgery options to consider, liposuction or a tummy tuck. He says the difference between the two is how much extra skin there is and how well your skin and tissues will respond to the different procedures.
When will tummy-tuck vs. liposuction work best?
According to Dr. Gross, liposuction works best for a patient:
1. Who has a small amount of excess fat
2. Good skin elasticity.
3. With minimal muscle laxity
The other option is a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty. Best suited for:
1. Patients with skin stretch marks
2. Poor skin quality
3. Muscle wall laxity
Gross says, sometimes there is a group of patients in the middle that can get a good result either with liposuction or abdominoplasty. However, Gross says “With abdominoplasty we have the ability to physically remove skin, so we don’t have to rely so much on your skin’s natural elasticity to shrink back.”
During the patient consultation, Dr. Gross can determine if liposuction or a tummy tuck would work best for you based on your individual skin and tissues. He reminds his patients that sometimes no matter how many sit-ups or crunches or how strong your muscles are, if that layer of tissue on top of the muscles is loose, an abdominoplasty is probably your best option.
He says during an abdominoplasty when the abdominal tissues are brought together it can tighten the ‘foundation’ of your abdomen giving you a much flatter, better result than liposuction alone.
To get a better understanding of your particular situation and whether a tummy-tuck vs. liposuction would work best for you, visit a board certified plastic surgeon in your area.