When discussing your liposuction with a Vaser Lipo surgeon, you may want to ask about the possibility of combining a tummy tuck with the liposuction. The combo can create improved results that will likely meet, even exceed, your expectations in body contouring. Keep in mind that your doctor may or may not agree to it depending on several factors.
Different from Each Other
But isn’t liposuction and tummy tuck one and the same operation? No, these aren’t although both are used in trimming excess fat and creating a more ideal body shape.
On one hand, liposuction uses a suctioning technique in the removal of isolated pockets of stubborn subcutaneous fat. It’s useful in removing love handles, belly fat, and back rolls, as well as fat deposits in smaller areas like the chin and neck. But it isn’t as useful in addressing muscle laxity and loose skin, usually as a result of significant weight loss and post-pregnancy weight loss.
On the other hand, a tummy tuck can create a smooth, toned appearance in the abdomen by removing excess skin and/or tightening the abdominal muscles that have become loose or separated due to the significant weight loss. But if there are stubborn fat deposits in the abdominal area, a tummy tuck will not cut it.
Enhanced Results When Combined
When these two procedures are combined, the results are nearly extraordinary where a toned stomach is concerned. For patients who qualify as good candidates for the double surgery, the benefits are worth the extra cost; emphasis must be made that these procedures aren’t covered by medical insurance in general.
First, the combo can simultaneously remove the diet and exercise-resistant pockets of fat, remove loose or excess skin, and repair muscle tissue. You will then undergo just a single operation instead of two operations that, in turn, will mean a single recovery period. Yes, it may be longer by a few days considering the combo but it’s still significantly shorter than when two surgeries were done.
Second, the combined lipo-abdominoplasty eliminates post-surgical drains from the picture since your surgeon will use a layered suturing technique. Without the messy drains in your body, you will enjoy a quicker recovery than when only a tummy tuck was done.
Third, the combination maximizes the results of body contouring in ways that aren’t possible with just one of them. The dual approach is popular because of its higher efficiency.
But as with most cosmetic surgery procedures, you have the ultimate responsibility to maintain the results of liposuction and tummy tuck. The healthy diet, exercise and lifestyle habits you have established prior to the surgery should be continued.