Although a tummy liposuction is often called a tummy tuck, if you look at both procedures closely, you can see that there’s a difference between the two. Liposuction of the area is often used to complement a tummy tuck. Although both are major surgical procedures and both are done under general anesthesia, tummy liposuction involves suctioning out fat deep inside the body, while a tummy tuck excises both fat and the skin. Here is a direct comparison of the two to guide you on which path to take.
Although a tummy tuck sounds more alluring, because the skin is also excised and no wrinkly skin will be left afterward, the procedure is more rudimentary compared to liposuction. Before tummy liposuction was invented, people had no choice but to undergo a tummy tuck if they have excess what which cannot be removed through diet or exercise alone. However, the main qualm people had with this procedure is that recovery time is slow and it leaves a huge scar which spans from the lower part of the abdomen down to the pubic area. This made tummy tucks more of a necessity than an option for people to feel better about themselves because the scar is difficult to hide even after it lightens.
With tummy liposuction, the procedure is less invasive, and because the goal is to not disturb the skin as much as possible, there is minimal scarring and speedier recovery times. For those who think the procedure is not enough because it may leave them with wrinkly and saggy skin in the abdominal area, it is good to note that prior to the procedure, doctors first see if the patient’s skin tone and muscle tone is good. Usually, people with good muscle and skin tone have better skin elasticity, which means the skin is more likely to tighten and firm up on its own after the procedure, making skin excision unnecessary.
Because a tummy liposuction often leave the body alone to adjust to its new size and shape, the end result looks more natural compared to a tummy tuck, which some say has a higher risk of skin deformation after the procedure. Also, since only fat cells are involved in the procedure, a stomach liposuction is generally cheaper compared to a tummy tuck, which costs twice as much as the former.
Surgeons generally recommend liposuction for their patients nowadays, instead of the usual tummy tuck. However, if after the procedure, the patient’s skin doesn’t adjust very well and it ends up saggy and wrinkled, that’s the only time the surgeon would suggest additional procedures like the tummy tuck to get rid of excess skin.