When diet and exercise aren't giving you ideal results as you aim to obtain a flatter stomach, cosmetic surgery may be an option that you'd like to consider. There are two types of procedures that most patients opt for, an abdominoplasty or the latter combined with liposuction.

Determining which one is best for you will be the focus of this article. But the main secret about choosing a procedure is understanding what's causing the problem.

Some of the culprits for a bulging abdomen include the following:

Stretched Abdominal Muscles

The rectus abdominus muscles, also known as the six-pack muscles, extend down the front of the stomach. The two muscle strips can spread apart due to pregnancy or excess weight gain and don't fall back into their original place after the fact.

The widening of these muscles is known as a rectus diastasis or casually translated to abdominal separation. 

The primary way to fix this separation is with surgery, bringing the midline back together with a suture to recreate the flat stomach. This is an essential component of abdominoplasty surgery.

Excess Loose Skin

Extra loos skin can prevent you from having the flat stomach that you desire. It is a common side effect of weight loss or pregnancy, and like abdominal muscles separating, surgery is the only effective method in removing it. Skin removal is the other component of an abdominoplasty.

Extra Fat: Will Liposuction Flatten My Stomach?

Excess fat is where liposuction comes in. Liposuction removes fat over a focused area, suitable for anyone that wants a flatter stomach. 

Yet, there are two types of fat; the first is subcutaneous fat, which is found right under the skin. Liposuction is most effective for removing this type of fat.

The second type of fat is visceral fat, which surrounds the internal organs for protection. This is located below your abdominal muscles and can't be removed with liposuction.

If you have excess visceral fat but want a flatter stomach, your only solution is to lose excess weight. 

What's The Best Type of Liposuction?

There are several variants of liposuction on the market for you to choose from. Each one has its benefits and drawbacks. But what's the point of undergoing surgery if there's a drawback?

It would help if you opted for a process that guarantees only results and benefits, and that's why Houston's Elite Body Sculpture office has the solution for you. 

Upper Stomach AirSculpt® is a minimally invasive procedure that doesn't use a scalpel, needle, stitches, or general anesthesia, making it both the most comfortable and accurate process on the market.  

That's because no extensive recovery times or noticeable scarring is produced with patented, precision-engineered AirSculpt® technology. Come to our Houston office to schedule your first consultation.