Often a patient will present for a consultation wanting bodily improvements but not wanting a lengthy scar. Plastic surgery and body contouring are like any other type of medicine. A diagnosis is properly made. It usually outlines the correct form of treatment. If the abdominal wall has a the burden of excessive skin and fat, then the best way to treat it is with an abdominoplasty. Liposuction for this abdominal area alone, when it has excess skin, will not create the best result.
Liposuction alone has a limit to its value. It is not a weight loss treatment. It is a contouring operation when the essence of the issue is just fat. Therefore, when the skin is in excess, liposuction alone will not get the best result. Multiple pregnancies usually create a situation in the female abdomen that may have several characteristics. These include stretch marks and excess skin. For these situations, the best treatment is with a tummy tuck.
Liposuction and Scars in Cosmetic Surgery
Also, multiple pregnancies produce a widening of the space between the rectus muscles. This contributes to a less than aesthetic look of the female abdominal wall. Therefore, a full tummy tuck will allow tightening of this muscle which will then achieve an improvement in the overall appearance of the abdominal wall.
So, muscle tightening, in conjunction with excess skin removal, or tummy tuck, plus additional contouring utilizing the liposuction technique will give the overall best result. Fundamentally, as we age our appearance is maximized by limited caloric intake, daily physical activity for at least 30 minutes, plus adequate nightly sleep. These are the three least expensive things we humans can do to achieve longevity and our best appearance.
THOMAS TREVISANI, MD
BOARD CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON
MEMBER AMERICAN SOCIETY OF AESTHETIC PLASTIC SURGERY
