Tummy Tuck or Liposuction: How to Know Which Is Right for You

Liposuction: Sculpting your way to a smoother stomach

Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure that helps you obtain a sleeker silhouette by removing unwanted fat from specific areas of your body. Popular locations for liposuction treatment include your hips, thighs, buttocks, knees, and — of course — your abdomen.

There are several advantages to having liposuction. Not only is it a short procedure with a faster recovery time, liposuction also removes unwanted fat from the treatment area permanently.

An important thing to note about liposuction, however, is that you only get rid of the extra fat. With this procedure, excess skin remains and any muscles that have stretched out of shape due to weight gain or pregnancy aren’t addressed.

Dr. Polavarapu recommends liposuction for men and women who have firm, elastic skin and simply want to get rid of those pockets of diet-resistant fat. Liposuction is safe for healthy people of all ages but may be less effective for older men and women who have less elasticity in their skin.

Tummy tuck: Tightening your skin and muscles

Even people with a healthy body weight can have loose, sagging, and protruding bellies. Many times, this is due to a combination of excess skin and muscular issues that diet and exercise alone can’t fix.

The most common causes of unsightly abdominal changes include:

• Aging
• Genetics
• Pregnancy
• Fluctuations in weight
• Past surgeries

Dr. Polavarapu offers abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, to address these skin and muscle changes in the abdomen. During a tummy tuck, she removes your excess fat and skin while also restoring your separated or weakened abdominal muscles. This approach leaves you with a belly that’s more firm, smooth, and has a sleeker appearance.

While a tummy tuck is the best option for eliminating excess skin and unwanted fat and tightening up stretched muscles, it does have some downsides. Because it’s a more involved surgical procedure, it typically comes with a larger surgical scar and requires a longer recovery time.

The best candidates for tummy tucks are healthy women and men who don’t smoke and are at a stable weight. While it’s considered a permanent procedure, you can have diminished long-term results if you undergo significant weight loss or gain after your surgery.

Something else to consider: You can have a tummy tuck and liposuction at the same time.

Weight loss vs. liposuction and tummy tucks

Liposuction and tummy tucks can help contour your body, but they shouldn’t be considered a weight-loss tool or a substitution for exercise. To get the best results from both treatments, it’s essential to reach your ideal weight before undergoing liposuction or a tummy tuck.

You don’t have to decide between a tummy tuck or liposuction on your own. Call Polavarapu Plastic Surgery today, or schedule an appointment online to get started.