Should You Include Liposuction with Your Tummy Tuck?
Should You Include Liposuction with Your Tummy Tuck?
If you’ve decided to get a tummy tuck to address excess or loose skin and muscle in the belly area, adding liposuction to your procedure could help maximize your results. Abdominoplasty and liposuction are commonly performed together, and can yield excellent results and a number of added benefits. The main difference between the two procedures is that a tummy tuck addresses loose skin and muscle in the abdomen, whereas liposuction can address excess subcutaneous fat in many areas of the body. (The American Society of Plastic Surgery)
Here are the top four reasons why you should consider asking your plastic surgeon if including liposuction with your tummy tuck may be right for you.
1. Get a More Contoured Look
Because a tummy tuck only addresses skin and muscle issues and not fat deposits, adding liposuction to remove stubborn pockets of fat can provide more comprehensive results. Keep in mind that prior to a tummy tuck or liposuction, it’s best if you reach or come very close to your target weight, as neither procedure is meant to act as a weight loss method. (U.S. National Library of Medicine)
Instead, liposuction can reduce exercise-resistant fat deposits while abdominoplasty tightens damaged muscles and removes over-stretched abdominal skin. This combination creates an overall more contoured figure than might be possible through one procedure alone. (The American Society of Plastic Surgery)
2. Address Multiple Areas
Your tummy tuck can reveal a firmer, more toned abdomen by tightening muscle and removing loose skin. However, depending on your specific goals and body shape, the addition of liposuction could address problem areas like the hips and thighs at the same time as your abdominoplasty.
Women who have experienced a pregnancy and are looking to get their pre-baby body back, or those who have lost a significant amount of weight and want to add the finishing touches to their look can be great candidates for this combination of plastic surgeries.
3. It’s Cost-Effective
Although you shouldn’t choose plastic surgery procedures based on cost alone, if you’re considering either a tummy tuck or liposuction, it can be more cost-effective to have them done together rather than split them up into two separate surgeries. This is something that you can discuss in more detail with your plastic surgeon to help you determine if a combined procedure could be the best fit for you. Keep in mind, too, that most reputable plastic surgery practices will often offer financing options to help make your surgery as affordable as possible.
4. Reduced Recovery Time
Another benefit of including liposuction with abdominoplasty is that because the two procedures are completed as one inclusive surgery, you won’t have to experience two separate recovery periods. Generally speaking, the recovery time for a combined liposuction and tummy tuck surgery can be quite similar to that of a tummy tuck on its own. Please keep in mind that everyone will heal at a slightly different pace, however.
Taking the Next Step
Whether you’ve already decided that a tummy tuck is the right procedure for you, or you’re still considering all of your options, talking with a trusted board-certified plastic surgeon is often the best way to figure out which procedure(s) could best help you achieve the results you want. Because tummy tucks are so often performed with added liposuction, your plastic surgeon may even suggest a combination of the two during your consultation, depending on your unique body shape and goals.
If you’d like more information, or would like to discuss your body contouring options with a trusted professional, please contact Premier Plastic Surgery & Dermatology, with offices in Pittsburgh and Wexford, at 724-264-3608. Our board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Brian Heil has ample experience performing tummy tucks, liposuction, and combination procedures, and he would be happy to assess your individual situation and help you decide on the best surgical plan for you.