The universe can really be unfair sometimes. You watch what you eat and exercise when you can catch a break from your adulting duties. Despite all this effort, your excess body fat does not get the hint and wants to hang around forever.
The good news is that you are in control and do not have to let that happen. However, like any surgical procedure, there are risks to consider before deciding which one is best for you. Things like your medical history, family history, and current weight can affect either procedure.
Should you get a tummy tuck or have liposuction performed? We will explore the pros and cons after a brief rundown of what each of these procedures involves.
What is Liposuction?
Liposuction is a minor outpatient procedure where your doctor uses a suctioning device to remove unwanted fat – and we get that no one really has wanted fat—from a specific area of your body. Say that you are at your ideal body weight but still have a stubborn double chin that makes you look heavier than you really are. The energy radiated from the suctioning device shrinks the fat cells in your face forever as long as you maintain a stable weight.
Double chins are certainly no fun, but they are just one example of areas of the body where you might want to consider a liposuction procedure. Here are several more:
- Abdomen
- Ankles
- Back
- Buttocks
- Calves
- Chest
- Hips
- Neck
- Thighs
- Upper arms
Some women have received the blessing – or the curse, depending on how you look at it—with extra-large breasts that can become so heavy to carry around that they develop backaches, shoulder pain, and neck pain.
Liposuction can be a good option for breast reduction, for both women and men. Guys can develop this thing called gynecomastia, which means they grow breast tissue that they do not want.
Now that we have these brief explanations out of the way, let us move on to discuss a few pros and cons of each procedure.
Should I Get Liposuction?
Among the most popular plastic surgery procedures worldwide, many people see the benefits of spot-reducing stubborn fat that diet and exercise don’t solve. We all have hereditary traits that cause our fat to accumulate in some parts of our body more than others. Liposuction can reveal all the hard work you’ve put into building muscle by removing the fat covering it up.
However, like all medical procedures, you need to weigh potential risks and complications before going ahead with liposuction. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic advise people against scheduling the procedure if they have a long-term health condition that could complicate the procedure or your healing time. Diabetes, coronary artery disease or a compromised immune system are just three examples.
Pros of Liposuction
- Fat reduction
- Targeted fat loss
- Reveal muscle tone
- Minimal recovery time (about 1 week)
- Fully customized result
- Can combine with other procedures
Most people experience numbness and minor discomfort after liposuction. These expected occurrences do not speak to the effectiveness of the procedure. However, you should discuss all possible complications with your doctor like irregularities in skin contouring and the temporary accumulation of fluid under your skin. Your doctor should also be able to assess your specific risks based on your health history.
Cons of Liposuction
Health Risk Factors for Liposuction
- Diabetes
- Coronary artery disease
- Compromised immune system
Risks of a Liposuction Surgery
- Numbness and discomfort
- Infection and bruising
- Post-surgery swelling
- Irregularities in skin contouring
- Temporary accumulation of fluid under the skin
- Does not guarantee long-term results on its own
What You Need to Know About Liposuction in Mt. Juliet or Lebanon, Tennessee
You likely know by now that you should not rely on either liposuction or a tummy tuck as a weight-loss method. If you are overweight or obese, you will need to do the hard work of taking the weight off. You can think of liposuction as a reward for all that time spent exercising and eating salads. When your plastic surgeon uses suction equipment to shrink fat cells in certain areas of your body, those areas naturally look more contoured and attractive.
The self-confidence you gain from looking and feeling your best is not something you can put a price tag on. You can say goodbye to hiding behind other people in pictures or dread running into someone you have not seen in a long time. While you may need to wait several weeks to a few months to see the results you would like, the days of feeling discouraged about stubborn body fat will soon be a thing of the past.
What is a Tummy Tuck?
If you have given birth one or more times, we have no doubt that you love your children like crazy but may not love what pregnancy did to your body. The biggest complaint many women seem to have is that their tummy remains flabby for months or even years after their last baby was born.
However, as any woman knows, the tummy can become flabby for many other reasons. Here are other possible reasons for considering a tummy tuck:
- Abdominal surgery that weakened the muscles, such as a Cesarean section
- Normal effects of aging
- You have lost a lot of weight and now have the dreaded loose skin to remind you of how much you used to weigh.
- Your body is just doing what it wants to do because of its type, regardless of what you want.
Should You Get a Tummy Tuck in Nashville?
The benefits of a tummy tuck go beyond just looking good. The procedure helps to tighten abdominal muscles and make them stronger. Most people who receive this procedure are women, many of whom refer to a tummy tuck and a mommy makeover as one in the same.
Tummy tucks are also popular for people who have lost a lot of weight in a short time.
Pros of a Tummy Tuck
- Posture often improves after strengthening your abdominal muscles.
- Repair weak or separated abdominal muscles
- Reduce or eliminate stress urinary incontinence, which means that you leak a bit of urine nearly every time you laugh, sneeze, cough, or even exercise.
- Having a tummy tuck can even resolve abdominal hernias. You will not have to worry about undergoing another surgery if you have a hernia, especially the ventral type.
- After a pregnancy, remove or reduce stretch marks, and improve the look of c-section and hysterectomy scars
Keep in mind that a tummy tuck is a more invasive procedure than liposuction. Your doctor may need several hours to complete a tummy tuck, and you will need to go under general anesthesia. Mayo Clinic doctors advise against a so-called mommy makeover in these situations:
Cons of a Tummy Tuck
Do not get a tummy tuck if . . .
- You plan to have more biological children
- Your body mass index (BMI) is greater than 30
- You have a chronic health condition
- You currently smoke
- You had previous surgery performed on your abdomen that left a lot of scar tissue
Risks of a Tummy Tuck
Cons and possible complications of a tummy tuck include:
- Typically not covered by insurance
- Long recovery time (at least six weeks)
- Swelling that lasts for months
- Poor healing of wounds
- Fluid accumulation under the skin
- Changes in the way you experience skin sensations
If you have any of these risk factors or have questions about complications of a tummy tuck, consult a knowledgable surgeon who can go over the information with you. A tummy tuck procedure is a personal choice, and your surgeon at The Lett Center in Tennessee is more than happy to see which surgery is right for you, personally.
Contact The Lett Center in Tennessee with Additional Questions or to Request a Consultation
The Lett Center offers aesthetic and reconstructive cosmetic surgery at two convenient locations near Nashville. We invite you to request a consultation at either our Mt. Juliet or Lebanon locations to learn more about what you can expect during and after each procedure. Also please feel free to bring any questions to ask a surgeon to get authoritative and trustworthy answers.