What is liposuction fat removal and how does it differ from a tummy tuck?

Liposuction and tummy tuck are two different plastic or cosmetic surgery procedures (as you call it) that can help you become slim and smart by removing extra fats from your body. Although both are surgical procedures to make you slim and smart, there lies a fundamental difference between them and you should know it, before you decide to go for one of these procedures to make yourself slim and smart. This difference between liposuction fat removal and tummy tuck is illustrated below;

Liposuction Fat Removal

Before and After Liposuction
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Liposuction is a surgical procedure to remove extra fats from various body parts such as face, neck, chest, upper arms, abdomen, hips, and thighs etc. While for some people, removal of under skin fat is sufficient to get their desired slim and smart looks. But, for others who have droopy and loose skin, it is not.

Thus, if liposuction is done to wrong candidates, it may aggravate the problem. These individuals with droopy and loose skin develop more loose and droopy skin when the fat is removed from their body. Thus it is important to determine whether a person withstands the candidacy requirements for liposuction, before carrying out the surgery.

Candidacy for Liposuction

Although, a qualified plastic surgeon determines the candidacy for liposuction, yet we have some general outline for the best candidacy. Those people who have good health, having nearly 25 pounds above their ideal weight, and having fat deposits that have not been affected by exercise or diet are generally the best candidates for liposuction.

The following people are not good candidates for liposuction;

• Pregnant or Nursing Women
• People having health issues that might interfere with healing
• People taking blood-thinning medicines
• People allergic to lidocaine (used in the liposuction procedure)

Tummy Tuck

Tummy Tuck
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Tummy tuck is a plastic surgery done to reshape droopy and unshapely tummy, after all a flat and normal body posture is what most of us desire (and a flat tummy plays a big deal in your appear smart). A tummy tuck, also known as Abdominoplasty, involves removal of fats and excess skin from the abdomen. It does not include any other body part.

A tummy tuck may be required even for individuals of otherwise normal body posture who develop an overgrown tummy.

When our skin is stretched for longer periods, it loses its elasticity and ability to get back to its original position. This excessive stretching occurs due to heavy fat gain during extended periods. It also depends on the age of the patient; skin in younger patients is more elastic than the skin in elder patients. 

During pregnancy, the belly remains stretched for months and many younger women retain the elasticity of the skin after delivery. On the other hand, the skin of older women and women with less elastic skin is usually unable to come to its pre-pregnancy position. In such cases, Tummy Tuck may be required.

In tummy tuck procedure, the surgeon excises the excess skin and stitches back the remaining skin, producing a linear scar of around 15 cm. The Tummy Tuck is a highly personalized procedure which only you should decided to undergo for yourself, and not on the desires of others as it involves many risks.

Candidacy for a Tummy Tuck

• Women with a droopy tummy and less elastic skin after delivery/pregnancy.
• Pregnant Women are not recommended to undergo Tummy Tuck
• People with healthy physique and non-smokers

Differences between Liposuction and Tummy Tuck

First obvious difference is the scope. Liposuction can remove fat from any body part while tummy tuck is only concerned with abdomen reshaping through removal of excess skin.

Liposuction removes the fat deposits stored between the skin and the muscles. It does not excise the excess skin from the tummy area.

Liposuction produces small incision to insert the cannula and produces small inconspicuous scars. On the other hand, tummy tuck excises the extra skin and makes belly skin tight and shapely. That is the reason, full tummy tuck produces linear scar of around 15 cm on the lower abdomen.

It is clear that candidacy for liposuction and candidacy of tummy tuck is entirely different from each other. A good and ethical surgeon will always recommend you the right procedure according to your suitability.

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