Improving the Abdominal Area Appearance: Liposuction vs. Tummy Tuck

A lot of plastic surgeons report that the abdominal area is among the most requested areas for procedures, either by means of abdominal liposuction or through the popular “tummy tuck” procedure. Yet, UK patients often tend to mix up those two procedures, even though they are essentially different. And while the decision whether to go ahead with either procedure will be largely determined by a consultant at the respective London liposuction clinic which the patient has decided to visit, it is important that patients know how those procedures differ from one another and what abdominal area “condition” each of those procedures is generally appropriate for.

As already noted, the abdominal area is among the body areas whose appearance causes the most concern among plastic surgery clients, and particularly among female patients. As people approach their middle years, the proportion of fat to body weight tends to increase, with this trend often being more visible in women than in men. And since this extra fat favours the upper body over the hips and thighs, the waistline tends to increase as well. Significant losses of weight on the other hand may lead to excess skin or stretch marks in the abdominal area, with those also being among the most common traces of pregnancy on the female body. It is no wonder therefore that people often turn to plastic surgery with the purpose of improving the appearance of their abdominal area.

So, when going to a London liposuction clinic or another plastic surgery facility, UK patients may have read about abdominal liposuction and tummy tuck as two possible solutions. So, what exactly is the difference between these two plastic surgery procedures? First, liposuction of the abdomen is usually used for removing pockets of fat, which do not respond to either exercise or diets, meaning that liposuction is usually the choice in the case of excess fat in the stomach area.

Nevertheless, liposuction is usually not a solution for a saggy stomach, since fat removal procedures essentially do not affect the skin. In some cases, liposuction may even worsen the loose skin condition since it removes the “foundation” on which the skin rests, thus leaving even looser skin. This is where the “tummy tuck” procedure comes in; this procedure, also known as abdominoplasty, involves the removal of excess skin and fatty tissue from above the bikini line. A tummy tuck may also be appropriate in instances when the abdominal muscle has been damaged due to pregnancy or surgery and is no longer responsive to toning with exercise.

So, it is obvious that the two procedures are quite different and address different problems. In addition, when making a decision with a consultant from their London liposuction clinic, patients need to be aware that the two procedures are not interchangeable, meaning that in certain cases, patients may have to go through both liposuction and abdominoplasty so as to achieve the desired results. Yet, one of the main principles determining the choice of one procedure over the other is the amount of loose skin versus the amount of unwanted fat. Skin elasticity, or the degree to which the skin will be able to contract after liposuction, is also an important factor determining the right type of surgical procedure, since in some cases the skin can tighten very well after liposuction, effectively eliminating the need for the generally more invasive tummy tuck procedure.

Both abdominal liposuction and tummy tuck are used for improving the appearance of the abdominal area. Yet, when visiting their London liposuction clinic for a consultation, patients need to be aware that since the procedures address different issues, choosing one of them will not be simply a matter of personal preference.