Atlantic Coast Aesthetics is proud to be one of the top providers in the country for cosmetic surgery. We believe that one reason for this is the fact we value patient questions like this one, from Ft. Pierce, FL. The patient asks, “What is [the] best option in my case: tummy tuck or liposuction or both? I lost 50 kg [and] now I am 116 kg [with a] height of 183 cm. My age [is] 32, man!” Dr. Thomas A. Pane, our Chief Medical Officer and founder, wanted to address this question because it also addresses a common misconception about the abilities and limitations of both of these kinds of procedures and their intended purposes.
Dr. Pane noted that liposuction and tummy tuck procedures are two wildly different things. Liposuction is intended to remove and contour fat deposits beneath the skin to create a more aesthetically pleasing shape to the area under consideration. A tummy tuck is used to eliminate excess skin in the abdominal area left over from rapid, drastic weight loss. While the two can and frequently are done in tandem, such as during a Mommy Makeover, the two procedures are not the same, although they are often conflated by laypeople.
Liposuction is not normally done in situations where the patient has already lost a significant amount of weight, as the fat deposits would already be reduced in size enough to make this unnecessary. Because people do not shed fat in a uniform, predictable, even way every time, liposuction may be appropriate in situations where the adipose deposits have left large lumps and pockets beneath the skin, interfering with a smooth skin contour. However, this can only be properly evaluated during an in-person clinical evaluation, because this type of evaluation relies heavily on not only visual but manual inspection of the area under consideration.
A tummy tuck, where excess skin is trimmed away to present a smooth, tight surface, is commonly done for people who have lost a great deal of weight quickly, such as women who have given birth and people who have undergone various forms of bariatric surgery, as well as by losing weight the old-fashioned way or through some forms of illness. Liposuction may be appropriate in some cases to aid with the proper contouring of the overlying skin, but generally in these cases a tummy tuck is the standard corrective procedure. This is because when people lose weight that they have been carrying for an extended period of time very quickly, the skin over the areas of highest loss often stays stretched out, resulting in sagging and pouching. By trimming away this loose skin, the remaining skin can be tightened to make the area look more uniform and visually appealing.
As with any other kind of surgical procedure, tummy tucks have benefits and risks that vary from patient to patient. Engaging the services of a skilled, experienced cosmetic surgeon can help to minimize risk while maximizing the overall benefits of the procedure. In some cases, a tummy tuck may not be necessary and a less invasive procedure might be a better option. To determine this, the surgeon will evaluate the patient’s current condition, desired outcome and medical history. This helps determine which procedure or complex of procedures would best suit the patient’s needs with the lowest risk of complications.
Following instructions before, during and after the procedure and awareness of warning signs and things that don’t feel quite right is also a critical component of success with cosmetic surgical procedures. Signs of a possible problem may include unusually heavy drainage, redness, discomfort, swelling or discharge from the incision area. These signs vary among patients and procedures, but rigorous monitoring and checking in when something doesn’t look or feel right can help prevent these problems from developing or getting worse.
If you have a question about cosmetic surgery but weren’t sure who to ask, we at ACA invite you to send us your questions. You can follow us on Facebook or Twitter, email us at https://acplasticsurg.com or call us at (561) 422-4116. Not only are we happy to answer your questions, but your question could be our next ACA Question of the Week, to be answered live by Dr. Thomas A. Pane in a live Google Hangout! This helps us help other patients while helping you as well. At ACA, we believe the only bad question is the one you don’t ask, so feel free to ask us anything you ever wanted to know about plastic surgery and what the right choice might be for you!