If you are frustrated by the excess fat and skin around your tummy, there are surgical (tummy tuck and liposuction) and non-invasive (Venus Freeze) body contouring options for you to consider. Despite exercise and healthy eating, many women and men desire a more trim, toned, and tighter abdomen. Pregnancy, for many women, also creates changes that make it difficult, if not impossible, to regain their pre-baby shape with diet and exercise.
Board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Charles Slack and Licensed Esthetician, Devan Jesmer, will work together to tailor a body-contouring treatment plan designed to help you achieve your desired look.
Tummy Tuck Removes Excess Skin and Fat
Abdominoplasty, more casually known as a “Tummy Tuck”, surgically addresses three common problem areas of the abdomen: excess skin, excess fat, and muscle laxity or separation (rectus diastasis). This cosmetic surgery is performed to make the tummy flatter, tighter, and more youthful in appearance. Dr. Slack offers a range of tummy tuck procedures from mini, modified, to full abdominoplasty. A mini or modified abdominoplasty removes a smaller amount of skin and fat from the lower abdomen well below the navel. With a full abdominoplasty, much of the skin and underlying fat from just above the navel down to the pubic area are removed. Dr. Slack offers a “drainless” tummy tuck which means your downtime and recovery will be faster.
After pregnancy, you may need to add muscle repair to your tummy tuck. During your consultation, Dr. Slack can assess your abdominal muscles and if indicated, recommend tightening them (muscle plication) as part of your tummy tuck procedure. Muscle plication can be performed with any type of tummy tuck and is often needed to achieve as flat a result as possible. There are limits as to how much the muscles can be plicated. As a result, some patients may still have some residual fullness. This is usually due to poor abdominal muscle tone because the diastasis makes it difficult to effectively do core exercises. Plication repositions the muscles more centrally so that core exercises can be done to improve overall tone thus flattening the tummy even more.
Liposuction Just Removes Fat
Liposuction removes only fat; it does not remove or tighten skin. Many people, despite a healthy diet and a good exercise routine, still have localized fatty deposits that are out of proportion to the rest of their body. Liposuction is a good option in these types of patients but not so much in patients that are not living a healthy lifestyle. It is not for weight loss. These patients may see fat accumulate in other areas of their body after liposuction and ultimately may see the areas they had liposuction in become full again if they are not leading a more healthy lifestyle.
For the best body-contouring result, Dr. Slack may recommend combining a tummy tuck with liposuction to remove both the excess skin and fat. To have Dr. Slack help you determine your best treatment plan, schedule a cosmetic consultation with him.
Non-Invasive Skin Tightening
For a non-invasive skin tightening treatment, consider The Venus Freeze® with Devan Jesmer, L.E. at our med spa, Skin Remedy, MD. The Venus Freeze® uses radio frequency and pulsed electromagnetic fields to tighten collagen fibers as well as increases collagen production within the skin, yielding tighter, firmer skin. The Venus Freeze® softens facial lines; firms loose skin and fat pockets on the face, arms, and around the bra strap; contours the abdomen; and lifts the buttocks.
Contact us online or call us at 214-495-6464 to schedule a cosmetic consultation.
