When men and women struggle with loose, excess skin, they often consult with us about two highly sought-after cosmetic procedures—tummy tuck and liposuction. While both surgeries help produce a sleeker physique, they are distinctly different.
Which is right for you: a tummy tuck, liposuction—or both? If you’re wondering about the benefits of a tummy tuck vs. liposuction, keep reading to learn more!
What Is a Tummy Tuck?
A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a surgical procedure that addresses excess skin and fat and lax muscles in the abdominal area. During the surgery, your surgeon makes a hip-to-hip incision is made to remove unwanted skin and tighten underlying abdominal muscles.
What Does Liposuction Do?
Liposuction focuses on removing pockets of fat from targeted areas of the body, including the abdomen, arms, thighs, and neck. We make tiny incisions and use a cannula to extract unwanted fat. I offer several liposuction techniques, including a highly targeted laser liposuction called Smartlipo®.
What’s the Difference Between Liposuction & Tummy Tuck?
Both procedures help you achieve a trimmer abdomen, but a tummy tuck targets different concerns than liposuction. Remember, the chief purpose of a tummy tuck is to remove loose surplus skin and repair the weakened muscles of the abdominal wall. The primary goal of liposuction is to reduce stubborn, localized pockets of fat. Here are some other key differences:
Recovery
Tummy tuck recovery is longer and requires more downtime. Most patients are cleared to return to work after a week or two. Moderate swelling and bruising may persist for several weeks, and you must limit your activity level during healing.
On the other hand, liposuction recovery is much shorter. You may experience minor bruising and swelling, but many patients feel ready to return to work within a day or two to a week. You can resume most normal activities within the first week and return to your workouts by the third week of recovery.
Results
While both procedures slim the appearance of your abdomen, tummy tucks provide noticeably more dramatic results with significant improvement in skin tightness and contouring. Liposuction provides noticeable fat reduction, but results are usually less dramatic than with a tummy tuck. For both procedures, keeping your weight stable and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential to maximize and preserve your results.
Cost
While the price of your procedure varies based on your unique needs, the average cost of a tummy tuck in Naples ranges from $14,750 to $16,750. Your liposuction procedure generally costs less than a tummy tuck, but pricing depends on the number of areas being treated. The average cost of liposuction is $7,369, according to patients surveyed by RealSelf. We work with CareCredit® and ALPHAEON® to give you flexible financing options that allow you to spread the cost over time.
Can I Combine a Tummy Tuck With Liposuction?
We find that most patients benefit by combining a tummy tuck with liposuction. Pairing both treatments maximizes your body contouring results more efficiently and effectively. For example, combining treatments allows you to address multiple concerns during one surgery with only one recovery window.
During your consultation, we’ll assess your needs, address your concerns, and determine whether a tummy tuck, liposuction, or combination of procedures best suits your needs. This related blog post dives into more detail about the benefits of combining liposuction with a tummy tuck, including it as part of a mommy makeover, or using it to complement other plastic surgery procedures.
If you’re ready to enhance your physique by exploring a tummy tuck, liposuction—or both, we’re here to help! Please request a consultation online or call us at (239) 262-5662.
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