Tummy Tuck and Liposuction: Are They Weight-Loss Procedures? – Houston, Texas
Posted March 17, 2021 in Body Contouring, Liposuction, True Form Tummy Tuck®
5 Minute Read:
Tummy tuck surgery and liposuction are commonly perceived as weight-loss procedures. Unfortunately for people seeking weight loss, this is not true.
If you are not at or relatively near your desired weight, you will not achieve your desired results. While patients are often disappointed when they learn that these procedures will not help them lose significant weight, there are many vast benefits to these body contouring and body sculpting procedures, such as Dr. Patronella’s signature True Form Tummy Tuck®.
The best results with the True Form Tummy Tuck® (abdominoplasty surgery) are achieved with individuals who are at a good weight for their height.
Table of Contents:
How Do I Know If I Should Get Tummy Tuck Surgery?
What If I am Not at My Ideal Weight?
What Happens After I Lose Weight?
Which Plastic Surgery Procedure Should I Choose?
True Form Tummy Tuck®
Upper Body Lift
Lower Body Lift
Thigh Lift
Arm Lift
Liposuction
Are You Interested in Body Contouring Options Following Weight Loss?
How Do I Know If I Should Get Tummy Tuck Surgery?
One of the factors Dr. Patronella evaluates in determining whether a person is an appropriate candidate for the True Form Tummy Tuck® is body mass index (BMI). This index measures a patient’s body fat based on their height and weight.
Ideal candidates for the True Form Tummy Tuck® have a BMI below 30. Those in the 30 to 35 range merit consideration, depending on physical findings and their health status.
Women and men who have a BMI above 35 may need to lose weight before undergoing the procedure. This is meant to ensure patient safety and ideal aesthetic outcomes.
The True Form Tummy Tuck® is a body contouring procedure designed to remove excess skin, eliminate localized fat pockets resistant to diet and exercise, recontour the navel (if needed), and repair damaged abdominal muscle (from pregnancy or weight fluctuations). This technique is commonly performed alongside liposuction and is meant to help improve your appearance after your excess weight has been lost.
What If I am Not at My Ideal Weight?
Patients with a BMI over 30 often require an extended tummy tuck. For this procedure, the incision extends around the side toward the back of the hip. This is different from the hip to hip incision performed in a standard abdominoplasty procedure.
Overweight and extensive weight loss patients are often candidates for body lift surgery and liposuction of the upper and lower body.
What Happens After I Lose Weight?
The good news is, after losing weight, a tummy tuck surgery or other body contouring procedures using Dr. Patronella’s True Form® techniques become available to you. These procedures will help manage the aftereffects of losing significant weight.
Abdominoplasty can help weight-loss patients complete their journey and restore a youthfully firm and sculpted abdomen. Dr. Patronella’s True Form Tummy Tuck® is uniquely designed to benefit patients who have lost a moderate or major amount of weight.
With this specialized abdominoplasty technique, you can have contoured, smooth, and natural-looking abdominal contours.
Which Plastic Surgery Procedure Should I Choose?
During your consultation with Dr. Patronella, he will listen to your aesthetic goals and evaluate factors such as your skin laxity and current body contours. Based on this analysis, he will recommend a treatment plan for you.
The biggest concern most patients have after losing significant weight is loose and sagging skin. Excess sagging skin is not something you have to accept. Body lift procedures after weight loss can finalize your transformation and leave you ready and willing to show off your hard-earned results. Below are a series of procedures that can help you improve your appearance after major weight loss.
True Form Tummy Tuck®
A True Form Tummy Tuck® removes excess skin and pockets of fat while creating the most natural-looking abdominal contours offered with any tummy tuck technique. Dr. Patronella devoted more than ten years to perfecting standard tummy tuck surgery methods to give you the most beautiful results possible.
Upper Body Lift
The majority of weight-loss patients experience loss of skin elasticity in the upper and lower body in equal measure. Breast lift surgery, arm lift surgery, bra line lift, and torso lift techniques eliminate redundant skin and provide a lifting effect while improving shape.
Lower Body Lift
A lower body lift is typically performed in conjunction with a tummy tuck. This works by extending the incision around the hip to just above the buttock on both sides. The incisions meet at the midline upper buttock cleft. The scar is placed so that it is concealed by underwear and most swimsuits.
This procedure aims to reduce loose skin and sagging tissues around the hips, buttocks, and outer thighs. It usually is accompanied by liposuction on the waist and hips and fat grafting of the buttocks.
Thigh Lift
A thigh lift targets and removes sagging skin on the thighs, which results from weight loss and aging. In this procedure, excess skin is trimmed, and the remaining tissue is redraped to give you a tightened, enhanced appearance.
Arm Lift
An arm lift can be beneficial for many men and women who have lost substantial weight. Loose skin is common on the upper arms after weight loss. This procedure removes excess skin and arm tissue to create a slimmer, more toned appearance.
Liposuction
Liposuction is often used in combination with the above procedures to enhance your body’s contours further. Even after substantial weight loss, stubborn pockets of fat that resist diet and exercise often remain. Liposuction surgery removes these pockets to leave you looking slimmer and trimmer.
Are You Interested in Body Contouring Options Following Weight Loss?
Several procedures can be combined in one operation, saving you both time and money. For his out-of-town patients, Dr. Patronella offers the convenience of an online virtual consultation. We regularly serve patients who travel from all over the globe for surgery with Dr. Patronella. Our team strives to make this experience as smooth and rewarding as possible.
For more information about the True Form Tummy Tuck®, or other post-weight-loss procedures, schedule a consultation with Dr. Patronella. Call (713) 575-1996 or contact us online to request your consultation now.
