16 Jan 2026
When it comes to body contour, we are all born with a certain genetic blueprint. If your Mom carried extra weight in her hips, chances are that you might as well. However, certain lifestyle factors can also have a huge effect on your body’s shape. This is particularly true with the abdomen. Pregnancy and a decline in estrogen levels during menopause are just two of the factors that may radically alter the appearance of your mid-section. To make things more frustrating, in many cases, no amount of healthful eating or consistent exercise is going to deliver the lifted, smooth abdomen of youth.
So, what can you do to rejuvenate the abdominal area? There are quite a few options which is why I am often asked: “Liposuction or Tummy Tuck — Which is Better?”. The right choice is always going to depend on your unique anatomy, desired goals, and lifestyle. However, for most women who’ve had children and/or lost considerable weight, it is not a question of liposuction or a tummy tuck as you will likely benefit from a combination of the two.
Liposuction for Pockets of Excess Fat
The internet has really changed patients' approach to aesthetic surgery, allowing you to research treatment options for whatever bothers you about your appearance. This is a good thing. But no plastic surgery procedure is one-size-fits-all despite what your favorite influencer may lead you to believe.
When it comes to an unhappiness with the appearance of the abdomen, pockets of excess fat almost always come into play. The interesting thing about fat is that it does not take a lot in the wrong place to mess with the proportion of your torso. For those patients who are younger, very fit or childless, liposuction alone may deliver your desired result. The only way to know this is to book an in-person consultation with a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, such as myself, who specializes in body contouring.
Body Contouring Consultation in Boston
During our meeting, I will listen to what you don’t like about your appearance. We will discuss your family history, medical history, any prior procedures you may have had, and how your body reacted. I will also perform a thorough physical exam to assess your:
- Skin tone & texture
- Areas & amount of excess fat
- Degree of skin sagging
- Location of excess skin
Together, we will discuss the best treatment options for rejuvenating your abdomen.
Why a Tummy Tuck & Liposuction Combination is Often Best
A tummy tuck or abdominoplasty in conjunction with liposuction is the gold standard for improving the appearance of your entire torso as it allows me to address all of the underlying factors that may be contributing to your unhappiness with the look of your abdomen. This may include:
- Remove pockets of excess fat
- Lift loose skin & tissues above and below the belly button
- Tighten lax abdominal muscles, if necessary
- Improve diastases recti
- Re-sculpt hips & flanks for new, improved proportion
The reason that this 1-2 combination is the best is that each procedure addresses a different contributing factor. Liposuction is great for re-sculpting your waist and flanks in order to improve proportion throughout your abdomen as these areas all need to work together from the front, back, and sides. A tummy tuck, on the other hand, is about lifting and tightening loose sagging skin and muscles, if necessary, in the central abdomen for a total transformation.
Although an abdominoplasty is a robust procedure that requires an investment in terms of recovery, it is also one that can literally change not only how you look, but how you feel. Many mothers, in particular, will tell me how happy they are afterwards because they just feel like themselves again.
Contact Dr. Vickram Tandon at the Boston Center for Plastic Surgery
To find out more about liposuction, a tummy tuck, or any other surgical or nonsurgical procedure with Dr. Vickram Tandon at the Boston Center for Plastic Surgery, contact us today or call 617-402-2768 to schedule a consultation.
