When you’re ready to take the next step in your quest for a tighter and more toned tummy, it can be hard to know which procedure is right for you.
If you’ve tried diet and exercise but just haven’t been able to achieve the results that you’d hoped for, then a non-surgical tummy tuck may be the best choice for your body.
A non-surgical tummy tuck is an excellent alternative to surgery because it’s less invasive and has a faster recovery time. The procedure uses radiofrequency technology to tighten skin and fat layers in the abdominal area. This helps remove excess fat deposits while restoring collagen production in the skin.
In this article, we’ll discuss what exactly goes into a non-surgical tummy tuck as well as its benefits and risks. We’ll also consider minimally invasive tummy tuck cost and best non surgical tummy tuck.
Do you want a flat stomach. Not too long ago, you would have been right to believe that a tummy tuck was your only – and best – way to achieve it. But in the year 2021, you have more options. With radio frequency assisted lipolysis (RFAL) aka non-surgical skin tightening, you can achieve results close to those you could formerly only achieve with surgery.
If you pair skin tightening with liposuction, it provides an excellent alternative to a tummy tuck. To fully understand the differences, read on. Our staff at NuBody Concepts Cosmetic Surgery in Nashville and Memphis, TN, would like to help you understand the pros and cons of each procedure to help you decide which one fits you best.
Minimally-Invasive Skin Tightening
If you would prefer not to have surgery, you’re not alone. Some who consider a tummy tuck ultimately do not go through with it because they are concerned that it is too invasive. You might just be uncomfortable with going “under the knife.” Or you might not have the time for the lengthier recovery a tummy tuck entails.
Compared to a tummy tuck, skin tightening with liposuction (both minimally-invasive) is less invasive. While it does require small incisions to insert the cannula under the skin that is required for both fat removal and skin contraction, these small nicks heal within days and typically don’t even require stitches. They are not likely to lead to any scarring. The anesthesia is also much lighter or can be avoided altogether, meaning the recovery is much swifter and easier to handle for your body. Recovery times after RFAL range from 1-5 days, whereas a tummy tuck can set you back up to a month or even 6 weeks.
Pros of Skin Tightening
- minimal downtime
- minimal trauma
- no scar
- can contract skin up to 60%
- fast recovery of 1-5 days
- works great for BMIs under 30
Cons of Skin Tightening
- does not shrink all excess skin
- less immediate or drastic results
- does not remove visceral fat
- less effective for BMIs over 30
Tummy Tuck Surgery
As a surgical procedure that entirely removes the offending skin, a tummy tuck can achieve more than skin tightening alone. It removes excess fat, including the visceral fat resistant to liposuction. And it contracts the skin by more than the 35% – 60% that procedures like BodyTite or Renuvion have been shown to achieve. If the surgeon cuts out (excises) the sagging skin, by definition you’re going to be left with mostly tight skin. Skin can lose its elasticity over time and particularly after pregnancy and childbirth. In almost all cases, a tummy tuck is going to give you more beautiful results but also require much more downtime. There is a tradeoff between both procedures and it’s up to you to choose between the two.
A tummy tuck can also repair abdominal muscles that have split (diastasis recti) during pregnancy and childbirth. This of course cannot be achieved with skin tightening by itself. And lastly, your plastic surgeon can relocate and beautify your belly button while your’e undergoing tummy tuck surgery.
Pros of a Tummy Tuck
- immediate, drastic results
- removes excess skin entirely
- removes all fat – including visceral fat
- can be used to repair muscles
- can be used to beautify the belly button
- yields good results for BMIs between 30 and 40
Cons of a Tummy Tuck
- requires surgery with sedation
- longer and more painful recovery
- possibility of infection, anesthesia risks, and other risk factors
- leaves a scar (although placed discreetly at bikini line)
Should I have Skin Tightening or a Tummy Tuck?
As we’ve said before, there is going to be a trade-off between skin tightening and a tummy tuck. What you gain when you choose the less-invasive (i.e. skin tightening) procedure in terms of a faster recovery, lower anesthesia risks, and a scar-free midsection, you give up in terms of results. The tummy tuck is the most aggressive form of fat removal, but also the most effective one. You’re practically guaranteed a flat stomach with a tummy tuck, whereas skin tightening will almost certainly not get you the same dramatic results. if you’re willing to accept the scar under your bikini line, a tummy tuck may be worth it to you.
Choosing skin tightening vs tummy tuck also depends on which procedure you’re a good candidate for. If you’re younger and haven’t gone through pregnancy and childbirth, your skin has more elasticity and is better suited for skin tightening. If you’re older and/or have undergone substantial weight loss and are left with many folds of sagging skin, no amount of skin tightening will be able to shrink it back to the extent you need for a flat stomach. In this case, only a tummy tuck might be able to achieve results you’re happy with.
Skin Tightening vs Liposuction
If you wonder whether you should have skin tightening or liposuction, you’re probably asking the wrong question. In almost all cases, liposuction achieves the best results when combined with skin tightening. And skin tightening alone is rarely as effective as when preceded with liposuction to first remove the last remnants of fat.
If you are looking for an alternative to a tummy tuck, you wouldn’t ask whether skin tightening or liposuction is better. Yes, they are both minimally-invasive, but they are much more powerful together than alone. Neither one by itself will yield satisfying results when compared to a tummy tuck, but in combination they provide a good alternative in milder cases of stomach fat and excess skin.
Using Your BMI Choose the Right Procedure
One easy way to get a general idea whether skin tightening or a tummy tuck is ideal for you is to calculate your Body Mass Index or BMI. It is a simple formula based on your height and weight.
While your BMI does not measure your body fat directly, it can be useful for pre-screening. You don’t have to see a plastic surgeon to know your BMI.
BMI under 30 ==> Skin Tightening or Skin Tightening/Lipo Combo
If your BMI is under 30, you are likely to see good results from skin tightening to address those fat pockets resistant to diet and exercise.
BMI 30 – 40 ==> Tummy Tuck
With a BMI between 30 and 40 you may still qualify for skin tightening, but you are likely to see better results from a tummy tuck. Your overall weight is still low enough that your’e not likely to experience too many complications during surgery. But your weight is on the high end and indicates that your abdominal skin has been stretched out. With those numbers, it is very likely that you will experience moderate to severe sagging even after the skin has been contracted. You might go down a pant size or two after liposuction, but you won’t like the way your tummy looks.
BMI over 40 ==> Weight-Loss Program
With a BMI over 40, we may advise you to enter a weight loss program before proceeding with any kind of cosmetic surgery.
Ultimately, it’s best to meet with a plastic surgeon to decide between radio frequency assisted non-surgical skin tightening and a tummy tuck.
Minimally Invasive Tummy Tuck Cost
Mini tummy tucks in the United States typically cost between $3,000 and $8,000.
It all depends on the surgeon you choose and your location.
Best Non Surgical Tummy Tuck
Tummy tucks are excellent for eliminating excess fat and skin from the abdominal area and strengthening the abdominal wall muscles that have sagged as a result. However, not everybody is prepared for the physical and emotional demands of recovery after such plastic surgery. Before deciding to go through with an abdominoplasty, it is highly recommended that you look into the various alternatives. This article delves into some of the most viable non-surgical alternatives to a traditional abdominoplasty.
Priority One: Liposuction
One of the most common elective surgical procedures is liposuction. Liposuction is a less invasive option to a traditional tummy tuck and may be recommended for some patients. A cannula is a specialized tool used by plastic surgeons during liposuction procedures to remove unwanted fat from the patient’s body (including the abdomen). Miniature cuts are made in the skin so the cannula can be inserted. Scarring from this procedure is minimal and barely noticeable in comparison to that from a traditional abdominoplasty. However, liposuction is only a viable option for people who have belly fat to spare but have relatively elastic skin.
Second, a ThermiTight
ThermiTight is a less invasive alternative to traditional tummy tuck surgery that involves the use of a specialized Thermi device to apply heat energy to the abdominal area. To put it simply, optimal tissue temperature is reached before the area is wrapped in compression bandaging. There is no scarring or significant recovery time associated with this treatment, and patients report tighter skin afterward. ThermiTight is a risk-free procedure because it employs a specialized probe to track tissue temperatures in real time. During a skin tightening procedure, your plastic surgeon will likely use an infrared camera to keep an eye on your skin and make sure the right amount of heat is being applied. Patients with excess skin in the abdominal area but little excess fat might benefit greatly from this procedure as an alternative to a traditional tummy tuck.
3 CoolSculpting
This is an alternative to a tummy tuck that may help you lose weight in your stomach without going under the knife. With the help of the CoolSculpting apparatus, excess fat is frozen with extreme cold, killed, and then drained from the body. Up to 20% of excess fat can be reduced in just one treatment session, making this a very effective option. If additional fat reduction is desired (to achieve the patient’s unique objectives), a plan for subsequent treatment can be formulated. To get the same or similar results as a tummy tuck without the risk of surgery, many people are turning to CoolSculpting (especially in patients with stubborn belly fat and good skin elasticity).
EmSculpt is the fourth
To tighten and tone the abdominal muscles without the scarring and recovery time of a surgical tummy tuck, an EMSCULPT may be a good option. Muscle contractions that are similar to but more powerful than those that occur naturally can be induced using a device called an EMSCULPT. The average human muscle can contract up to 20,000 times in a single treatment (thus working your muscles out in a way that would be impossible to do with exercise). This therapy is great for people who want to tone their abdominal muscles and see visible results in the form of a flatter, firmer stomach. Although you may feel tender for the first few days, the healing process is much less difficult.
Number Five: Renuvion
Patients with low levels of excess fat and saggy abdominal skin may benefit from this non-surgical skin tightening procedure as an alternative to a tummy tuck. This treatment’s rising popularity can be attributed to the fact that it can tighten and rejuvenate sagging skin in the abdomen and elsewhere without requiring extensive downtime or leaving noticeable surgical scars. This procedure is performed by cosmetic surgeons by combining helium gas and radiofrequency to generate a plasma (stream of energy). By releasing heat, this energy tightens and contracts the skin. Renuvion’s noninvasive treatment isn’t limited to the stomach; it can be used on the arms, flanks, breasts, butt, thighs, lower face, and knees as well.