Will liposuction help correct my bloated appearance or should I consider a tummy tuck? (photo)

Dear jenniferjen40,
tummy tuck will remove loose skin and lipo will remove extra fat but none of these procedures will help with bloating. If you are considering surgery, I would suggest you consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination, you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MDCertified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

If the fat is located below your skin (subcutaneous) and you don’t have loose skin, then liposuction would be sufficient. However if you have loose skin and/or abdominal muscle separation, then a tummy tuck would be more suitable. Visceral fat and the absence of loose skin and abdominal muscle separation would make a tummy tuck and liposuction ineffective. In that case, a healthy lifestyle (diet and exercise) may be a more suitable option.

Hello JenniferJen40 in San Bernardino,

Thank you for your question regarding whether liposuction will help correct your bloated appearance or if a tummy tuck would be more appropriate. I appreciate your history and the pictures you've provided. To better determine if liposuction or a tummy tuck is suitable for you, a bit more information would be helpful. This includes any history of significant weight gain or loss, pregnancies, your age, and the presence of stretch marks. These factors are crucial in deciding the most effective procedure.

If you don't have abdominal stretch marks, haven't been pregnant, and have no history of massive weight changes, you might be a good candidate for liposuction. However, based on the picture you've shared, it seems you might achieve better results with a tummy tuck. A tummy tuck procedure involves removing excess abdominal skin and fat, as well as tightening the rectus muscles. Most of your abdominal distention appears to be due to muscle weakness, which leads me to recommend a tummy tuck over liposuction. Even the most advanced liposuction techniques, like VASER, cannot tighten the rectus abdominis muscle to the extent required in your case. Therefore, I believe a tummy tuck will likely provide you with the results you're looking for.

I hope this helps in making an informed decision about whether to opt for liposuction or a tummy tuck for your bloated appearance. Wishing you the best on your journey.

Sincerely,

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FASMBS, FICS
Plastic and Aesthetic Surgeon

Hello @jenniferjen40, thank you for your question. In my opinion as part of your surgical plan I suggest you take into account to have a tummy tuck and liposculture 360. Each procedure serves a different purpose, a tummy tuck is a surgical procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen and strengthens the abdominal muscles, in which there is abdominal lipolysis, abdominal diastasis repair, skin removal with umbilical reconstruction depending on each case. On the other hand liposculture we take out fat from all parts of the body to make it more harmonious. The two procedures combine will give you the best results. Is important that you consult consult with several board certified plastic surgeon. If you are considering surgery, consultation with a plastic surgeon who is experienced in this procedure is essential to ensure optimal results. Best wishes!

Alan Gonzalez MD, FACS. International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science” Member (IFATS), American Society of Plastic Surgery Member (ASPS), Colombian Society of Plastic Surgery member (SCCP)

It's difficult to give you an exact answer without examining you. The upper abdominal bulge can be due to fat or stretching of the abdominal muscles. The lower abdomen has some extra fat and loose skin. From what I see, your best result would be a tummy tuck with tightening of the abdominal muscles

First, it's a single photo with poor lighting. Second, it's really about your skin and your muscle, things difficult to document by photos alone anyway, unless it is severe. You may or may not get what you're looking for with liposuction alone. Either repost with a lot of well lit, in-focus photos from multiple angles, or better, go see a few reputable plastic surgeons who have more in their tool box other than liposuction (because if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail).

A tummy tuck is a more effective treatment. A tummy tuck removes fat and skin. Liposuction only removes fat and the skin may hang afterwards. If you are not planning future pregnancies, I recommend abdominoplasty with mesh reinforcement. The mesh creates a more hourglass figure by compressing the abdominal wall resulting in early satiety and helps maintain a reduced weight.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Your photograph is helpful, but an in person examination to determine the thickness of your abdominal wall fat as well as the looseness of your abdominal wall skin would help a great deal in determining what would serve you best. Judging from only your photograph, it appears that liposuction would help to thin your tissues, but you may have some laxity of the tissues in the inferior portion of your abdomen. If you are looking for the flattest abdomen that you can achieve, a combination procedure of liposuction to thin the tissues, and then a tummy tuck to resect the loose and excess skin would give you your best result. Best wishes.

Thanks for the question. An exam is needed to give a more definitive answer, but a major factor is whether or not you've had children. If you have, there's a good chance you have separation of the 6-pack muscles, otherwise known as rectus diastasis. lipo cannot fix rectus diastasis, only a tummy tuck can. if the 6-pack muscles are still together, you might be a good candidate for liposuction. You should consult with a plastic surgeon to explore your best options.

Thank you for the photo. A front view photo can help answer the question with a little more accuracy, but from the side it appears that you have extra skin and a bulge from the muscle. A tummy tuck is the proper procedure- it removes the excess skin and fat, and tightens the separated abdominal muscles to address the bulge and restore the core.