Do you have areas on your abdomen with loose skin or stubborn fat? If so, there are treatment options that can effectively address these issues. Tummy tuck procedures and liposuction both treat aesthetic concerns on the abdomen, but which treatment is right for you depends on certain factors.
At Soler Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, we are dedicated to giving the residents of Tampa, FL, the best aesthetic results. If you are unsatisfied with your stomach area, liposuction or a tummy tuck might be right for you.
But what is a tummy tuck, and what is liposuction? Here’s what you need to know about both tummy tuck surgery and the liposuction procedure.
Determine Your Main Goal
When it comes to tummy tucks vs. liposuction, the main difference is in what they actually treat. The first step you should take is to find out what your aesthetic goals are.
Do you want to remove loose, hanging skin from your abdomen? Do you need to remove excess body fat around your belly? These are important questions that will help us figure out which procedure is right for you.
Tummy tuck surgery targets loose skin. If you’ve had children or lost a lot of weight, you might be a good candidate for abdominoplasty surgery. Liposuction surgery, on the other hand, focuses on fat removal. We use a suction device to remove subcutaneous fat from your abdomen to give you a slimmer, more contoured figure. Once you know what your goals are, we can come up with a customized treatment plan to suit your needs.
What Is a Tummy Tuck?
Tummy tuck procedures, also known as abdominoplasty surgery, tighten any loose skin around your abdominal area. This can include your lower abdomen and loose skin above your pubic bone.
Many patients who opt for the tummy tuck procedure are mothers who have undergone pregnancy and childbirth. During pregnancy, your abdominal skin has to stretch quite a bit to make room for the baby. Once you have your baby, it’s not always easy for that skin to retract back to its original shape. After all, it’s been stretched out for nine months.
Patients who have lost major weight also struggle with loose skin, particularly around their abdomens. Your belly fat is usually the most stubborn, so once you finally lose it, your skin isn’t always able to contract and shrink with the fat. Tummy tuck surgery trims extra skin around your midsection to give you a flatter, smoother abdominal area.
Benefits of a Tummy Tuck: Why You Should Consider This Procedure
The benefits of a tummy tuck procedure can extend to both your appearance and your health. With modern surgery and medicine, we can now target loose abdominal skin in a way that we couldn’t before — as well as care for the muscles underneath.
Contoured Abdomen
Loose skin can cover up any definition and contours that you have on your abdomen. This can be frustrating, especially for weight loss patients. After working hard to maintain a slim figure, loose skin shouldn’t get in the way of the results.
You can get a more contoured belly area with a tummy tuck procedure. And for new mothers, this procedure can help in returning your abdomen to its pre-pregnancy state.
Less Weight on Your Back
Loose skin can put additional strain on your back. Even if you maintain a healthy body weight, that extra skin is tugging on your spine daily. This can throw your posture out of alignment, causing mobility and comfort issues down the road.
After a tummy tuck, you may notice less weight pulling on your back. This is good news for those who struggle with back pain.
Proper Abdominal Muscle Alignment
When you have children, your abdominal muscles can become separated and weak. This is a condition known as diastasis recti, in which a gap forms between both sides of your abdominal muscles.
Diastasis recti can cause pain, discomfort, and core weakness —- all of which can impact your health. During your tummy tuck, we can arrange these muscles back into their proper positions.
What Is Liposuction?
The liposuction procedure is one of the most well-known, popular fat reduction surgeries out there. During liposuction surgery, we remove abdominal fat that rests underneath your skin using a suction device. This is a permanent fat removal procedure, which means that the fat cells we suction out of your body never come back.
Patients with stubborn or excess belly fat may benefit from getting a liposuction procedure. The surgery slims and contours your midsection, helping you achieve the aesthetic you’re looking for.
Benefits of Liposuction
One of the most obvious benefits of liposuction surgery is fat reduction. Almost everyone has problem areas they want to fix through fat removal. However, there are other advantages to getting liposuction as well.
Body Contouring and Slimming
Your physique is one of the first things people notice about you, and when you look in the mirror, you may quickly notice it as well. Liposuction assists with body contouring and slimming so you can have the figure you want.
Permanent Fat Removal
Unlike some temporary fat reduction measures, liposuction is permanent. Unless you regain fat cells, you will never have to worry about that stubborn fat coming back to your abdomen.
Ability to Be Combined With Other Procedures
Many patients choose liposuction along with a tummy tuck or fat grafting procedure. Liposuction can be combined with almost any other cosmetic procedure to give you the look you want.
Book Your Cosmetic Surgery Consultation in Tampa, FL
At Soler Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, we offer tummy tuck and liposuction procedures, as well as a range of other aesthetic treatments and services. With more than 20 years of experience, we’ve earned a reputation for our meticulous approach and attention to detail. Contact us to request your consultation today.