If you’re not happy with your current body shape, body contouring procedures can help improve your overall appearance and self-confidence. But this begs the question: which body contouring procedure is right for you?
Liposuction and tummy tucks are both common and effective body contouring options, but they are not the same. The best way to know which procedure suits you best is to consult with an expert surgeon. However, it’s helpful to go into your appointment with a basic understanding of the two procedures, their differences, and what each one involves in terms of recovery.
What Is Liposuction?
Liposuction is a procedure in which excess fat is removed from beneath the skin. It’s performed with a specialized device that breaks up the fatty tissue before removing it via suction.
Liposuction is commonly used around the midsection, but also in other areas like the thighs, hips, and upper arms. If you have unwanted pockets of fat that just won’t budge with diet and exercise, lipo can help give you the more toned, trim look you desire. However, it’s not a weight loss surgery and is typically only recommended once you’re close to your goal weight.
Most patients have some bruising and swelling for a few weeks after liposuction. Full recovery takes about six to eight weeks, but unless you have a job that’s really physically demanding, you can usually return to work after a couple of weeks.
What Is a Tummy Tuck?
Do you have loose skin around your midsection? If so, a tummy tuck is likely a better choice than liposuction, although many patients benefit from a combination of the two. In a tummy tuck, Ormond Beach surgeons remove excess skin from around your midsection and then suture the skin back together. The result is a tighter, more toned abdominal area.
A tummy tuck is not a weight loss procedure, either, but it can be a good complement to substantial weight loss. Often, losing fat around your midsection leaves you with loose skin that doesn’t respond to diet and exercise. A tummy tuck removes that skin so you can see and show off the results of your hard work!
Tummy tucks are also popular among post-partum women. Removing extra abdominal skin can help restore your self-confidence after pregnancy. Women are often elated to be able to wear their pre-pregnancy clothing and dress in their preferred style again. Plus, Dr. DeMercurio often also repairs weakened abdominal muscles during a tummy tuck. So, you’ll likely experience improvements in your posture and core strength once you recover from surgery.
Recovering from a tummy tuck is a little more intense than recovering from liposuction since the incisions are larger. You’ll need to spend a couple of weeks resting in bed post-surgery, and swelling may be noticeable for up to three months.
Combining the Two
For many patients, the best body contouring option isn’t liposuction or a tummy tuck – it’s both! Many of Dr. DeMercurio’s patients who come in for a tummy tuck ultimately receive liposuction, too.
Quite often, if you have excess skin around your midsection, there is also some stubborn fat beneath it. Removing those pockets of fat with liposuction helps make the results of your tummy tuck even more apparent and rewarding. Plus, when we perform liposuction at the same time as a tummy tuck, it doesn’t really add to the recovery time expected from a tummy tuck alone.
Remember: body sculpting procedures are about boosting your self-confidence and helping you feel at home in your body. This is always our approach at The Florida Center for Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery. We customize every surgical approach to fit the patient’s own, unique needs. So, if we see you could benefit from a combination of lipo and a tummy tuck, that’s what we’ll suggest.
Who Is a Candidate?
If you have excess skin around your midsection, you’re likely to be a good candidate for a tummy tuck. While popular with women, this procedure is also available to and effective for men. It can be incredibly life-changing, especially after substantial weight loss, allowing you to dress and move through the world more comfortably.
If you have unwanted pockets of fat around your midsection or elsewhere, liposuction is generally the way to go. When it comes to liposuction, Ormond Beach surgeons can often treat multiple areas at once, shortening the overall duration of your recovery. Liposuction has a long track record of safety when performed by qualified surgeons, and it’s easily combined with a tummy tuck, when needed.
If you’re trying to decide on a tummy tuck vs. liposuction, schedule a consultation with the Florida Center for Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery. We always take a patient-focused, confidence-building approach, and we’d love to help you feel more at home in your body.
