How can fat around your organs affect your tummy tuck results?
Kogarah Miranda tummy tuck
For some people, a healthy diet and enough exercise will result in a flat, toned belly. These are the genetically lucky ones. However, for others, the tummy stubbornly stays rounded, no matter how healthy their lifestyle may be. It can be frustrating to work out and eat well, only to find that you still don’t have the toned, athletic body you’ve been hoping for.
Some people turn to a surgical procedure known as abdominoplasty, or a tummy tuck. In this procedure, excess skin and fat are removed from the belly, and the remaining tissue is tightened to leave a smooth and sleek body contour. While this procedure can get great results for some people, it’s important to be realistic about what it can and can’t accomplish in a given patient. Although a tummy tuck can remove a certain type of fat from the belly, there’s another type of fat that it can’t remove. Knowing which type you have will let you know whether a tummy tuck might be a good option for you.
What are the two types of fat in the abdomen?
The two types of fat in the abdomen are known as subcutaneous and visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat is located just below the surface of the skin. This is the type of fat that a tummy tuck is able to remove. There’s a limit to how much fat can be safely removed at one time, so if you have a lot of subcutaneous fat, then you should work on weight loss before you consider your tummy tuck. However, if you’re near your goal weight and you still have some stubborn subcutaneous fat on your belly, a tummy tuck may be able to address this.
Visceral fat is located in and around the organs themselves. Studies have shown that this is the type of fat that’s dangerous to your health; having a lot of visceral fat is associated with serious health problems like type 2 diabetes, while subcutaneous fat is primarily a cosmetic issue. There’s no type of surgery that can remove visceral fat. The only way to get rid of it is through overall weight loss.
How do you know which type of fat you have?
In order to determine whether your rounded belly is primarily caused by subcutaneous or visceral fat, your plastic surgeon may ask you to lie on your back. In this position, subcutaneous fat will tend to spill over the sides of the abdomen, while visceral fat will remain in place.
If your belly is much flatter when you’re lying down then when you’re standing up, then subcutaneous fat is likely to be your main problem, and a tummy tuck may be a good option for you. If your belly stays rounded even when you’re lying down, then a tummy tuck may not be able to help very much.
Kogarah Miranda tummy tuck
If you’re considering having a tummy tuck, then we invite you to schedule a consultation with A/Prof Marucci. As an associate professor of surgery at the University of Sydney, A/Prof Marucci is highly regarded for his surgical skills and his extensive knowledge and experience. He’ll be happy to examine you and to let you know what results you could most likely expect from a tummy tuck. This will give you the information that you need to make a decision about whether a tummy tuck is right for you. To schedule your appointment in either our Kogarah or Miranda rooms, please contact our office.
