My San Francisco Bay Area Plastic Surgery patients ask me every day about the differences between Liposuction and Tummy Tuck. They are two completely different operations; however, when patients are selected properly, both can give excellent abdominal rejuvenation. If you are wondering which is right for you, ask a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon like Dr. Joseph Mele, MD, FACS.
Abdominoplasty San Francisco Bay Area
Last week, I emphasized the Liposuction half of the Liposuction and Tummy Tuck partnership. This week, one more Liposuction question, and then it’s all about the Tummy Tuck. This is segment two of four from KRON4′s Body Beautiful. Janelle Marie and the San Francisco Bay Area Plastic Surgery audience asked their questions, and I answered. Segment two is posted below.
Tummy Tuck on San Francisco Bay Area Television
The (415) number that appears in this Tummy Tuck Video was provided for viewers to call in with their questions during the live show. If you are considering Liposuction, Tummy Tuck, Breast Augmentation, Mommy Makeovers or another Cosmetic Plastic Surgery procedure, there are volumes of information available on the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog, and my other websites listed above on the left under “Useful Links“.
Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) Video with Before and After Pictures
Liposuction Frequently Asked Questions
The first segment of this video reviewed Liposuction. This video covers many of the frequently asked questions associated with Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) and Lower Body Lift (Belt Lipectomy). Multiple Before and After Pictures of Tummy Tucks are shown in the video, and more can be seen on DrMele.com’s Photo Gallery. Topics covered in this Tummy Tuck Video include:
Viewer Michelle from San Francisco asks, “Does fat comes back in new places after Liposuction?”
The importance of maintaining weight to maintain your Liposuction results
How is Tummy Tuck different from Weight Loss?
Who is a good candidate for a Tummy Tuck?
Before and After pictures of multiple Abdominoplasty patients
When is a Lower Body Lift (Belt Lipectomy) better then a Tummy Tuck?
What does a Tummy Tuck fix?
Can stretch marks be removed with a Tummy Tuck?
Where are the scars located for Abdominoplasty?
Viewer Lisa from San Jose asks,”Can a Lower Body Lift or Tummy Tuck be performed after Bariatric (Weight Loss) Surgery?
If you have questions about Liposuction, Tummy Tuck, Breast Augmentation, Mommy Makeovers or other Cosmetic Plastic Surgery procedures, call our San Francisco Bay Area Plastic Surgery office or use the contact form on the left to ask your questions. If you are considering cosmetic plastic surgery, call (925) 943-6353, and we will help you take the next step with a personalized consultation appointment.
There are four segments to the Liposuction and Tummy Tuck Series as seen on KRON4′s Body Beautiful.
The Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) remains one of the most frequently performed cosmetic plastic surgery procedures. After blogging about the extreme tummy tuck last week, the fleur-de-lis tummy tuck, I received a lot of questions about when I would use that technique instead of a traditional abdominoplasty. Bay Area residents want to know, so let me start small and work my way through the time-tested techniques for tucking your tummy — from liposuction to the fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty.
Abdominoplasty - Left (before): Multiple rolls of redundant skin are seen after massive weight loss. Right (after): The loose abdominal skin is removed and the muscle wall is tightened, making finding clothes that fit much easier.
Tumescent Liposuction (Liposculpture, Suction Assisted Lipectomy or SAL)
Diet and exercise are always the first line of defense. No plastic surgery can eliminate the need for a proper diet and exercise plan. However, there are some problems that diet and exercise cannot fix. Localized accumulations of fat, which are disproportionate, are discussed in the previous post about Tumescent Liposuction. For bellies with small amounts of excess fat, that have good muscle and skin tone, tumescent liposuction provides a simpler and faster alternative to tummy tucks. Liposuction (SAL) cannot tighten loose skin. Even laser liposuction (LAL) and ultrasonic liposuction (UAL) cannot tighten skin that has lost its tone. If fact, liposuction can make loose skin look worse by further deflating the skin. By removing the fat, the support for the skin is removed, and the skin will fold over itself. The tummy tuck was designed specifically to address this problem.
Mini Tummy Tuck (Mini-Abdominoplasty)
When the abdominal skin and muscle laxity is isolated to the area below the belly-button (umbilicus), a mini tummy tuck may be the best option. For a mini tummy tuck, liposuction is often used in the upper abdomen and the sides to reduce unwanted fat, and a low abdominal incision is used to tighten the skin and muscles of the lower abdomen.
Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) With a “Floating” Belly-Button
In situations where the abdominal skin and muscle laxity is isolated to the area below the belly-button, but there is a small amount of loose skin just above the belly-button a “floating” belly-button technique is used. This is not the normal way to do a tummy tuck, and patients for this technique need to be carefully selected by an experienced, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. If you are a candidate, however, it usually means more improvement with the same scar as a mini tummy tuck.
Tummy Tuck - Top (before): Excess skin, muscle laxity and disproportionate lower abdominal fat contribute to a flabby appearance. Bottom (after): Excess skin and fat have been removed, and the abdominal muscles tightened. The sides of the rectus abdominus muscle are closer to the midline after the repair.
Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)
The tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is the work horse of abdominal rejuvenation, and the gold standard to which every other abdominal tightening procedure is compared. It requires and incision low on the abdomen, and one around the umbilicus. The procedure allows not only for tightening the abdominal skin, but the removal of excess fat and tightening of the muscles of the abdominal wall. This muscle tightening provides a tighter foundation on which to build your new tummy.
The fleur-de-lis tummy tuck is used when the amount and laxity of the abdominal skin is massive. This is most often seen after bariatric surgery or weight loss of greater then 75 pounds. The fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty incorporates all the features of a tummy-tuck with an additional incision running down the middle of the abdomen to remove excess skin from the midline. It is the biggest operation available, designed to reduce the most extreme amounts of excess abdominal skin.
The Lower Body Lift (Belt Lipectomy)
The lower body lift is a tummy tuck that extends all the way around to body. It is almost exclusively performed in post-bariatric surgery patients. The combination of extreme weight gain stretching out the skin, followed by loss of this weight, leaves a skirt of loose skin that can extend all the way around the back. In these cases, additional weight loss will not improve the appearance. The lower body lift is also called a belt lipectomy because a belt of excess skin and fat is removed. The abdominal muscles can also be tightened to enhance the abdominal contours, like in a traditional tummy tuck.
Body Beautiful on KRON4
Next Monday, March 14th, at 11:00 AM, I will be on KRON4′s Body Beautiful discussing Tummy Tucks. Feel free to call in and have your questions answered live, on the air. For a less public response, use the contact form on the left. While I do my best to provide you with accurate general information about all aspects of cosmetic plastic surgery on the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog, the only way to get information specific to your needs is with a personalized consultation appointment. Give me a call at (925) 943-6353 to schedule your consultation today.
