While a flat and toned tummy is a goal for most people, diet and exercise can’t always deliver results without some help.
Even with healthy lifestyle habits, it’s difficult to obtain a slim and smooth stomach for anyone who has genetically determined pockets of fat or stretched abdominal tissue from childbearing or obesity.
Body contouring can be the answer, but the question remains: Tummy tuck or liposuction?
Tummy tuck surgery, known medically as abdominoplasty, tightens the abdominal muscles and eliminates the excess fat and skin from the midsection.
For patients with loose abdominal skin or a stretched abdominal wall, a tummy tuck may be the best option. This surgery can repair the stretching that occurs with childbearing and weight gain. It involves an incision at the bikini line, then the excess fat and skin is lifted off the abdominal wall and removed. A tummy tuck can be done in conjunction with liposuction to improve body contour.
Liposuction involves the removal of stubborn fat pockets to slim and streamline the body. This surgery involves making small incisions and suctioning away unwanted fat.
The advantages to liposuction can be minimal scarring and downtime.
This option is best for non-smoking patients who have a Body Mass Index of about 30 or less. For those patients with a BMI over 30, diet and exercise should be explored first.
Ultimately, which option or combination of options, is best for the patient should be determined after a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon.
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