A liposuction tummy tuck, also called an abdominoplasty, isn’t as common a procedure as it used to be. Patients should be aware that this is a major surgical procedure requiring general anesthesia as well as liposuction. Although this procedure has a high rate of success, it also carries with it a long recovery period and greater risks of complication. Great strides have been made in the liposuction industry and now abdominal liposuction alone can offer similar results with less scarring and shorter recovery time. Also, with the technological advances, liposuction prices have declined as well.
In years past, the liposuction tummy tuck was the only surgical way get a flatter tummy. The procedure requires a long incision across the lower abdomen, from hip to hip, directly above the pubic bone. It allows the surgeon to see the slack abdominal muscles and tighten them visually, as well as suction out deposits of fatty tissue. It also allows the surgeon to excise any extra abdominal skin. This procedure makes the surgical relocation of the belly button necessary and requires a skillful surgeon to recreate a natural looking navel.
There are definite advantages to a tummy tuck over abdominal liposuction in certain patients. Those patients that have a large amount of loose, abdominal skin, or those who have severe stretch marks and poor skin elasticity, are the ones who benefit the most from this procedure.
Abdominal liposuction differs from the tummy tuck in that it just removes the fat found under the skin and above the abdominal muscles. This procedure has been found to be successful when patients have good abdominal muscle tone. This procedure carries with it minimal risks and leaves the patient with small, almost invisible, scars. Studies have shown that a large majority of liposuction patients have the abdominal skin elasticity necessary to make the procedure successful. In most patients the skin contracts smoothly, making removal of the skin unnecessary.
Liposuction tummy tucks are also much more expensive than abdominal liposuction. This liposuction price is almost double and the recovery time can be two to four times that of abdominal liposuction. When a liposuction tummy tuck is necessary, the surgeon will often suggest an abdominal liposuction procedure first, then after approximately four months will re-evaluate the need for a full surgery. Many times the patient and doctor are pleased with the liposuction alone. If the tummy tuck is still required, it is much safer to split the procedure into the two separate parts.
After the surgery, special clothing is available to make the area more comfortable during healing.