If you’re looking for a comprehensive body contouring solution, having a tummy tuck with lipo on flanks is ideal. This effective treatment will slim and tighten the stomach while also contouring the flanks. As a result, you’ll enjoy the benefits of a slimmer silhouette and a well-shaped physique after surgery. But is it possible to undergo both surgeries in one procedure?
The Differences Between Lipo and an Abdominoplasty
Some people think that an abdominoplasty and liposuction are two words for the same thing. However, that isn’t the case. Liposuction and a tummy tuck are two very different procedures. Although both address the stomach area, the surgeries themselves have no similarities.
An abdominoplasty is a far more invasive surgery than liposuction. It involves a larger incision along the lower abdomen. Lipo, meanwhile, only involves very tiny incisions in the area the surgeon is treating.
Surgeons perform tummy tucks with the patient under a general anesthetic, so they are unconscious throughout the surgery. They perform liposuction under local anesthetic, meaning that the patient remains awake.
The procedures themselves have different goals. A tummy tuck removes not only excess fat but also excess skin. It also tightens up the stomach muscles. Liposuction, meanwhile, is solely to remove excess fat.
An abdominoplasty produces more significant scarring along the bikini line, while liposuction produces only tiny incision scars. These fade and disappear quite quickly. It takes longer for an abdominoplasty scar to fade, although the surgeon hides it from view.
A tummy tuck also has a longer recovery period than liposuction. Abdominoplasty patients have more downtime and experience more discomfort after their surgery than lipo patients.
Also Read: Who Has Had a Celebrity Tummy Tuck?
Do I Need Both Procedures?
Lipo on its own may get rid of excess fat, but it can’t address muscle laxity or excess skin. A tummy tuck can tighten muscles and skin and can get rid of excess stomach fat. However, this procedure doesn’t address the flanks area. If you have excess fat on your flanks and excess abdominal fat, loose skin, and muscles, both procedures are necessary.
What Are the Benefits of Having Both Procedures Together?
If you need both an abdominoplasty and liposuction, it’s possible to perform both procedures together in one surgery. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can choose to have the procedures separately on two different occasions. If you choose to have both surgeries at once, you may save money. Another advantage of this is that you will only need a single anesthetic, so surgery is safer and less risky. It also only means one recovery period, so you’ll have less downtime overall. If you’re looking for an efficient way to maximize your body contouring efforts, combining both procedures is a good idea.
If you’re interested in a tummy tuck, flank liposuction, or both procedures together, get in touch with ArtLipo. We can arrange a consultation for you to determine whether you’re a good candidate for surgery. We can help you find out whether you need a tummy tuck with lipo on the flanks. Alternatively, we can help you decide whether a different procedure is best for you.
Dr. Thomas Su, is the owner and cosmetic surgeon of Artistic Lipo. He has led our full-time clinic specializing in awake-only liposuction since 2007. Dr. Su began his medical career in internal medicine, practicing that until 2005, when he began to provide a full spectrum of non-invasive cosmetic procedures.
