The stomach/abdomen area is a bane for most people. Once acquired either from former weight gain and loss or simply by having a few extra pounds and getting older, a pooch in that area is almost universal. Where would the infomercial industry be without it?! If you’re up late watching some B movie you’ll be bombarded by infomercials touting the latest way to “get the stomach you’ve always dreamed of.”
Most of them do nothing because fat is very difficult to target in this area of the body. You could do a 30-day hunger strike and maybe get it, but short of that… And if your skin is loose from pregnancy or weight loss, you’re not tightening that up with the Ab Roller (designed by an ex-Navy Seal!!!!).
Liposuction or a tummy tuck from Dr. Gurley, however, can do something about your stomach area. And while their goals are similar — a leaner, tighter contour — their means are quite different.
As the most popular surgical cosmetic procedure in the country, liposuction targets excess pockets of fat such as love handles, spare tires, and muffin tops. People like liposuction because, while it is invasive, it doesn’t demand the recovery periods of full surgery. The ideal liposuction candidate should be within 10% of his or her ideal body weight and have tried both diet and exercise to get rid of stubborn areas of fat. Liposuction is best for patients who also still have good elasticity in their stomach skin.
Unlike liposuction, a tummy tuck doesn’t help remove abdominal fat but rather improves the appearance of the midsection by removing loose, hanging abdominal skin and tightening the abdominal muscles for a well-contoured abdomen. This is particularly the case for women who have had children and others who have gained and lost great amounts of weight. The skin has been overstretched for too long and can’t return to its former degree of tautness.
The good news is you can have the best of both worlds! If you have issues with both excess fat and skin laxity in the abdominal area, Dr. Gurley performs both liposuction and a tummy tuck as part of your body-contouring plan. Tummy tuck procedures often include some degree of liposuction because it is a more effective way to remove fat pockets.
It is important to note that both liposuction and a tummy tuck are not meant to be weight loss panaceas. Patients need to be at or near their ideal body weight to qualify for these procedures with Dr. Gurley.
So, don’t call the number on that moronic infomercial, call Dr. Gurley at (636) 812-4300, and let’s talk about doing something about your stomach contour.