Tummy Tuck vs Liposuction
Tummy Tuck Versus Liposuction – Which is Better?
Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) surgery and liposuction are two of the most commonly performed procedures from patients from Dallas, Highland Park, University Park, Ft. Worth, Plano, Frisco, McKinney and Allen, Texas. Many patients are confused about whether they’d be better served with an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) or with liposuction. It is important to review the differences between tummy tuck and liposuction, as well as to provide an overview of who is an appropriate candidate for both.
Dallas Liposuction
Liposuction in Dallas is performed either under general anesthesia (patient completely asleep) or with the patient awake. During liposuction, a cannula (blunt metal tube) attached to a suction unit is used to remove fat through multiple tiny incisions. Dr. Jejurikar utilizes many different types of liposuction techniques to achieve optimal results for his patients in Dallas and Plano, including standard liposuction, power-assisted liposuction, ultrasound-assisted liposuction (VASER), and vibroliposuction (tickle liposuction). The specific type of liposuction used depends on the amount of fat to be removed, the density of fat, and the region of the body to be treated. All of these types of liposuction utilize the “tumescent” technique in which fluid containing local anesthesic agents and adrenaline are initially injected into the fat, allowed to emulsify the fat, and then is removed with the fat.
The ideal candidate for liposuction is not only in good overall health and maintains a healthy lifestyle, but has one or more problem areas with unresponsive fat deposits. It is also important for patients to have realistic expectations, and remember that liposuction cannot be used as a means for major weight loss. Liposuction is not effective in treating stretch marks, skin with poor elasticity, or muscle laxity (muscle looseness), all of which is common after pregnancy or massive weight loss. In fact, in the wrong candidate, who may need muscle tightening (plication) or skin removal, liposuction can actually worsen the appearance of the abdominal wall.
Dallas Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)
No patient ever goes to a plastic surgeon’s office asking for a long scar. In keeping with that, it is very common for a number of patients to visit a board certified plastic surgeon asking for liposuction when they really need a tummy tuck. Many of these women have loose abdominal wall skin, stretch marks, and separation of the abdominal wall muscles (rectus diastasis). They have the perception that, because they may be close to their ideal body weight, they are not appropriate candidates for a tummy tuck. Instead, they think that they would be better served by liposuction.
This could not be further from the truth. The best candidates for an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) are actually those patients that are close to their ideal body weight. With removal of the loose abdominal wall skin, tightening of the abdominal wall muscles (plication), and reshaping of the belly button, sometimes in combination with a limited amount of liposuction, achieving a pre-pregnancy tummy is actually an achievable goal!
Many other women are far from their ideal body weight and come for abdominoplasty consultation. Although their results are different from patients that are close to their ideal body weight, these still can experience significant benefit from a tummy tuck.
Ultimately, all patient’s results are enhanced if they seek treatment with an experienced, board certified plastic surgeon.
