By plastic surgeon Dr Dirk Kremer. 

It’s difficult to escape images of toned, flat stomachs - they are all over our screens, magazines and billboards. Some us may have been lucky enough to have a toned, flat stomach of our own at some earlier stage in our life! Many people put in blood, sweat and tears by working hard at the gym and following a healthy diet in an attempt to achieve what they perceive to be a more desirable tummy. For many, no matter how much work they put in, no matter how many calories they count, they still struggle to achieve that dream of a flatter tummy.

If you’re one of those people, you’ve probably given cosmetic surgery a thought, believing  it’ll be a surefire way to banish that stubborn and unwanted belly fat to reveal the stomach you’ve been trying to achieve.

When patients contact Harley Street Aesthetics considering cosmetic procedures to improve their stomach area, they often question whether they should be looking to undergo liposuction or a tummy tuck procedure. 

Below, I’ll outline the differences to help you understand how each procedure can improve the belly region.

What is liposuction?

Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure that removes fat cells from a specific targeted area - this can be other areas of the body besides the tummy. Most of us have stubborn fat deposits that we just can’t seem to shift, and provided we are in good physical health without the need to naturally shift a significant amount of weight beforehand through diet and exercise, liposuction can help target that fat. We hold onto fat for a variety of reasons. It could be down to genetics, childbirth, hormonal changes, or a host of other factors that we have little-to-no control over. After a liposuction procedure, the recovery tends to be straight-forward. Patients are typically back into the swing of a normal routine within a matter of weeks. It is a very safe procedure that has been used and improved across the world for a number of decades.

What is a tummy tuck?

The tummy tuck procedure is a little more complicated than liposuction. In fact, a tummy tuck has often been paired with liposuction, which highlights the fact they offer different things. The tummy tuck focuses on removing excess skin and tightening the stomach muscles. It’s a procedure that really suits patients who have weakened stomach muscles, are looking to significantly improve the appearance of stretch marks, or who have sagging excess skin - something that’s usually particularly prominent on those who have lost a significant amount of weight.

What are the differences between liposuction and a tummy tuck?

The main differences between liposuction and a tummy tuck are:

• A tummy tuck costs more to perform than liposuction due to it being a more involved cosmetic procedure.
• Liposuction is a far simpler and straight-forward procedure that only involves the removal of fat, whereas a tummy tuck involves multiple steps to help tone and tighten the stomach.
• Liposuction leaves extremely minimal scarring, whereas with a tummy tuck we would expect some form of scarring - although scars do tend to fade with time and a scar revision procedure can help attain the best cosmetic result, it will still remain permanent.
• A tummy tuck procedures addresses loose skin, fat cell removal and the tightening of weakened stomach muscles, while liposuction solely addresses fat cell removal.

Choosing which procedure is right for you

Cosmetic procedure is a unique process for each individual, so choosing whether you should opt for liposuction or a tummy tuck will depend on your circumstances and the goal you’re hoping to achieve. If you are looking to remove areas of stubborn fat and are happy with your skin tightness and general muscle tone in the tummy area, you may only require liposuction. Whereas if you have a combination of loose, saggy skin, stretch marks, unwanted fat and weak stomach muscles, then you may prefer to opt for a tummy tuck - or perhaps even a combination of the both.

The best way to come to a conclusion is to book yourself in for a consultation here at Harley Street Aesthetics so we can discuss each procedure in more detail and see how they could help you specifically. Contact me by calling 0845 519 7232, e-mailing info@harleystreetaesthetics.com or by completing our simple online contact form.