Tummy Tuck vs. Lipo: Which is Right for You?

Swimsuit season is right around the corner! Are you ready to look your best at the beach or the pool, and exercise and diet aren’t making the changes you’d like? You may be a candidate for liposuction or a tummy tuck. Keep reading to find out which procedure will help you meet your appearance goals.

Is a Tummy Tuck Right for Me?

Does this sound like you?

You want to remove a significant amount of excess fat from your abdominal area
You have loose, sagging skin after pregnancy or weight loss
You have loose, separated abdominal muscles

A tummy tuck (or abdominoplasty) may be right for you! During the surgical procedure, significant amounts of abdominal fat and loose abdominal skin is removed and separated abdominal muscles are corrected. During pregnancy, it’s common for the rectus abdominis (or six-pack muscles) of the stomach to become partially or completely separated. This is called diastasis recti, which can be repaired during a tummy tuck.

Removal of excess tissue and repair of abdominal muscles make tummy tucks popular among women who have had babies and are having trouble getting their pre-pregnancy bodies back. Anyone who wants to remove significant amounts of fat and skin from their abdomen can benefit from a tummy tuck.

A tummy tuck is a more complex procedure than liposuction, and those who choose tummy tucks will need more time to recover. You’ll probably need a week of downtime and someone to help you around the house for the first few days.

Is Liposuction Right for Me?

Does this sound like you?

You’re at or near your goal weight
You have good skin tone that’s elastic without a lot of sagging
You want better body contours, but you have realistic expectations

Liposuction may be for you! Liposuction is a minimally invasive procedure that usually has a short recovery. You’ll only need a few days of downtime. This procedure helps to reduce areas of fat that can’t be dieted or exercised away. Liposuction is not meant to reduce large amounts of excess fat.

Liposuction can target certain areas on your body, including the abdomen, flanks, thighs, chin, upper arms, and bra bulge. It can be used to shape the body, but it’s not a way to lose weight.

Those who are overweight or obese may need a treatment spread over multiple appointments in order to safely remove larger amounts of fat. If you want to remove larger amounts of fat, you will want to develop a healthier lifestyle (including a healthy diet and regular exercise) to maintain your results.