Liposuction in general is best suited for active people with good skin tone. Extremely overweight people may require a tummy tuck liposuction procedure, during which time the doctor removes excess skin after performing liposuction on the abdominal region.
A potential tummy tuck liposuction candidate risks a number of side effects to the surgery, including infection, bleeding, healing problems, adverse reaction to anesthesia, etc. Those who are in shape and just want to tone up or remove stretch marks may not be prime candidates for a tummy tuck liposuction procedure. There are many less invasive alternatives.
Abdominoplasty, or a tummy tuck, can greatly reduce a patient’s overall size, tone up their body, and possibly remove inches around their waist, but not if the patient is not in prime condition for successful surgery. A tummy tuck liposuction procedure can take between one and five hours, and the pain afterward can be severe. Depending on the patient, a hospital stay can be from hours to several days.
The ideal candidate of a tummy tuck liposuction is over 18, in overall good physical condition, not looking to lose a lot of weight, not overly obese, and is realistic in expectations. If the expectations are unrealistic, the attending physician should sit with the candidate and explain exactly what can and cannot be accomplished with the procedure.
Is a Tummy Tuck Enough?
For those with severe weight issues, a tummy tuck liposuction alone may not produce the desired effects. In some cases, scarring can be potentially severe, and other options may be discussed. While skin tightens to some degree after a tummy tuck liposuction procedure, it cannot become taut where it was loose prior to surgery.
In 1999, a study showed the average cost of a tummy tuck liposuction procedure to be in excess of $4,200; it varies very little across the country. This cost does not include anesthesia, hospital cost, prescriptions, and other related costs. It is not something to be entered into lightly. In fact, many insurance companies will not cover a tummy tuck liposuction procedure, unless there is a reason other than cosmetic.
It is important to discuss the options with your insurance carrier—many have lifetime caps on certain surgical procedures such as a tummy tuck liposuction, and a large expense such as this may result in loss of future benefits (which might be of great concern if there are complications), or could increase the price of premiums.
