Should I Have Liposuction Instead Of A Tummy Tuck?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I want to do something with my tummy area but am confused as to what to do. I have had several consultations and have been repeatedly told that I need a tummy tuck. However I don’t want to have a tummy tuck as I am scared of being cut like that and also fear the recovery. I lost 50lbs over the past two years and now weigh 140lbs and am 5’ 2” tall. If I just have liposuction will I be left with hanging skin and look worse?

A: It is clear based on your description of your body from weight loss and the recommendations of several plastic surgeons that a tummy tuck will produce a better result. But if you can not accept the excisional nature of the procedure and the resultant scar, then it is not a good operation for you. This is a common dilemma for many patients. Better result aside, liposuction is a more acceptable procedure for you and appears what you can accept at this time. The key to undergoing just liposuction is your acceptance that the result will not be as good as a tummy tuck. That is the price you pay for a procedure that does not ideally match the problem that you have. Always remember that you can always have a tummy tuck later if you find the deflated abdominal skin unacceptable. Based on your result from liposuction, you will either be glad that you choose just liposuction or will become convinced that a tummy tuck really is a good operation.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana