Tummy Tuck or Liposuction?

Body contouring is a surgical procedure that aims to enhance and harmonize the shape and appearance of the body by removing excess fat and tightening sagging skin. Tummy tucks and liposuction are surgeries that serve similar purposes with some key differences between them. Both procedures aim to make the body tighter, leaner, more proportional, and better-looking overall. Tummy tucks address loose, sagging skin and weakened abdominal muscles, while liposuction can address pockets of excess fat that remain stubborn against diet and exercise. If you are wondering which treatment is right for you, or if a combination of the two would be optimal, this blog can help provide a thorough understanding of both.

Dr. Michael J. Yoo, M.D. performs tummy tucks and liposuctions for his patients in Newport Beach and Beverly Hills. He is an experienced cosmetic surgeon with extensive training. He runs his practice with an emphasis on exceptional aesthetic results and thoughtful patient care. For more information, call (949) 861-3340 (Newport Beach), (424) 209-9925 (Beverly Hills) or visit our contact page. 

Before and After Photos

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About Body Contouring

Losing weight can be a wise choice for your health and appearance, whether through diet and exercise or weight loss surgery. It can also come about post-pregnancy, or as a result of lifestyle changes or medical conditions. Whatever the reason, weight loss does not always result in an ideal physical appearance. Pockets of fat may remain, leaving certain areas of the body looking undesirable. Sometimes, the skin that remains after fat loss cannot reform itself tightly around the body’s new and smaller shape. This can cause the skin to sag and fold. You may have a combination of both of these problems, unsure which body contouring procedure will help you most.

Tummy tucks and liposuction are both effective treatments that can help resolve the aesthetic problems caused by weight changes. They each focus on specific cosmetic problems, and Dr. Yoo can combine them into one procedure if you could benefit from both. 

Before and After Photos

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Tummy Tuck

A tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, is a cosmetic surgery that treats excess skin and loose muscles in the midsection. It involves incisions below the belly button, and occasionally up through the middle of the abdomen where indicated, to remove excess skin, fat, and tissue. He can also reinforce the abdominal muscles using internal corset-like sutures. To complete the procedure, he pulls the remaining skin tightly over the midsection to achieve a slim and contoured abdominal area.

Liposuction

Liposuction removes excess fat cells from the body. It can be a great help for patients who have lost weight and gotten in shape yet cannot get rid of particular areas of built-up fat. No matter how hard they work on their diet and exercise routine, unsightly bulges of fat cells keep them from achieving the body that they desire. The procedure involves Dr. Yoo treating the fat cells with a tumescent solution of lidocaine, epinephrine, and saline before removal. This solution stiffens the fat and constricts blood vessels, making it easier for the body to remove, reducing bleeding during surgery, and preventing discomfort during the initial stages of recovery. ⁽¹⁾ He then makes small incisions around the targeted pockets of fat and uses a tube-like tool called a cannula to break up the fat and remove it from the body using suction. He can remove precise amounts of fat from highly specific areas of the body area to sculpt appealing and natural-looking contours.

Benefits of Tummy Tucks and Liposuction

The benefits of receiving a tummy tuck from Dr. Yoo include:

Receiving a liposuction procedure from Dr. Yoo also comes with some unique benefits. These include:

These procedures share some convenient benefits, as well. These include:

Who is a Candidate?

You may be a good candidate for a tummy tuck if you have excess skin accumulating on your abdomen and weakened abdominal muscles from pregnancy or age. If you still have good skin laxity but suffer from excess pockets of fat, you may be a good candidate for liposuction. Patients with excess skin and fat can receive both a tummy tuck and liposuction in one procedure from Dr. Yoo. If you have any of these issues with your body and are ready to do something about it, receiving a body contouring procedure could be the right choice. To be eligible, you should be in relatively good health. You should also have realistic expectations about what cosmetic surgery is capable of. These are not weight-loss treatments, so you should be close to your target weight before you undergo them.

Personal Consultation

At your consultation, we will discuss if you are an eligible candidate and which of these procedures is right for you. Dr. Yoo will examine your abdomen and discuss your beauty goals to determine the best treatment options. Feel free to ask any questions you may have about the procedures that we offer. We will ask you about your past surgeries, prescriptions, and conditions. Learning about your medical history is essential to providing a safe and effective cosmetic treatment. We may also run some tests to assess your current medical condition. We can create a personalized treatment plan for you with the information we gather during your consultation. We can give you an accurate cost estimate and let you know what to expect regarding preparation and recovery. At the end of your consultation, we can schedule your procedure appointment.

To schedule your consultation, call (949) 861-3340 (Newport Beach), (424) 209-9925 (Beverly Hills) or fill out this form.

Preparation

Preparation for tummy tucks and liposuction are essentially the same. For both procedures, optimizing your health and preparing your body for surgery can help us provide a comfortable treatment experience and the best possible results. In the weeks leading up to your surgery, maintain your diet and lifestyle and try to keep a steady weight. This will ensure that Dr. Yoo can provide precise aesthetic results in line with your treatment plan. You should avoid smoking tobacco, as this can affect your blood circulation, lead to complications, and prolong your recovery period. ⁽²⁾ Avoid blood-thinning substances as well. Medications like ibuprofen and aspirin, as well as vitamin E and certain herbal supplements that thin the blood, can cause excessive bleeding and bruising. As you heal, your mobility will be limited, so we recommend preparing your home for ease and comfort as you relax and recover. Lastly, do not forget to arrange for a ride home from our facilities on the day of your procedure. Both tummy tucks and abdominal liposuction may require general anesthesia, and this can cause disorientation for several hours after the surgery is complete.

Tummy Tuck and Liposuction Procedures

When you come in for your procedure, we will make sure that you are properly anesthetized to prevent any potential discomfort during surgery. If you are receiving liposuction, Dr. Yoo will begin by treating your fat with tumescent fluid. He will then make the necessary incisions and perform the procedure. He will insert a cannula through the incisions which is connected to a suction device. Dr. Yoo skillfully maneuvers the cannula to break up and suction out the excess fat cells. If you are receiving a tummy tuck, he will make a larger horizontal incision from hip to hip and remove the excess fat and tissue before he sutures your abdominal muscles and removes the excess skin. At the end of your procedure, he will pull the remaining skin taut and close the incision. We will take you to a recovery room where we will monitor your condition as the anesthesia begins to wear off. When you are in stable condition, you may go home.

Recovery

Tummy tucks may require more energy and downtime for healing because they involve larger incisions and are more invasive in general. You will likely need one to two weeks of downtime to recover, whereas liposuction recovery is generally faster. We can give you an accurate idea of how much time you will need at your personal consultation. In the first few days after your surgery, you may experience some redness, swelling, and bruising around your treatment areas. These symptoms should subside gradually. If they become bothersome, we can provide prescriptions for medications that can help alleviate them. Rest is important during this time, but standing up and taking light walks can increase blood flow and speed up healing. When your incisions have healed and you feel up to it, you can go back to work and resume everyday activity. However, you should wait at least six weeks to participate in strenuous activities.

Results

You will see an immediate improvement in your figure after your procedure, however, the final aesthetic results will be obscured by swelling for several months. When they are fully visible, you will be able to see the precise contouring that Dr. Yoo meticulously sculpted during your procedure. Your results will be long-lasting, and they can be prolonged even further by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Keeping a steady weight will ensure that your remaining fat cells do not grow and that your skin does not stretch.

How Much Do Tummy Tucks and Liposuction Cost in Newport Beach?

The cost of your body contouring procedure will depend on which treatments we choose for you and the extent of your symptoms. To learn more about both procedures, call one of our two locations listed below or contact us online.

FAQ

References

1. Venkataram J. Tumescent liposuction: A review. Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery. 2008;1(2):49. doi:https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-2077.44159 
2. Bhargava D. Abdominoplasty today. Indian journal of plastic surgery : official publication of the Association of Plastic Surgeons of India. 2008;41(Suppl):S20-6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2825125/