Liposuction and Tummy Tuck: The Ultimate Fat-removing Treatments

Being overweight and obese are two common rising concerns for both men and women in today’s world. And thus, it is easy to see why fat-removing treatments are gaining so much popularity. However, despite what many may think surgery does not replace weight loss, it needs to be done in conjunction with weight loss to get the maximum effect.

There are several treatments out there, including liposuction and tummy tuck, and this may cause a lot of confusion for people who are not familiar with these terms and procedures.

The tummy tuck and its benefits
Also known as abdominoplasty, the tummy tuck is designed to remove excess fat and skin of the abdomen to improve its appearance. This excess is sometimes called an apron and happens with weight loss and gain or pregnancy. Twin pregnancies are especially likely to cause problems with excess skin.

The benefits of the tummy tuck include:

• Removal of loose skin and fat
• Removal of stretch marks and excess skin below the belly button
• Tightening of a weak fascia (the abdominal connective tissue) and muscles that are stretched and displaced with pregnancy, especially twin pregnancy. This is also called a diastasis recti.
• Women who have had a C-section are very good candidates for a tummy tuck since it leaves a similar but longer scar.  Sometimes, a tummy tuck is combined with other cosmetic procedures, such as liposuction that aim to contour the body. 

Liposuction and its benefits
Liposuction not only targets the abdomen and waist but also helps in removing fat from a variety of body areas, including:

• Thighs
• Hips and buttocks
• Upper arms
• Chest area
• Inner knee
• Back
• Calves and ankles
• Cheeks, chin, and neck

To reshape these areas and make them slimmer, liposuction removes excess fat deposits and improves body contours and proportion. Again it does not work for weight loss, just body contouring.
With more consistent and predictable results than other non-invasive treatments, liposuction is capable of treating large areas in a single procedure.   

Tummy tuck procedure
The procedure of a tummy tuck is as follows:

• Your anesthesiologist will give you anesthesia to keep you comfortable and safe and free of pain.
• Your surgeon will make an incision similar to a C-section but longer and an oval-shaped incision around your belly button. The muscles of your abdominal wall are tightened so there is no longer a gap between the muscles. All of the skin and fat below your belly button  and above your pubic hair is removed. The skin which before the tummy tuck is at your belly button will be moved to your pubis thus removing the excess hanging skin and fat.
• The skin around your belly button will remain in the same place. Your surgeon will bring out your belly button through a small incision through the skin.
• Your surgeon will stitch the incision together with multiple layers of fine sutures removing all of the tension so you end up with a beautiful thin scar that will eventually fade with time, leaving a scar that falls along the natural undergarment line that can be easily hidden underneath clothing.
• The tummy tuck procedure usually takes about two to three hours. You are always  given an antibiotic prior to the surgery starting through the intravenous to reduce the likelihood of an infection.

Liposuction procedure
Following are the procedural steps:

• You will be given anesthesia.
• Through a small incision the size of a pencil your surgeon will insert a thin, hollow tube and move it in a back-and-forth motion through the fat to loosen the fat.
• The dislodged fat will be suctioned out using a syringe or a surgical vacuum.

You will be able to see the proper results of liposuction once the swelling and fluid retention wears down. This is evident immediately after the surgery and will only improve with time. It takes about 3 to 6 months for most of the healing to occur.

To enjoy the long-term benefits of these surgical treatments, consider maintaining a healthy weight after the surgery. Both treatments work wonders to give your body a toned and tight appearance.

If you are considering a tummy tuck or liposuction, you may visit Dr. Norman Bakshandeh Day at Day Plastic Surgery. Dr. Day is happy to schedule a free consultation with his patients.

You can call him at (212) 289-9191 in Manhattan where his clinic and ambulatory surgery center are located at 1035 Park Ave, New York, NY 10028, b/t 85th St & 86th St. You can also call him  at (718) 246-0130 at his office located at 142 Joralemon Street in downtown Brooklyn Heights next to the Brooklyn Promenade. Brooklyn Heights is one of the most desirable and beautiful neighborhoods in Brooklyn.