2 Real Life Options for a Flatter Tummy

Jul 03, 2014 by Dr. Garazo

It’s rare to turn on the television or get on the internet without seeing an ad for a fast-track way to lose weight and get the body of your dreams. Perhaps it’s an exercise gadget or a diet supplement, but the truth is, sometimes no matter how hard you exercise or diet, parts of your body won’t respond the way you’d like them to. Often, the stomach is the last frontier, the place that simply won’t slim down and tone up despite your best efforts.

If you’re frustrated by a bulging belly, a muffin top, or a saggy tummy, you may still be able to get the sleek, flat abs you’re hoping for. Liposuction and tummy tucks are both popular surgical procedures that offer great results for contouring the body.

Liposuction is better suited for spot fat removal for men and women who have good skin elasticity, while a tummy tuck targets loose muscles, sagging skin, and excess fat. When considering which procedure might be best for you, it’s helpful to think through your specific concerns about your stomach.

Liposuction may be the best option for you if:

• Your abdomen protrudes more than you would prefer, but isn’t sagging due to stretched skin.
• You have love handles or a muffin top—fat deposits around the waist or hips that are out of proportion with the rest of your body.

Liposuction can help sculpt these areas by permanently removing the fat deposits that refuse to disappear, despite your best efforts. I offer tumescent liposuction, the time-tested technique that continues to produce great results with a proven track record of safety. The benefits of tumescent liposuction include:

• the ability to remove fat deposits and sculpt an improved shape to most areas of the body—chin, neck, or knees as well as the tummy—with excellent precision and
• a gentle procedure that typically requires local anesthesia only.

While liposuction is not just for tummies only, it can still be a very effective way to improve the midsection.

A tummy tuck may be the best option for you if:

• Your abdomen is characterized by sagging, excess skin.
• The abdominal muscles are lax and do not respond to exercise.

A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, can correct these issues by removing excess skin, but also by repairing muscle. Since exercise and diet can’t remove excess skin, some patients simply require plastic surgery for a flatter tummy, especially women who have had multiple pregnancies or anyone who has had a significant weight loss. Just as there are options for the liposuction procedure, there are also variations on the tummy tuck. A full tummy tuck will improve both your upper and lower abdomen, while a mini tummy tuck addresses the lower abdomen only.

Additional procedures can also be combined with a tummy tuck or liposuction. After having children, many women are also unhappy with the appearance of their breasts. In this case, breast enhancement surgery might be combined with liposuction, a tummy tuck, or both, for complete body sculpting—the “mommy makeover” you’ve probably heard so much about. If you’re interested in improving your midsection, come in to discuss what procedure, or combination of procedures, can help you get the toned tummy you want.