Do I Need a Tummy Tuck or Liposuction?

A overweight women with light blue background holding her undergarment over her waist

Being older, gaining weight, and having kids all affect the body. A diet and exercise routine can enhance the overall health and appearance of your body, but can’t fix every noticeable flaw.  If you’re suffering from stretch marks, loose skin, or excess fat, you can transform your body through an easy outpatient procedure like liposuction or tummy tuck.

Being older, gaining weight, and having children all impact the body. Fitness and diet can enhance the overall health and appearance of your body, but it is not able to fix every obvious flaw. The most sought-after method of body contouring currently available is liposuction. While liposuction has become quite popular, there are numerous misconceptions about it and what it does. While exercising is crucial for maintaining good fitness, it’s not always able to provide the contours that patients want. 

Stubborn fat deposits can be reduced through exercise, but they will not disappear completely without surgery. Since every patient is different in all aspects double-board-certified plastic surgeons in Evansville, Indiana Dr. Salameh and Dr. Saba will customize a treatment plan that meets your desires and needs. They will take the time to provide you with the information you need to be aware of about liposuction vs tummy tuck surgery.

What is Liposuction?

3 doctors doing liposuction surgery with a patient

Liposuction is a great way to eliminate excess fat and can drastically transform your appearance from head to the toe. It’s the ideal method to remove excess fat from your hips, arms, buttocks, thighs, and torso. In most cases, however, it’s not enough to yield the best results. It’s ideal for people who have good skin and muscular conditions and are looking to eliminate localized fat tissue as well as stubborn excess fat. 

Localized fat deposits can be genetic and usually are not responsive to diets or exercises. The procedure will not remove excess stretch marks, skin, or problems arising due to loose abdominal muscles. While both procedures require general anesthesia,, liposuction is much less invasive than a tummy tuck, which requires an incision to be surgically made and a greater recovery period. 

The procedure involves the introduction of small rods through a tiny skin incision that is made in the area. With it, the doctor can lift and suction out the excess fat under the skin. There are various types of lipo treatments, with one of which uses the energy of ultrasound (Vaser Liposuction) and others making use of laser energy to eliminate excess fat (Laser Liposuction).

What is Tummy Tuck?

two doctors doing  tummy tuck operation stitches to the patient

The abdominoplasty (or tummy tuck) can be a much more in-depth procedure that requires a longer recovery time. It is typically recommended for patients with stretched skin or separated stomach muscles (not excessive fat). In this procedure, your plastic surgeon makes an incision through the lower abdomen to cut off excess tissue and then tighten the muscles. Since muscle repair is involved in this procedure, a longer recovery period is needed. Tummy tucks are usually thought of by those who have experienced extreme weight reduction or abdominal issues (like diastasis recti, or separation of the abdominal muscles) after pregnancy.

It’s also important to recognize that certain patients suffer from a combination of excessive skin stretch, fat, or laxity in the muscles. In these instances, people typically prefer a combination treatment that includes abdominoplasty along with our liposuction in Evansville, Indiana in the same session. Like liposuction, abdominoplasty could also be part of other plastic surgeries such as mommy makeovers. Following your desired aesthetics, the surgeon you choose to consult with will pick from four different kinds of abdominal surgery.

Mini-Tummy Tuck: This is the smallest form of abdominoplasty. It involves the lower part of your abdomen only. A great choice for those suffering from a mother’s apron after pregnancy or for those who have excess or loose skin with stretch marks.

Full Tummy Tuck: Also called classic abdominoplasty, it is a procedure that targets the excess skin folds and roundness along the entire width of your abdomen as well as above and below the belly button.

Fleur de Lis Tummy Tuck: This is a greater kind of abdominal tuck. It is ideal for women as well as men who have large amounts of skin hanging over the abdomen as well as stubborn abdominal fat. Vertical abdominoplasty is yet another term used to describe this procedure. This is because along with the standard bikini line incision, there’s another vertical skin incision.

Extended Tummy Tuck: The abdominoplasty extended isn’t only limited to your abdominal area however, it is also a procedure to remove significant amounts of skin or fatty material from around your hips and the lower part of your back “love handle” area.

Can you Get Fat After a Tummy Tuck?

Before and after picture of a women wearing sports bra and cycling showing improvements after tummy tuck surgery

The abdominoplasty procedure or known as tummy toning is a great option for both males and females in good health and good physical condition and at or near your ideal weight or stable weight after a significant weight reduction. If a long-term diet and consistent exercise haven’t made a difference in reducing the tummy or tightening skin, surgery could enhance your appearance. You can look and feel more confident in your clothing!

A Full tummy tuck in Evansville, IN, and Bowling Green, KY may help improve body posture by increasing self-confidence and also alleviate back pain by tightening the abdominal muscles. The before and after tummy tuck surgery pain will be felt but the recovery time will be less. Get Long-Term Benefits from a Tummy tuck. 

After a tummy tuck can you gain weight? To enjoy long-lasting outcomes, it is recommended for patients commit to making major lifestyle adjustments. While weight gain is possible in other areas of your body, the eliminated fat and skin will be permanently removed. This is the reason why most patients get started exercising as soon as they can while adhering to a healthy and balanced diet. 

The improvements you’ve made through the abdominoplasty procedure are designed to last. The abdominal muscles will stay firm and any skin that was removed will not return until a subsequent pregnancy or weight gain stretches your abdomen area. This is why a tummy tuck before pregnancy is not recommended and why it is important to reach a stable weight before scheduling your surgery.

Tummy Tucks at Salameh Plastic Surgery Center

Dr. Bernard Salameh of Salameh Plastic Surgery, best plastic surgeon in America,

Dr. Salameh is an expert in breast surgeries and liposuctions he is very well known to give his patients small incisions for liposuction, very low incisions for tummy tucks, and a very natural-looking belly button. The tummy tuck is a long incision that takes out the extra skin, lifts the mons pubis area, and removes stretch marks. 

Can you do lipo and tummy tuck together? Yes absolutely! Although they are different surgeries these are performed at the same time by Dr. Salameh and who has operated on hundreds of patients. Tummy tucks are often combined with liposuction to the upper back, lower back, hips, and around the trunk and flanks to create a nice hourglass shape.

The specialists at Salameh Plastic Surgery Center have years of expertise in the field and have performed hundreds of surgeries on various patients. The fact that there are two centers within Kentucky and Indiana allows it to be more accessible for those who want to undergo surgery like Lipedema, Liposuction, and various breast, body, and facial procedures.

Whichever procedure you choose, you can be confident that you’re well-informed with the help of our double-board-certified ABPS (American Board for Plastic Surgery) plastic surgeons Dr. Bernard Salameh and Dr. Sam Saba, They are also members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. They are widely regarded as the most skilled plastic surgeons in Bowling Green, KY, and will do everything to make sure you’re satisfied with the results regardless of the option you pick.

Our most adored plastic surgery Bowling Green, KY center and the top plastic surgery in Evansville, Indiana is being chosen locally, as well as by patients from outside of America. Salameh Plastic Surgery Center built an outstanding reputation in the field of expert work and excellent consultation that takes into consideration the individual’s needs while taking care to ensure their safety. We’re also proud to be a center whose plastic surgeons that accept PatientFi and Care Credit financing.

Conclusion

You’ll have more knowledge of these two procedures following your first meeting with our surgeons who are at Salameh Plastic Surgery Center. In some instances, patients may need liposuction performed simultaneously with their tummy tuck. If you have excessive skin the tummy tuck could be the ideal option. 

At your consultation, you will also receive advice regarding how you can prepare for your procedure and what might expect following the procedure. The decision of whether a surgical procedure is worthwhile is subjective. If you have extra fat around your stomach, then liposuction could be the better choice since it’s less costly, requires a shorter recovery time, and can give excellent results.

Leave a Reply