Looking To Achieve A Flatter Stomach?
Cosmetic surgery is becoming increasingly popular, with many individuals turning to surgery to improve overall appearance. When dealing with a flabby stomach or excess weight in the midsection, a tummy tuck and liposuction can help. Both procedures are effective, but which option is best for achieving a flatter stomach quickly?
Tummy tuck basics
Abdominoplasty, or a tummy tuck, is a surgical procedure to extract excess fat and skin from the abdominal area. During this procedure, surgeons tighten the remaining abdominal tissue, muscles, and skin to give the stomach a slimmer look.
What happens during an abdominoplasty?
Different types of abdominoplasties cater to each patient’s needs. The most common forms of abdominoplasties are complete, partial, circumferential, and fleur-de-lis. During a complete abdominoplasty, the surgeon makes a long, horizontal incision across the abdomen. Next, surgeons detach the fat from the muscles and reposition the abdominal skin. Doctors also tighten the stomach’s vertical muscles to give patients a flatter stomach and smaller waistline.
The Fleur-de-lis tummy tuck
Commonly performed on patients who have undergone significant weight loss, a Fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty is a good choice for a tighter stomach. After weight loss, sagging extra skin needs to be removed. During this operation, doctors make incisions vertically and horizontally along the abdomen. Then, surgeons remove the excess skin and tighten the remaining tissues to contour the stomach. The name Fleur-de-lis comes from the surgical incisions that mimic the shape of the French Fleur-de-lis flower.
Outpatient liposuction procedures
Although regular abdominoplasty can effectively remove excess fat and skin, the procedure is costly and tedious. Furthermore, patients must be placed under anesthesia and monitored to avoid serious complications. Liposuction, on the other hand, is an outpatient surgical procedure with minimal downtime. In addition to tumescent liposuction, other options include laser liposuction, vibration-assisted liposuction, and ultrasound-assisted liposuction.
Understanding tumescent liposuction
Patients are awake during the tumescent procedure. Before the procedure, doctors inject a combination of epinephrine and a local anesthetic into the fatty areas that need removal. The special medication enlarges the fat deposits while restricting blood vessels, allowing surgeons to trim the excess fat easily. Using a thin tube called a cannula, surgeons suction the extra fat out of the body. After the procedure, patients wear compression garments and take over-the-counter (OTC) medication to alleviate pain.
Vibration and lasers for fat loss?
Another form of abdominoplasty is vibration-assisted liposuction. This procedure uses infrasonic vibration-assisted energy to melt fat into a liquid. The liquid fat is removed from the body with a suction tool. The infrasonic vibrations stimulate collagen production in the abdomen to tighten the leftover skin and tissue. Ultrasound-assisted abdominoplasty uses ultrasound technology to break down fat cells. The liquefied cells are removed using a cannula. This procedure can also be performed on other areas like the chin, neck, and arms. Another option for consideration is laser liposuction, which utilizes thermal energy to separate fat cells from the body and stimulate collagen fibers.
Consulting a surgeon
Speaking to a qualified surgeon is the first step to finding the right abdominoplasty procedure. Surgeons thoroughly evaluate patients with a series of tests to identify problem areas and determine the right abdominoplasty procedure. Once a tummy tuck or liposuction procedure is selected, patients can rest assured that the dream of a flatter stomach will soon become a reality.
