You eat a healthy diet, and you exercise. Even after loosing weight, and perhaps after having children, your abdomen has a sag, a puff and a paunch of tissue and skin. Cosmetic surgery might be your last, best resort to attain the physique you deserve.
If you are researching body contouring, and considering reshaping your curves with the help of your plastic surgeon, then we dedicate this week’s blog to you. let’s begin with some basic definitions:
- 1. Liposuction: A Method of removing “unwanted subcutaneous fat using suction cannulae inserted through short, strategically placed incisions.” This procedure is often used in body contouring. There is very little scarring and a short recovery time.
- 2. Tummy Tuck: This major surgical procedure flattens your abdomen by removing extra fat and skin, and tightening muscles in your abdominal wall. This is major surgery, and it will require a longer recovery time. You might need 6 weeks before strenuous exercise, and you might require a month off work. Although the scar can be hidden somewhat in the bikini line, be advised, that there will be a scar of sizeable length.
Which One Is Right For You: Tummy Tuck ? Liposuction?
Actually, you can enjoy the best of both worlds because these two procedures compliment each other very well. By combining both of these procedures, you multiply your chances for the figure or physique that neither diet nor exercise could bring you.
In fact, a recent study highlighted the “combined technique of liposuction and tummy tuck, designed to reduce surgical trauma…” The goals for the double procedures included both patient satisfaction and low surgical complications.
Dr. Eric Swanson of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), is a plastic surgeon in Leawood, Kansas, and he refined and recorded his combo technique, named lipoabdominoplasty, over a period of five years. This was the breakdown of his study group:
- 150 patients had his lipoabdominoplasty, the combo.
- 384 had only .liposuction.
- 17 had only abdominoplasty.
He stated, “Liposuction and abdominoplasty, individually and in combination, may be performed safely with appropriate measures to reduce complications by minimizing tissue trauma.”
Detailed Analysis of Combined Lipoabdominoplasty
1. Patients initially underwent ultrasonic liposuction. At this point, Dr. Swanson removed excess fat from the abdomen and the body region popularly called the love handles.
2. Liposuction was followed by abdominoplasty, nick-named the tummy tuck, to eliminate excess abdominal tissue and loose skin. Outcomes after lipoabdominoplasty in 150 patients were compared to liposuction alone in 384 patients and abdominoplasty alone in 17 patients.
3. No liposuction patients developed seromas. Only five percent of his Abdominoplasty patients who had no liposuction, developed seromas. A seroma is a collection of fluid under the skin. Instead of compromising cosmetic effects by leaving extra fat and tissue behind, as many surgeons did to minimize seromas, Dr. Swanson reduced the seroma risk other ways.
1. He used shorter periods of ultrasound.
2 He also eliminated the use of electrodissection, and paid close attention to the gentle touch of atraumatic tissue handling. “The study demonstrates that by using shorter periods of ultrasound and eliminating the traditional use of electrodissection during surgery, the risk of seromas may be minimized while at the same time achieving excellent cosmetic outcomes.”
Less-Traumatic Technique Brings Limits To Complications
1. Dr. Swanson first injected the tissues with fluid containing epinephrine so blood loss would be reduced. This makes cautery dissection unnecessary.
2. Dr. Swanson also utilized a modified form of I.V. general anesthesia, to reduce the risk of blood clots in the legs. Of the above mentioned patients, only one developed this complication, “and was successfully treated.”
Dr. Swanson and others like him believe that, “With safe preventive measures, surgeons may reduce the risk of blood clots without the need for blood-thinning medication.”
Careful anesthesia and medication also helps patients recover more quickly after surgery. Patients in Dr. Swanson’s study spent an average of 51 minutes in the recovery room. They also reported experiencing less nausea. Every case is different, of course, but your surgeon will tell you what to anticipate, based on your case and your expectations.
Today, liposuction and abdominoplasty are common cosmetic plastic surgery procedures that are often combined.
The Orlando Cosmetic Surgery Clinic must also agree with Dr. Swanson’s report on the impressive level of patient satisfaction and the improved self-esteem of patients who undergo liposuction or abdominoplasty, and or the combination of both techniques.
“Lipoabdominoplasty may be performed safely, so that patients may benefit from both modalities,” Dr. Swanson concludes. It is also important to note that Dr. Swanson’s patients with both liposuction and abdominoplasty rated their own cosmetic outcome as 99%. Patients with liposuction only gave a satisfaction score of of 8 out ouf 10, but with abdominoplasty, patients expressed 9 out of 10 on satisfaction with the outcome. Patients also reported improvement in their self-esteem as well as their quality of life, due to the surgery.
Once again, we feel we would be remiss if we did not remind you to make certain that you choose a genuine, experienced, board certified, cosmetic surgeon for such procedures.
