Tummy Tuck vs Liposuction for Abdomen
I am 112 pounds with thin arms and legs. My abdomen has always been large in proportion to my body, but after 3 C-sections, it is huge. I could pass for being 5-6 months pregnant. I have been told there is not a lot of fat there but the underlying tissues are very weak. Over the years I have done multiple abdominal exercises and nothing works. I am 60 years old and in good health. What do you recommend?
Answers (4)
Tummy tucks address skin, muscle, and fat.
From what you describe you are suffering from a weakening in the muscle wall that is usually a result of pregnancy. Many women come in to my office desiring liposuction or even "Smartlipo" when in fact the correct procedure is a tummy tuck. An abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) is a surgical procedure which allows the surgeon to tighten the muscles of the abdominal wall (like tightening a corset,) remove the extra stretched out skin, and remove any excess fat. The tradeoff is a scar where incisions are made however most women are happy to trade this "scar for skin." Liposuction will remove fat but will not address the skin or fat. Smartlipo may cause a very small amount of skin tightening but the percentage of tightening is small and certainly muscle will not be addressed. At 60 years of age (I have done tummy tucks on many 60 year olds) in good health I would require you to have a medical clearance just based on age as this is a real operation with a real recovery. Schedule an appointment with a plastic surgeon and get some information about your options! Good luck!
From the way you describe your body, it is clear that a tummy tuck is the more appropriate procedure for what you want. Liposuction would do essentially nothing for you. The only way to improve your abdominal contour is to tighten the muscles and remove the extra skin as is done in a tummy tuck.
Make sure you go to an excellent plastic surgeon who does this procedure very often because you are a little older than the usual patient and need the judgement and technical expertise of an experienced surgeon to make this a safe option for you.
The pregnancies and C-sections have likely weakened your abdominal wall. It sounds like you have loose skin so lipo would probably not be the ideal procedure. An abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) will allow strengthening of your abdominal wall and allow removal of all the loose skin. Some liposuction can also be done at the same time, if indicated. More Liposuction can also be done later on after recovery from tummy tuck is more aggressive contouring is necessary.
Given your description of your abdomen, I would imagine a tummy tuck would be the best procedure for you. It's an operation designed to tighten the abdominal wall muscles as well as to remove any excess skin that you may have low on your abdomen. Some liposuction can be performed at the same time, but the best thing to do is to consult with a couple of Board Certified Plastic Surgeons in your area and get their opinions on what would work best for you.
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