Many men and women who exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet find it impossible to get a flat stomach. Even when the rest of the body is shapely and firm, the troublesome stomach area is often the “Achilles heel” of a weight loss program. Many women who have had one or more pregnancies also find it difficult to regain muscle tone in the abdominal areas.
Most cosmetic surgeons offer either liposuction or tummy tuck (also called abdominoplasty) procedures separately as a way to combat these issues for healthy men and women. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), in 2007 alone there were 302,000 liposuction procedures performed and 148,000
tummy tuck procedures.
Now there are a small but growing number of cosmetic surgeons who are skilled in performing liposuction and tummy tuck procedures at the same time. This revolutionary new procedure has also been called lipoabdominoplasty.
How does abdominal liposuction work?
Liposuction is the removal of unwanted fat in the abdominal area. While there are two different methods that can be used in liposuction, both procedures require an incision along the lower abdomen through which fat is removed via a high-pressure vacuum.
The two techniques include:
• Ultrasonic Assisted Lipoplasty (UAL): ultrasound liquefies and smoothes the fat before it is removed.
• Tumescent: saline solution is injected to help separate fat cells from surrounding tissue and provide a precise removal of fat.
How does the tummy tuck work?
After the liposuction procedure has successfully removed fat from the abdomen area, there will most likely be excess skin in that area. The tummy tuck procedure removes excess skin from the abdomen and the muscles under the skin are tightened to provide
a tightened, more flat abdomen. If necessary, the navel is also relocated to its proper position on the abdomen (if the skin has been shortened). The incision is then stitched closed.
What are the advantages of having these two procedures together?
By combining liposuction and a tummy tuck, the patient is only undergoing one surgery as opposed to two. This can create less stress on the body. It can also be more cost effective to have one surgery. The estimated cost of these surgeries separately
is:
• Liposuction: $2,000-$10,000
• Tummy tuck: $5,000-$9,000
Because each patient is unique, the severity of the problem areas will dictate the cost of the procedure(s). Be sure to consult with an experienced cosmetic surgeon to determine if this procedure is right for you.
What are the risks? Cigarette smokers should not undergo any cosmetic surgery due to the risk of extreme bleeding, circulatory issues and other complications. With these
procedures there can be a risk of: • Infection
• Bleeding
• Body contour irregularities
• Nerve damage
• Blood clots
Your surgeon should discuss all of the potential risks with you before the surgery. These risks are minimized when this surgery is performed by a qualified cosmetic surgeon who is skilled and familiar with performing liposuction and tummy tuck procedures together.
About the author:
To learn more about how you can change the contour of your abdomen through liposuction and tummy tuck techniques, please visit the website of Dr. Leon Goldstein
at the Coastal Plastic Surgery Center. Dr. Goldstein has been certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery since 1987 and continues to provide unsurpassed cosmetic results under the safest conditions. Dr. Goldstein serves patients in Providence, Rhode Island; New Haven, Connecticut and surrounding areas. |