Tummy Tuck vs Liposuction: Which one is right for me?
Standing in front of the mirror as you gaze at yourself, you can’t help but wonder how you would give up anything to get back into the swim-suit body you’ve long fantasized. Well, there’s good news for you. You don’t have to look any further and come straight to Dr. Arif Hussain’s plastic surgery clinic. Now, since that is decided, you’re wondering which procedure is better suited for you? Scrolling through endless pages on google you find yourself perplexed as to which procedure you should opt for? Liposuction or Tummy Tuck? This article seeks to resolves your problems. Here is the list of differences between Liposuction and Tummy Tuck which would help you decide which is the best for you.
- Tummy Tuck vs Liposuction: Areas
Liposuction can target the stubborn fat pockets effectively in a single sitting, making it efficient in cases of belly fat which doesn’t go away despite exercise and diet. The belly isn’t the only ideal location, liposuction of the arms, thighs and hips are also routinely practiced. Whereas in Tummy Tuck, as the name implies, mass is removed from the abdomen only. - Tummy Tuck vs Liposuction: Recovery Time
In this regard,Liposuction may have a patient preference since in contrast to a tummy tuck, liposuction is a relatively quicker procedure with a shorter recovery time. Which translates to returning for day-to-day activities quicker without an overnight hospital stay. Opposed to this, Tummy tucks require a full overnight stay at the hospital, 2 weeks rest time for your body to adapt.Bruises from a liposuction usually fade out in 3 weeks of time. Moreover, the process of recovery from a tummy tuck can be arduous and painful as compared to a liposuction; given the fact that a tummy tuck requires tightening the muscles together so trivial motions during cough or deep inhalation immediately after the procedure would exacerbate the pain. - Tummy Tuck vs Liposuction: Scarring
Another factor which plays into patient preference is the scarring from a tummy tuck which unmarried younger patients tend to avoid. During an abdominoplasty procedure, an incision is placed typically running horizontally from one lateral aspect of the hip to the other, just a few centimeters distal to the belly button. The extent of the sagging and lose skin determines the length of the scar. This incision is aimed to be buried after wearing panties. Some operations like a mini-tuck result in smaller scars whereas more extensive tucks would give rise to lengthy scars extending to the lateral margins of the back. If the patient has undergone a C- section then a scar may be concealed under the original scar from the C- section. - Tummy Tuck vs Liposuction: Results
A significant result can be appreciated in cases of Tummy tucks. Areas of the body having tighter skin are ideal spots for liposuction, namely the gluteals, love handles and back. With a growing age a person typically loses elastin in their skin resulting in the sagging, a similar phenomenon can be experienced after pregnancy or sudden weight loss. In such cases, a liposuction may not be adequate in providing discernable results as the skin will not contract back but will sag. On the contrary, a tummy tuck would slice off the excess skin along with the fat to give a contoured look. Nevertheless, Tummy Tucks can do wonders for the results in patients. Despite the factors which may cause temporary discomfort, patients wanting radical change in their body contours should opt for a tummy tuck. The results of a tummy tuck are more long-lasting, leaving your abdomen wall more firm and secure. - Tummy Tuck vs Liposuction: Candidates
If you are looking to reduce small deposits of stubborn fat pockets which won’t go away regardless of exercise, then a liposuction would be an ideal fit for you. Also, if you want to sculpt other areas of your body such as thighs, buttocks and arms then you may opt for liposuction. At the other side of the spectrum, Tummy Tucks favors candidates who are older in age with sagging skin, which cannot be targeted by liposuction. Candidates who have previously had multiple pregnancies are also ideal since the chances of having a lose skin are magnified.Patients who have undergone radical weight loss tend to have more sagging skin should consider tummy tucks. Other parameters suggest opting for a tummy tuck are a BMI (Body Mass Index) above 30, females who plan on having pregnancies after the procedure, patients who plan on living an active lifestyle post-surgery and those having a Chronic Heart condition. - Tummy Tuck vs Liposuction: Procedures
- Liposuction:
Before conducting the operation, Dr. Hussain will mark your body according to your fat deposits in order to target the specific pockets. Then you will be sedated after giving either general anesthesia through IV sedation or by applying a local anesthetic. Dr. Hussain is well renowned in performing his surgeries under straight local with confidence and interacts with the patients in a comforting and relaxed atmosphere. After numbing Dr. Hussain will place incisions at the particular sites. Next, a thin hollow cannula will be placed beneath the skin to loosen the fat cells. After this Dr. Hussain will use his American liposuction machine ‘Power X’ to suction the fat deposits through a vacuum. - Tummy Tuck:
Hussain will mark your abdomen before proceeding with the operation. As in liposuction, after sedating Dr. Hussain will place the incision below the umbilicus to expose the muscles underneath. Once visible, Dr. Hussain will plicate the muscles (sew them) to eliminate the sagging. He will then tuck the skin tight over the abdomen and clip off the remaining excess skin.
- Can Liposuction and Tummy Tuck be carried out together?
Typically, when doing a Tummy Tuck Dr. Hussain would combine Liposuction as well. This is done to minimize uneven areas of the body and sculpt the body to give uniform flat curves. By combining these two techniques together the patient can achieve significantly better results than single procedure.
- Which Procedure helps with weight loss?
The short answer is, neither. Tummy Tucks and Liposuction both are body-sculpting procedures and should not be recognized as weight loss procedures. This is why patients are advised to reduce their weight pre-op since a gain or loss after the procedure could mask the result. As in case of tummy tucks, if the patient loses weight it would slacken the skin yet again, defeating the purpose of the tummy tuck. If they gain weight, the fat would find alternate places to assemble such as the hips or the back.
In the end, it is imperative that the patient decides their procedure preference after weighing their merits and demerits, which is why choosing the right surgeon is an extremely decisive task. Having practiced hundreds of procedures Dr. Arif Hussain presents the true picture and consults the patients to their full satisfaction.
To find out whether Liposuction or Tummy Tuck would be best for you, It is advised to schedule a Free Online Consultation with Dr Arif Hussain which you can by filling up the form below:
