Liposuction and tummy tuck are both highly effective body contouring procedures that can improve the appearance of the abdomen. The desired result is a more contoured and flatter abdomen with tauter skin. Despite sharing some similarities, liposuction and tummy tuck are very different procedures which address different aspects of the abdomen.
What is liposuction?
Liposuction is also known as Lipo and is a highly effective, minimally invasive surgical technique for removing excess body fat from areas of the body, resulting in a more sculpted and contoured body shape. There are many different techniques used for liposuction; however, the most effective and safe technique uses vibration energy, also known as power-assisted liposuction, to mechanically disrupt the fat cells before being extracted from the body using a negative pressure vacuum device. Liposuction can target both the lower and upper parts of the stomach but can also treat these areas separately if desired. Lipo is one of the most effective means of getting rid of hard-to-lose fat deposits from the stomach and can also be used to eliminate unsightly muffin tops and saddlebags. Liposuction is, however, not a treatment for weight loss and is most effective on patients who are at or near their ideal body weight and have good skin elasticity and adequate muscle tone. Liposuction can target subcutaneous fat, which is the fat found just below the skin surface; however, it cannot tighten the skin or abdominal muscles.
RELATED: Can I combine liposuction with a tummy tuck?
What is a tummy tuck?
Tummy tuck surgery, also known as abdominoplasty, focuses on removing redundant sagging skin and simultaneously tightening the underlying abdominal musculature. It is not uncommon to develop excess loose skin following dramatic weight loss. The accumulation of extra fat results in stretching of the overlying skin envelope. When that weight is subsequently lost by eating sensibly and exercising regularly, this stretched-out skin cannot return to its original state of tightness. As we all age, the body’s stores of collagen and elastin begin to diminish, resulting in the loss of skin elasticity, the development of skin sagging and the appearance of wrinkly skin. Older people are particularly affected by even modest amounts of weight loss, which can result in the appearance of wrinkly skin in the area of the abdomen.
RELATED: What is a male tummy tuck?
The procedure of tummy tuck is extremely popular and commonly requested by women who have had multiple pregnancies and may have had a Caesarean section—pregnancy results in the development of saggy skin and stomach muscles that have lost their tightness. The abdominoplasty procedure can re-tighten these tummy muscles and is the best treatment for diastasis recti, which refers to a midline gap that develops between the abdominal muscles as pregnancy progresses with stretching of the overline muscle by the growing uterus. In many cases, a tummy tuck is an effective treatment for permanently removing stretch marks. When the loose skin is removed, stretch marks are often found in this area and will be removed along with the excess skin.
RELATED: How to have the best tummy tuck
Can liposuction and tummy tuck be combined in the same procedure?
Our surgeons regularly perform liposuction in conjunction with a tummy tuck in appropriately selected patients, also known as a Brazilian tummy tuck or Brazilian abdominoplasty. Your surgeon will examine you to determine if you are a suitable candidate for a Brazilian tummy tuck.
RELATED: 5 Tummy Tuck myths
Liposuction and tummy tuck can be carried out together in the same procedure, and these procedures are also performed in conjunction with lipo on other areas of the body. Mummy makeover surgery commonly involves a tummy tuck in conjunction with some form of breast surgery, such as a breast uplift. In many cases, a mummy makeover may also include a vaginal rejuvenation procedure such as a vaginoplasty, also known as vaginal tightening surgery. These procedures restore the female body shape to the original pre-pregnancy appearance.
Lipo and abdominoplasty are not only performed on women; men also form an increasingly growing group of patients who can derive immense benefits from the liposuction and abdominoplasty procedure.
Tummy tuck surgery is routinely carried out in one surgical procedure. On the other hand, liposuction may well be carried out in several different treatments, especially if the treated areas are large and multiple. Liposuction and tummy tuck are types of cosmetic surgery procedures, and as with any surgical procedure, there is always a potential risk of complications occurring. Compared with other kinds of cosmetic surgery, abdominoplasty surgery carries a slightly higher risk profile. Your surgeon is ideally placed to give you clear and detailed information on the risks associated with abdominoplasty surgery. However, in expert hands, abdominoplasty is a safe procedure routinely carried out as a day-case procedure at Centre for Surgery in London.
Are liposuction and tummy tuck results permanent?
Abdominoplasty and liposuction treatments benefit from producing permanent results. However, as with all types of cosmetic surgery, it’s important to follow your surgeon’s post-operative instructions in full to maintain the results of liposuction and tummy tuck over the long term.
Your surgeon will recommend focusing on exercises that strengthen your core once you have recovered fully from your tummy tuck after six weeks. The most common types of exercises include abdominal crunches, pelvic floor exercises and Pilates. Regular cardiovascular exercise helps to condition the heart and lungs and strengthen the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This will help to optimise the results of tummy tuck surgery. All patients should ensure that they adhere to eating a healthy and nutritious diet and avoid certain lifestyle habits such as smoking or excessive alcohol. Patients who gain a significant amount of weight after a tummy tuck or lipo will often find that the results of the original procedure may be adversely affected. This could necessitate a second revision procedure to restore the results obtained after the first procedure.
Liposuction and tummy tucks are body contouring procedures and are not recognised treatments for weight loss. They are ideally performed on patients at or near their target body weight. Women who plan to have more children in the future should defer having liposuction and especially abdominoplasty until they have completed their family in full. Women who become pregnant after having abdominoplasty may find that the skin and abdominal musculature develop skin stretching again, which may reverse some or all of the benefits from the previous tummy tuck operation.
What are the best techniques for lipo and abdominoplasty?
At Centre for Surgery in London, our expert plastic surgeons regularly deploy cutting-edge liposuction and abdominoplasty in combination to achieve dramatic body contouring results for women who have developed a significant loss of self-confidence as they see their body size and shape change over time. Our surgeons offer a full range of tummy tuck surgery procedures, including mini tummy tuck, full tummy tuck, Brazilian abdominoplasty, fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty, extended tummy tuck and belt lipectomy surgery. Tummy tuck carried out without liposuction is rarely performed nowadays at the Centre for Surgery as our surgeons believe the results are inferior to liposuction combined with tummy tuck, also known as lipoabdominoplasty.
We are also proud to offer the full range of liposuction techniques, including traditional suction-assisted liposuction, MicroLipo, SmartLipo, power-assisted liposuction, BodyTite lipo and SAFElipo. For women concerned by the appearance of cellulite, we are able to offer the highly effective procedure of CelluTite for the permanent removal of cellulite.
If you want to learn more about the different liposuction and tummy tuck options, please contact one of our friendly and knowledgeable patient coordinators on 0207 993 4849 to book a face-to-face consultation with an expert Plastic Surgeon at the Centre for Surgery in London.
