Tummy tuck and liposuction are two surgical options that are widely popular when a flatter tummy is desired. These two surgical alternatives are what people turn to next when their flabby tummies do respond to neither diet nor exercise. Although the tummy tuck is a very comprehensive makeover of the tummy, most cases would only require a liposuction.
A tummy tuck is a major surgery which requires an incision stretching from one hip bone to another. The skin around the belly button is also cut open to free the abdominal skin. The skin is then separated from the abdomen while the excess fat is removed. The abdominal muscles can also be tightened up by stitching them together. The tummy tuck procedure is ended by pulling down the skin and cutting off any excess. A new hole is made for the belly button and the incisions are then stitched together. A tummy tuck is also performed under general anesthesia.
Due to the major nature of the tummy tuck surgery, there are substantial risks involved. There are risks associated with surgical complications and also risks tied to the anesthetics. Therefore, a tummy tuck could become a real option only if you need to lose weight and get rid of a lot of excess skin ? as in the case of losing a lot of weight rapidly. The liposuction is usually a less traumatic option if your weight loss requirement is not as drastic.
Liposuction only involves making a few small incisions in the abdominal area to insert the surgical tools. The excess fat is sucked out of the body using a surgical vacuum and the incisions are stitched closed. Surgeons can perform liposuction using local anesthetics as opposed to general anesthesia. There will be excess skin left after a liposuction compared to a tummy tuck but the rate of the skin shrinking after losing body fat makes up for it. Think of how the tummy returns to normal after pregnancy and you get the idea.
Since liposuction is much less traumatic than a tummy tuck, the patient usually undergoes rapid recovery and can be going off to work after as little as 3 days of recovery. A full tummy tuck takes a few months to recover from and up to a year to enjoy the full benefits. Even then, a tummy tuck leaves big surgical scars compared to the tiny scars of a liposuction.
