Liposuction and abdominoplasty (or tummy tuck) are both procedures designed for contouring the body to help patients get the figure they want and improve self-confidence. When it comes to the relationship between a tummy tuck and liposuction, the St. Louis-based team at West County Plastic Surgeons of Washington University has found that many people have a difficult time figuring out which procedure would best achieve the contours they want.

While certain situations clearly call for one or the other, in many cases, the ideal solution is a combination of both. There are many advantages to combining a tummy tuck and liposuction. When the procedures are performed at the same time, it is referred to as a lipoabdominoplasty.

Lipoabdominoplasty Analysis

“Lipoabdominoplasty” is a liposuction and tummy tuck hybrid designed to lessen trauma to tissues, which also reduces the risk of complications and improves the recovery process. Instead of two separate surgeries, patients have one.

Anyone undergoing a combined lipoabdominoplasty procedure begins with liposuction to get rid of excess fat cells that fill love handles and create a bulge in the abdominal area. This step involves a plastic surgeon creating tiny incisions in the treatment area for the insertion of a cannula. This instrument is essentially a small tube that is used to assist in the elimination of fat cells using an aspirator. Simply put, the cells are suctioned out through the cannula.

The abdominoplasty portion of the procedure removes loose skin and tissue that liposuction alone is unable to address. For this stage, the plastic surgeon creates two incisions: one that surrounds the navel and another right below the underwear line. This is done so the excess skin can be lifted and repositioned so that it sits flat instead of sagging.

Benefits of a Liposuction and Tummy Tuck Combo

The liposuction and tummy tuck combination comes with several benefits. First, it dramatically reduces the risk of seromas that can be caused by liposuction. Seromas are pockets of fluids that build up underneath the skin after a surgical procedure.

There is also a reduced risk of blood loss during a liposuction and tummy tuck combo procedure. This is because the tissues are injected with a fluid containing epinephrine for the liposuction portion, which eliminates the requirement for cautery dissection during the tuck.

Blood clots are also significantly reduced when a lipoabdominoplasty is performed. When a plastic surgeon performs a liposuction and tummy tuck combination procedure, modified general anesthesia is used. It aids in preventing the risk of blood clots developing in the legs—without requiring the use of blood-thinning medication. Also, the use of the intravenous anesthesia allows for the recovery time to be much shorter, and the risk of patients experiencing nausea is significantly reduced.

In addition to cosmetic benefits, there are also functional benefits to this surgery. Studies have shown improvements in women with common post-childbearing symptoms, including reports of less back pain.

Less Pain, Less Recovery Time

The recovery time for lipoabdominoplasty is much shorter than it would be for the two surgeries performed separately since it is a less intensive surgical procedure and the patient only needs to schedule time off work once. The overall recovery time for the combined procedure may be shorter than the cumulative time required for the two performed separately by a week or more.

A Liposuction and Tummy Tuck Combo Is Cost Friendly

Many patients find that the overall cost of a liposuction and tummy tuck combination procedure is a more affordable option, since they only need to pay for the associated fees once (as opposed to paying two separate times if the procedures were done individually). The costs include the surgeon's fee, anesthesia fee, and others.

To learn more about West County Plastic Surgeons of Washington University, tummy tuck, and liposuction in St. Louis, get answers by calling 314-996-8800 or visiting westcountyplasticsurgeons.wustl.edu and sending a message online.