Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) Sydney

Struggling with excess skin and fat, or loose muscles in the tummy area can be frustrating. No matter how much you diet and exercise, the area resists weight loss techniques. So you have a choice of procedures to reduce belly fat Sydney. You can choose to have liposuction or a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) to address these issues.

Difference between Liposuction and an Abdominoplasty

What is the difference between the two techniques? To start with, liposuction and an abdominoplasty have different purposes.

Liposuction

Liposuction is a minimally invasive procedure that removes stubborn pockets of excess fat beneath your skin. Your specialist plastic surgeon will use a cannula, which is a small tubelike piece of equipment, attached to a suction device. Your surgeon makes an incision, inserts the cannula into the area, and breaks up the fat cells. They then suction it out of your body and treat the remaining fat to smooth it out. Your surgeon repeats the procedure across the treatment area.

Abdominal Surgery Sydney

An abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) is a specialist plastic surgical procedure where your surgeon removes the excess skin and fat from your stomach and tightens the muscles for a stomach that is smooth as a result.

There are three main types of abdominoplasty procedures:

  1. Standard abdominoplasty. A standard abdominoplasty addresses the issues that diet and exercise cannot achieve alone. Your surgeon removes the excess skin, tightens your stomach muscles and lifts the pubic area. This results in a horizontal scar below the bikini line from hip to hip and a scar in your belly button.
  2. Mini abdominoplasty. Your surgeon uses a smaller incision during a mini abdominoplasty. This procedure is suitable if you only have minimal excess skin and only addresses the lower part of the stomach and does not affect the belly button.
  3. Fleur De Lis abdominoplasty. The Fleur De Lis abdominoplasty is a more complicated surgery that can remove larger amounts of skin. This is the common type of tummy tuck for people who lose large amounts of weight. Afterwards you will have an inverted T scar.

Body Contouring Sydney: Is Liposuction or an Abdominoplasty Best?

Whether liposuction or an abdominoplasty is right for you depends on your individual situation. They are both suitable procedures but for different reasons:

  1. Liposuction is a procedure that your surgeon tailors to suit your body and goals. It may be the right procedure for you if you:
    1. Have excess fat deposits in some areas of your body and your weight is in the normal range and your skin is firm.
    2. Have a healthy diet and exercise regularly but cannot lose the excess fat.
    3. Want to improve your body contour.
    4. Are realistic in the expectations you have for the end result.
  2. An abdominoplasty may be right for you if you:
    1. Are not planning to get pregnant in the near future.
    2. Are physically healthy and your weight is close to normal and is stable.
    3. Have lost a lot of weight or after pregnancy and there is excess skin left behind around your stomach.
    4. Have realistic expectations from the surgery.

Benefits of Liposuction and an Abdominoplasty

The benefits of liposuction and an abdominoplasty include for:


  1. Liposuction:

    1. Assists in removing pockets of stubborn fat that does not respond to diet and exercise.
    2. There is minimal scarring as you only need a few small incisions.
    3. Enhances your body contour.

  2. An abdominoplasty:

    1. Improves the tone of your abdominal area.
    2. Removes a lot of the excess skin in the abdominal area.
    3. Helps to improve your posture.

Recovery from Liposuction and an Abdominoplasty

Liposuction Recovery

After the liposuction procedure you will have a compression garment covering the bandages over the incision sites. There may also be drains inserted to drain any build-up of blood under the skin. These will likely only be in place for a week and come out when your surgeon removes the bandages. However, you will need to wear the compression garment for up to six weeks.

Make sure you have someone pick you up after the procedure and take time off work.

You will experience bruising, tenderness and swelling and your surgeon will prescribe painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication2, as required, to help you manage the pain and to prevent infection. While infection is rare after liposuction, taking antibiotics will manage any infection if it occurs.

It is essential to attend any follow up appointments with your surgeon so they can check how well you are healing. You can usually start normal duties at work after two weeks but this depends on they type of work you do and the surgery’s extensiveness. Keep in mind that it can take several months to heal completely and see the final results.

Abdominoplasty Recovery

There is likely to be drainage tubes under the skin after your abdominoplasty. This is to help prevent fluid building up under the skin so the incisions can heal. You will also need to wear a pressure garment for around three weeks. It is best if you can avoid taking a shower or getting the area wet while they are in.

After you surgery you will have some pain, bruising and swelling and your surgeon will prescribe pain relief. Most of the swelling should be gone after six weeks.

You can start doing light activities two weeks into your recovery but make sure to consult your surgeon before doing anything too strenuous. It can take up to six months to fully recover from an abdominoplasty and see the final results.

To discover whether liposuction or an abdominoplasty is your best option, schedule a consultation with specialist plastic surgeon Dr Steve Merten at Pure Aesthetics..