Tummy Tuck vs. Liposuction

A tummy tuck is used to treat three areas; the abdomen’s excess skin, fat and layers of muscle. Liposuction takes care of only the fat and depends on your skin to decrease by itself after the procedure and plays no role in the abdominal muscle whatsoever.

A "Tummy Tuck" (Abdominoplasty) is a good method of decreasing excess skin or tightening muscles after a pregnancy or weight loss surgery such as gastric bypass, a type of bariatric surgery. Liposuction is best used for localized fatty tissue in patients with good muscle and skin tone. It is not wise to perform this procedure if you are gaining weight or are planning on losing weight. It is best to wait until you have maintained a constant weight for a minimum of six months.

Some cosmetic surgeons say that most women who have had more than one pregnancy need either an abdominoplasty or a mini abdominoplasty, to repair the muscles and skin so the lower abdomen will not "pooch". This can be performed together with liposuction to shape the waist back to its thinner contour and the upper abdomen.

Are Tummy Tucks Mainly for Women?

Although, the majority of women choose the procedure, it is not uncommon for men to have a tummy tuck procedure if they are good candidates by having loose or excess skin in their mid-sections.