Men or women may develop excess accumulation of fats in the abdominal area due to various factors. This can cause an unsightly appearance due to sagging skin, a bulging belly, and an uneven body contour. A cosmetic surgeon may recommend tummy tuck or liposuction as the treatment options to restore a flatter and firmer abdomen.
Dr. Eugene Kim is an eminent plastic surgeon providing both tummy tuck and liposuction procedures. During the initial consultation, Dr. Kim will discuss the suitability and differences between the two procedures to help the patient make the right choice. He receives patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and other locations.
Skin and Fat Reduction
The cosmetic surgeon may recommend tummy tuck procedure if the patient needs to reduce excess fats as well as loose skin. In some cases, the underlying muscles may have also weakened, which can be repaired during tummy tuck surgery. On the other hand, liposuction procedure is well suited only in cases where fat reduction is necessary, but skin and muscle laxity is not a concern. Limited fat reduction in the lower abdominal area is usually best achieved with liposuction.
Complexity
Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck surgery is usually more complex and takes a longer time to perform. In many cases, this surgery will be costlier too. Liposuction is mostly a less complicated procedure, but the scope of the surgery also gets limited. Scarring possibility is much reduced in liposuction as compared to tummy tuck surgery.
Recovery Process
Recovery period is usually longer and slightly more painful in case of tummy tuck surgery. The procedure may involve general anesthesia and overnight stay at the operating facility. Most patients will need about 10 to 14 days to be able to return to work after tummy tuck surgery. On the other hand, liposuction is a shorter procedure with faster recovery. Techniques such as tumescent liposuction have made the surgery less invasive.
Right Candidates
Candidates for abdominoplasty are usually in the age group of 40 and above because at this age skin elasticity reduces, and underlying muscles may also become weaker. Women who have experienced more than one pregnancy may need a tummy tuck to restore their appearance of the abdomen to a pre-pregnancy state.
Candidates for liposuction may be relatively younger who have excess fat deposits in the abdominal area due to sedentary lifestyles, genetic factors, or previous surgeries. The candidate should have a moderate body weight to achieve best results with both tummy tuck and liposuction. As an experienced plastic surgeon, Dr. Kim provides both these procedures to patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, CA, and surrounding locations.
Combined Surgery
Tummy tuck procedure is usually accompanied by some amount of liposuction on the sides and hips in order to achieve more balanced outcomes. However, the reverse of this situation is rare. The patients who need only liposuction may not require tummy tuck to achieve harmonious results. The surgeon will be in the best position to decide the right combination of procedures according to a patient’s unique aesthetic needs.
Click here see more plastic surgery procedures and treatments performed by Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Eugene Kim on patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Santa Monica and surrounding areas or call 310-271-6996 to schedule a consultation.
