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Should You Add Liposuction to Your Tummy Tuck?

A tummy tuck can help you reach your body contouring goals; however, if you also have exercise-resistant fat pockets, you might consider adding liposuction to your procedure. Combined, liposuction and a tummy tuck may offer an ideal solution to a trimmer waistline and flatter stomach.

With board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Meredith Vandegrift, you can discover how pairing these surgeries may be the right choice for your aesthetic goals.

What Is the Difference Between a Tummy Tuck and Liposuction?

While abdominoplasty and liposuction are both body contouring procedures that can slim the waistline, they address different issues.

On its own, a tummy tuck aims to remove excess loose skin and tighten weakened abdominal muscles. Though tummy tucks create a flatter, more toned abdomen, they do not address excess fat in the area.

Liposuction is a contouring procedure to permanently remove subcutaneous fat that does not respond to diet and exercise in areas like the belly, flanks, hips, and abdomen. However, liposuction alone cannot address loose skin or slack abdominal muscles.

A combined tummy tuck and liposuction is a lipoabdominoplasty. If you have stubborn fat around your midsection, loose skin, and weakened abdominal muscles, a lipoabdominoplasty is often the best procedure to help reach your aesthetic goals.

Benefits of Adding Liposuction to Your Tummy Tuck

There are many advantages to having a lipoabdominoplasty rather than separate tummy tuck and liposuction procedures.

  • Having to undergo one surgery means only one recovery with fewer risks.
  • Simultaneously having both surgeries allows you to reach your aesthetic goals quicker by addressing stubborn fat and lax abdominal muscles.
  • A combined lipoabdominoplasty procedure can achieve better results than either procedure produces separately, creating a slimmer, more toned abdomen.
  • It makes financial sense to combine the procedures. You will save the expense of two separate surgeries and downtimes by including liposuction with your tummy tuck.

Am I a Lipoabdominoplasty Candidate?

The best way to determine your candidacy for a tummy tuck or liposuction is by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Vandegrift. Candidates for abdominoplasty are men or women who struggle with excess skin and muscle laxity in the abdominal area.

Typically, suitable candidates for tummy tuck or liposuction:

  • Are in overall good health
  • Are at a stable weight for at least six months
  • Do not smoke, or are willing to quit before surgery
  • Are finished childbearing
  • Have realistic expectations

Meredith Vandegrift, MD – Your Long Island Lipoabdominoplasty Expert!

Choosing the right provider is the first step to ensuring optimal results and a healthy recovery for your tummy tuck or liposuction procedure. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Vandegrift has committed to quality patient care and will be your dedicated partner through every step of your body contouring journey.   Get ready to partner with one of Long Island’s best tummy tuck surgeons. Contact us today or call (631) 935-0303 to learn more.