Liposuction (also known as lipoplasty) is a cosmetic surgical procedure that removes excess fat from areas of your body. It’s often used to treat fat deposits on the abdomen, hips, thighs, arms and buttocks.
Tummy tuck surgery is a cosmetic procedure that removes excess skin and fat from your midsection, leaving you with a smoother, flatter tummy. This procedure can also be combined with liposuction to achieve improved results.
Liposuction and tummy tuck procedures are commonly performed together to produce optimal results for patients who are looking for an overall slimmer appearance in the abdominal area.
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Lipo And Tummy Tuck Results
Abdominoplasty (also called a “tummy tuck”) and liposuction are two different surgical procedures that aim to change the appearance of your midsection. Both procedures claim to make your stomach appear flatter, tighter, and smaller. They’re both performed by plastic surgeons, and are considered “cosmetic,” so they aren’t covered by health insurance.
In terms of the actual procedure, recovery time, and risks, there are some key differences between the two. Keep reading to learn more.
Who is a good candidate?
Liposuction and tummy tucks often appeal to people with similar cosmetic goals. But there are some important differences.
Liposuction
Liposuction may be a good fit if you’re looking to remove small fat deposits. These are commonly found on the hips, thighs, buttocks, or stomach area.
The procedure will remove fat deposits from the targeted area, reducing bulges and improving contour. However, liposuction isn’t recommended as a weight loss tool. You shouldn’t get liposuction if you’re obese.
Tummy tuck
In addition to removing excess fat from the abdomen, a tummy tuck also removes excess skin.
Pregnancy or significant shifts in your weight can stretch out the skin that surrounds your stomach. A tummy tuck can be used to restore the look of a flat and contoured midsection. This procedure may involve bringing the rectus abdominus, or sit-up muscles, back together if they’ve been stretched or separated by pregnancy.
You may want to reconsider a tummy tuck if:
- your body mass index is over 30
- you’re considering getting pregnant in the future
- you’re actively trying to lose weight
- you have a chronic heart condition
What is the procedure like?
Liposuctions and tummy tucks are both performed by a plastic surgeon and require incisions and anesthesia.
Liposuction
You may be intravenously sedated for this procedure. In some cases, your surgeon will apply a local anesthetic to your midsection.
Once the area is numb, your surgeon will make small incisions around the site of your fat deposits. A thin tube (cannula) will be moved underneath your skin to loosen the fat cells. Your surgeon will use a medical vacuum to suction out the dislodged fat deposits.
It may take several sessions to achieve your desired result.
Tummy tuck
Your surgeon will put you to sleep via general anesthesia. After you’re sedated, they’ll make an incision at the bottom of the skin that covers your abdominal wall.
Once the muscles are exposed, your surgeon will sew the muscles in your abdominal wall together if they have become stretched out. They will then pull tight the skin over your abdomen, trim off excess skin, and close the incision with sutures.
A tummy tuck is done in one procedure. The entire surgery typically takes two to three hours.
What are the expected results?
Although liposuction and a tummy tuck both claim permanent results, significant weight gain after either procedure can alter this outcome.
Liposuction
People that have liposuction on their abdomen tend to see a flatter, more proportioned midsection once they have recovered from the procedure. These results are supposed to be permanent. But at least one studyTrusted Source disagrees. According to this study, up to a year after the procedure, the fat deposits reappear, though they may show up elsewhere on your body. If you gain weight, fat will reaccumulate in your body, though not typically in the areas that were suctioned.
Tummy tuck
After a tummy tuck, the results are considered permanent. Your abdominal wall will be more stable and strong. The excess skin that has been removed won’t return unless fluctuation in weight or a subsequent pregnancy stretches out the area again.
What are the possible complications?
Although there are side effects associated with any surgery, each procedure poses different risks that you should be aware of.
Liposuction
With liposuction, your risk of complication increases if your surgeon is working on a large area. Performing multiple procedures during the same operation can also increase your risk.
Possible risks include:
- Numbness. You may feel numbness in the affected area. Although this is often temporary, it may become permanent.
- Contour irregularities. Sometimes the fat that’s removed creates a wavy or jagged impression on the top layer of your skin. This can make the skin appear less smooth.
- Fluid accumulation. Seromas — temporary pockets of fluid — may form under the skin. Your doctor will need to drain these.
Rare risks include:
- Infection. Infections may occur at the site of your liposuction incision.
- Internal organ puncture. If the cannula penetrates too deeply, it may puncture an organ.
- Fat embolism. An embolism occurs when a loosened piece of fat breaks away, becomes trapped in a blood vessel, and travels to the lungs or brain.
Tummy tuck
Tummy tucks have been shown to carry more complication risks than some other cosmetic procedures.
In one study, 8.5 percentTrusted Source of people who had a tummy tuck needed to return to the hospital because of some kind of complication. Wound complications and infections were among the most common reasons for readmission.
Other possible risks include:
- Changes in sensation. Repositioning your abdominal tissue may affect the superficial sensory nerves in this area, as well as in your upper thighs. You may feel numbness in these areas.
- Fluid accumulation. As with liposuction, temporary pockets of fluid may form under the skin. Your doctor will need to drain these.
- Tissue necrosis. In some cases, fatty tissue deep within the abdominal area may get damaged. Tissue that doesn’t heal or dies must be removed by your surgeon.
What’s the recovery process like?
The recovery process is also different for each procedure.
Liposuction
Your recovery process will depend on how many areas were operated on, and whether additional liposuction sessions are needed.
After the procedure, you may experience:
- swelling at the site of your fat removal
- draining and bleeding at the site of your incision
Your surgeon may recommend that you wear a compression garment to help reduce swelling and help your skin heal smoothly over your new shape.
Because liposuction is an outpatient procedure, regular activity can be resumed fairly quickly. You should be able to do anything you usually do within the next 48 hours.
However, you should hold off on heavy weight lifting and extensive cardio until you’ve gotten approval from your doctor.
Tummy tuck
When you wake up, your incision will be covered in surgical dressing, which will need to be changed several times. Your surgeon will also provide you with a compression garment or “belly binder.”
Within one day, you should be up and walking (with assistance) to prevent the formation of blood clots. You’ll likely be taking prescription pain relievers and antibiotics to help ease any discomfort and reduce your risk of infection.
Surgical drains may also be in place for up to two weeks.
It takes six weeks for the initial recovery phase of a tummy tuck to pass, and you’ll need several follow-up appointments with your doctor to check on how your incision is healing. During this time, you should avoid any position that involves abdominal extension or bending backwards, which may pull or place too much tension on the incision.
You should also hold off on any strenuous physical activity or exercise until you get your doctor’s approval.
The bottom line
Although liposuction and tummy tucks both aim to improve the appearance of your midsection, these procedures are markedly different in their promised result and the way they work.
Liposuction is a straightforward procedure that carries little risk or recovery downtime. A tummy tuck is considered a more serious operation. Your doctor or potential surgeon will be your best resource in determining which procedure may be right for you.
What Is More Painful Tummy Tuck Or Liposuction
Liposuction removes fat from any part of the body, while a tummy tuck centers on fat and muscles in the abdomen. A tummy tuck takes longer to recover from and costs more than liposuction (~$5500 compared to ~$2800), but both procedures involve somewhat similar technology and risks.
Comparison chart
Differences — Similarities —
Suitability
Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty, aims to slim and reshape specific areas on the entire body. The surgeon removes excess fat deposits to improve body contours and proportions. Target areas for liposuction are the abdomen, waist, thighs, hips, buttocks, arms, neck, back, chin, chest, cheeks, calves and ankles. Liposuction is ideal for individuals who are within 30% of ideal weight but who have disproportionate fat deposits. Suitable candidates should be healthy and have firm, elastic skin. Liposuction does not affect cellulite.
A tummy tuck or abdominoplasty aims to remove excess fat and skin and restore weakened or separated muscles in the abdomen. The goal is to achieve a smooth, firm abdominal profile. Suitable individuals are at their target weight but have a protruding, loose abdomen. The laxity is usually caused by pregnancy, aging, weight fluctuation, heredity or prior surgery. Prime candidates should be healthy non-smokers with a stable weight.
Preparation and Cost
For both liposuction and abdominoplasty, patients undergo lab tests and a possible adjustment in medication. They should avoid aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements, as these could impact bleeding.
Home preparation is mostly the same. Patients should stock up on ice packs and have loose clothing. However, liposuction patients also need compression bandages. Tummy tuck patients need petroleum jelly for the wound, a hand-held shower and a bathroom chair. Patients are unable to drive after the procedure, so it’s best to have a companion.
Liposuction costs around $2,852, not including anesthesia, operating room facilities and other related expenses. A tummy tuck costs approximately $5,241, not including anesthesia, operating room facilities and other related expenses.
Procedure and Variations
For liposuction, the cosmetic surgeon decides whether the patient will receive intravenous sedation or general anesthesia. After this is administered, the surgeon makes small incisions in the target areas. The area is infused with saline solution mixed with pain medication, which reduces bleeding and pain. The surgeon then inserts a cannula to loosen the fat with a back and forth motion. The dislodged fat is then suctioned out. The procedure takes up to two hours, depending on the amount of fat being removed.
The above procedure is tumescent liposuction, which is the typical procedure. Other options include laser-assisted lipo and ultrasound-assisted lipo. Laser-assisted lipo uses a laser to liquefy fat before removal while the ultrasonic-assisted lipo utilizes ultrasonic energy for the same purpose. For a tummy tuck, general anesthesia is administered. The cosmetic surgeon makes a horizontal incision between the hip bones. Weak abdominal muscles are repaired, and excess fat, tissue and skin is removed. The procedure lasts one to five hours.
Patients can undergo a mini tummy tuck or a full tummy tuck. A mini tummy tuck concentrates on the lower abdomen, while a full tummy tuck focuses both above and below the belly button.
Recovery
Patients are unable to drive after either procedure. The procedure for liposuction may be completed in a clinic or in a hospital, depending on the surgeon. Recovery takes a few days to two weeks. Patients typically experience swelling, bruising and pain. Compression bandages are used to minimize swelling.
Tummy tucks are performed in a hospital. At-home recovery takes four to six weeks. Patients typically experience swelling, bruising and pain. They also cannot stand up straight. Compression bandages are used to minimize swelling.
Risks
Liposuction carries with it certain risks. Typical risks include uneven contours, asymmetry, change in skin sensation and skin discoloration or swelling. Significant complications include excessive fluid loss or fluid accumulation, skin or nerve damage and unfavorable scarring. Infection is always a risk. Serious but rare complications include fat clots, blood clots and damage to deeper structures such as nerves, blood vessels, muscles, lungs and abdominal organs. Those undergoing ultrasound-assisted liposuction risk thermal burns or heat injuries from the ultrasound.
Typical risks of abdominoplasty include asymmetry, unfavorable scarring, numbness or other changes in skin sensation and skin discoloration. Infection is always a risk. Bleeding and fluid accumulation are serious complications. Other serious but rare complications include skin loss, blood clots, nerve damage, deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications.