What Type of Plastic Surgery Will Give You a Flat Stomach?

It’s obviously appealing to many people to have six pack abs and a flat stomach, but this look can be challenging to attain on your own. Many men and women have problem areas where they find it difficult to burn fat despite how often they exercise and how healthy their diet is. The belly is one of the most common areas people feel self-conscious about—and for good reason! It’s difficult for many people to get flat abs because they may be prone to storing more fat on the abdominal area due to genetics or a hormonal imbalance. With this in mind, plastic surgery is a helpful option, but if you look for specifics online—searching “What plastic surgery gives you a flat stomach?”—St. Louis-area patients will likely find a variety of different answers. 

That’s why the West County Plastic Surgeons team is here to offer guidance. Generally speaking, the two most common techniques used to remove fat from the belly area are tummy tucks and liposuction. If you’re unsure which form of cosmetic surgery is best for you, our team can explain more during your consultation.

In the meantime, here’s what you should know about how these two forms of plastic surgery can shape and tone the stomach area. 

Liposuction and tummy tuck surgery are both procedures that alter the appearance of the abdomen, but they do have some differences.

Liposuction is strictly a fat-removal procedure, involving breaking up stubborn fat cells and suctioning them out through an incision. While the skin above may tighten a bit on its own, liposuction does not address skin laxity that exists before the procedure or that may develop after the fat is removed.

Tummy tucks typically involve liposuction, but they also do more: In addition to removing excess fat, the surgery includes removing sagging skin from the stomach to slim the midsection. Tummy tucks can also tighten weakened or damaged abdominal muscles that allow the organs behind to push outward and protrude, causing a bulging belly.

Note that both procedures are designed only to address subcutaneous fat, which is the wobbly, soft type of fat that can be pinched and felt directly beneath the skin on various areas of the body, including the stomach. Neither procedure is effective for removing the unhealthier type of visceral fat, which is the hard fat found deeper in the abdominal cavity and that can cause a protruding, hard belly. This type can only be reduced with healthy lifestyle changes.

Our plastic surgeons recommend that patients be healthy and close to their ideal body weight to get ideal results from either of these surgeries. 

Want a more detailed answer to the question of which plastic surgery gives you a flat stomach? Contact our team at West County Plastic Surgeons of Washington University for more advice. Call us at (314) 996-8800 or fill out a contact form to request a consultation if you’re interested in learning more about body contouring procedures.