Liposuction vs Tummy Tuck : The end goals of both liposuction and tummy tuck are to improve the body’s contour and shape. Because the goals are the same, it is sometimes difficult for patients to know and understand what procedure or procedures are appropriate for themselves. The most important thing for a patient to do is meet with a board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss the patient’s specific goals and expectations and develop an individualized surgical plan. I always discuss with my patients that body contouring, at its most basic level, is identifying what is in excess (fat, skin, or both) and removing that excess via liposuction, skin excision, or a combination of the two.
There is a group of patients who have an excess of fat, but the skin quality is good and there isn’t a lot of laxity. These patients typically do excellent with liposuction alone. Even with a small amount of skin laxity or excess, they may do very well with liposuction alone or in combination with a skin tightening procedure.
Some patients have the opposite situation, where they have a small amount of fat but an excess of skin. This is common after significant weight loss, especially after weight-loss surgery. It can also occur after pregnancy. These patients often do not require significant fat removal via liposuction, but need skin excision to improve their contour. They do excellent with tummy tuck.
Most patients fall somewhere in between, and have some fat excess as well as skin laxity or excess. So, Liposuction vs Tummy Tuck? Because of this, a lot of patients benefit from some liposuction with skin excision. The skin excision depends on the amount of excess, and can vary from a mini-tuck to a circumferential tummy tuck/body lift. The consultation process is crucial in determining what is the best procedure for each individual patient to ensure a great outcome. For more information, call our office at (770) 464-5485.
Daniel Park, MD
