Liposuction, Tummy Tuck Improve Self-Esteem—Study

Liposuction and tummy tuck, two cosmetic procedures that can improve the appearance of the abdomen, can lead to higher self-esteem, according to a study published by the Plastic Reconstructive Surgery magazine (April issue).

Dr. Eric Swanson, lead author of the study, evaluated the quality of life in 360 patients who had liposuction surgery (removing the excess fats through a suction probe) and/or tummy tuck (excising the hanging skin and reshaping the underlying tissue within the abdomen).

According to result, satisfaction rate was particularly high among patients who had liposuction combined with tummy tuck (or abdominoplasty surgery), although they also scored higher in terms of pain and have experienced longer recovery period.

About 60 percent of patients had liposuction, 5 percent had abdominoplasty, and 35 percent had a combination of both.  The evaluation was conducted an average of four months following plasticsurgery.

Meanwhile, their average age was 42 and approximately 85 percent of the respondents were women.  But aside from tummy tuck and liposuction, around 35 percent of patients had other cosmetic surgeries (e.g., breast augmentation or facelift) at the same time.

Patients who had tummy tuck alone rated their cosmetic results higher than others—an average score of 9 out of 10—compared with the score of 8 with those who had liposuction surgery.

However, patients who both had liposuction and tummy tuck scored the highest in terms of satisfaction over the result—around 99 percent.  Surprisingly, the level of pain with this approach has no difference between “combined procedures” and abominoplasty alone.

Aside from high satisfaction, patients who had liposuction and tummy tuck at the same time said they would undergo the procedure again, while 99 percent said they would recommend it to others.

Approximately 70 percent of patients reported improved quality of life, although this is particularly higher among individuals who had liposuction and abdominoplasty performed at the same time.  And overall, 86 percent of the respondents reported improvements in their self-esteem after surgery.

Because many people still perceive cosmetic plastic surgery as “superfluous,” studies which assess its impact on the patients’ quality of life and self-esteem after the procedure are important as experts believe it is the “best way to gauge its success.”

Since cosmetic plastic surgery is elective and not medically necessary, its cost is usually not included in health insurance, although a growing number of doctors offer payment options to help patients finance the procedure. 

Tummy Tuck as a Mommy Makeover Surgery

Tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is one of the most common “mommy makeover” surgeries.  In this procedure, plastic surgeons create a horizontally-oriented incision below the navel to get rid of the hanging, loose skin across the abdomen; and if needed, they also tighten the underlying muscle to further achieve a toner and slimmer appearance.

The procedure is more commonly performed on women than men because they experience pregnancy that often results to loose skin and stretched/weakened abdominal muscles.  By contrast, male patients only need this surgery after losing a significant amount of weight that left them with pannus, which is an apron-shaped skin in their abdomen.

Traditional tummy tuck involves a horizontal incision placed just within or above the pubic region.  The length of the surgical cut depends on the amount of skin to be removed, overall structure of the abdomen, and sometimes even the style of bathing suit or undergarments a patient prefers to wear.

Plastic surgeons will make every effort to keep the incision within the undergarment or bathing suit lines; however, this may not always be possible particularly those with excessive flap of skin and fats that reach and cover the pubic area.

In addition to the horizontal incision within or above the pubic region, doctors also create another one to free the navel in order to pull down the redundant skin above it, and remove any excess tissue.  The position of the belly button remains unchanged.

For some patients, the abdominal wall must be tightened and sutured to further address the sagging appearance.  This approach is particularly necessary for women who had previous pregnancies.

Because some of the skin is removed, the stretch marks in the area may be eliminated as well.  Any remaining purplish or whitish lines may become less apparent, although patients should not expect a dramatic change in their appearance.

The result of tummy tuck is supposed to last a lifetime, unless a person gains or loses a significant amount of weight.  The post-surgical outcome may also be reversed by pregnancy; for this reason, it is best to postpone the surgery if a woman is planning to have children in the future.

As with any body contouring surgery, there is really no point of having tummy tuck if one is not willing to maintain a stable weight through healthy diet and regular exercise.  It is important to note that while touch-ups are fairly common with this procedure, it results to more scarring.

Importance of Skin Removal After Major Weight Loss

Plastic surgery, particular body lift, plays an important role in helping previously obese patients live a more normal life.  In this procedure, surgeons remove the “redundant” skin which commonly occurs around the midsection—particularly the abdomen—,upper arms, back or “bra-line” for women, and thighs.

The skin and tissue laxity also results to sagging breasts and deflated-looking buttocks.

Because of the extreme disfigurement experienced by previously obese patients (they either lost weight through bariatric surgery or natural methods), body lift is seen not as a mere cosmetic procedure but as an important surgery that can make the body appear as normal as possible.

In fact, many insurance companies consider some forms of body lift as a reconstructive surgery and cover some of the surgical costs.  By contrast, they do not provide coverage for any cosmetic surgery which is elective in nature.

To be considered a reconstructive surgery, a body lift should be performed not just to correct or at least improve the appearance of the disfigured body; but primarily, it should be used to address skin irritation, foul odor and poor hygiene caused by the trapped sweat, and chronic back pain because of the extra weight of the hanging skin.

Tummy tuck and lower body lift, if performed to MWL patients who are experiencing the symptoms mentioned above, are generally covered by health insurance.  But unfortunately, other forms of body lift, particularly those targeting the upper arms, breasts, thighs, and buttocks are usually not included in the coverage. 

Even when multiple body lift procedures are performed, about 5 to 15 percent of MWL patients will need postoperative revisions, although most of these are minor “touch-ups” to correct residual deformities and other complications.  It is important to note that complication rates are not equivalent to failure rates.

Despite the risk of scarring and the need for postoperative revisions (in some cases), majority of MWL patients are satisfied with the result; in fact, several studies have found that most people who had body lift enjoyed better performance in physical exercise, professional and sexual integration, sexual life, and behavioral improvements.

The good thing about having body lift after major weight loss is the result can last a lifetime—as long as the patients will maintain a normal weight through proper diet and regular exercise.

Because food has been a source of comfort for previously obese people at some point in their lives, some plastic surgeons work closely with psychologists or behaviorists to help patients stick to a healthy lifestyle and maintain the result of body lift.

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