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Am I a Good Candidate for Liposuction or Tummy Tuck?
The way to think about the process is to consider the following parts of your abdominal contour: Intra-abdominal contents (organs, bones) - this part you can't change Muscle separation - Separated muscle can cause significant weakness resulting in abdominal bulge of the intra-abdominal contents This requires a tummy tuck to correct. Subcutaneous fat - This is typically what liposuction targets but is also resected at the time of the tummy tuck. Skin - Again, an abdominoplasty is required for this.
Clinical Context
Liposuction removes excess fat through a thin cannula but doesn't tighten skin or muscle. Diastasis recti, or muscle separation, occurs when the connective tissue between the abdominal muscles stretches, often from pregnancy or weight changes; this can't be fixed by fat removal alone. A tummy tuck repairs this by stitching the muscles back together and removing loose skin. Many patients need both procedures to fully address their concerns, depending on their anatomy.
