To treat excess abdominal fat, patients can have either liposuction or abdominoplasty, also known as a “tummy tuck”. The choice between these two options depends on the quality of the skin.
In liposuction, the surgeon inserts a cannula through a very small incision about 3 mm long, and removes the fat underneath the skin. The skin must therefore be elastic enough to adapt to the new volume.
If the patient has loose skin or poor skin tone, the skin will sag after liposuction, which is very unsightly. In these cases, the excess skin must be removed in an abdominoplasty.
The scars are always hidden so they are invisible in a bathing suit or underwear.
Liposuction can definitely be performed in an area at the same time as an abdominoplasty. In any case, patients should understand that an abdominoplasty always generally begins with abdominal liposuction to optimize the end result of the procedure.