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Tummy Tuck and Liposuction- Should I Combine the Procedures?

Tummy tuck or liposuction? Why not choose both? These two procedures are often combined with stunning results. Combining the two can minimize surgical trauma and recovery time, often delighting patients with their new body shape. By combining tummy tuck and liposuction you can get the best of both procedures at once, without having to miss work for two separate recovery periods.

What Are the Benefits of a Tummy Tuck?

A tummy tuck, also called abdominoplasty, removes excess fat and skin from the middle and lower abdomen. It also tightens abdominal muscles resulting in a firmer abdominal wall and often greatly reducing bulging in the belly area. The surgery itself takes between one and three hours (one to two hours for a mini tummy tuck, two to three for a standard tummy tuck).

Many patients choose to have a tummy tuck after childbirth or massive weight loss. Pregnancy stretches out the abdominal muscles and skin; a tummy tuck can help women to restore their pre-pregnancy figure once they’ve finished having babies. After extensive weight loss a tummy tuck can remove excess skin and contour your body.

What Are the Benefits of Liposuction?

Liposuction uses gentle suction to remove specific fat deposits to reshape and refine the body. It isn’t a substitute for diet and exercise, rather a complementary procedure that can remove stubborn fat pockets that are unresponsive to traditional weight loss. We offer several different types of liposuction here at the Plastic Surgery Center of Nashville. Liposuction can be performed on various parts of the body including the hips, abdomen, thighs, and many other areas.

Liposuction and Tummy Tuck Together

Liposuction and a tummy tuck pair well together for many patients. In a study published in 2012 by the American Society for Plastic Surgeons 98 percent of patients undergoing the two procedures together would do so again and 99 percent would recommend the treatment to others. The patient satisfaction rate for both procedures combined was over 99 percent, much higher than either procedure on its own.

Pairing the two procedures together allows patients to obtain the benefits of both, while reducing the pain and recovery time needed if both procedures were performed separately. The 2012 study found that patients reported no increase in pain when liposuction was added to an abdominoplasty. Recovery time is also similar for a tummy tuck on its own and a tummy tuck paired with liposuction.

Dr. Gingrass and Dr. Haws like to enphasize that combining a tummytuck with a liposuction can increase the complication rate, it is very common to liposuction other areas when doing a tummy tuck, and even the surrounding areas to accentuate the tummy tuck result, however, aggressively defating the abdominal skin flap ( the abdominal skin that is undermoned and then pulled tight) can increase the risk of skin necrosis (skin doesn’t get enough oxygen and dies). However, the good news is that if a patient goes on to lose that last 10-15 lbs after their tummy tuck, they will only improve the results.  If they can’t lose any further weight then a second procedure to decrease the thickness of the abdominal skin itself can be very satisfying.

We would love to talk with you about these two procedures and determine if a tummy tuck and liposuction together is an appropriate choice for your situation. Call us today and schedule an appointment.