Non-Surgical Tummy Tuck
Even when you are at or near your target weight, excess skin, stubborn fat deposits, and weak abdominal muscles can contribute to a lack of midsection contouring. Recent weight loss, childbirth, or cosmetic surgery can also affect the look of your abdomen and leave some patients feeling dissatisfied with their appearance. When many patients think of improving the appearance of loose skin and fat deposits in the abdominal area of the body, they think of the traditional tummy tuck procedure (also known as abdominoplasty), a cosmetic surgery performed by a plastic surgeon to make the stomach, sides, and back look thinner, firmer, and more contoured. Any form of plastic surgery, however, is difficult for many patients to access due to the risks of serious side effects, significant downtime, and pricing. Luckily, a range of non-surgical tummy tuck options are available at expert board-certified dermatologist Dr. Michele Green’s New York City private Upper East Side dermatology office.
Dr. Green offers a range of non-surgical tummy tuck alternatives to improve abdominal skin elasticity, eliminate unwanted pockets of fat, contour the body, and reduce the appearance of cellulite. While traditional tummy tuck surgery is an invasive procedure involving anesthesia, incisions, and significant recovery time, the non-surgical tummy tuck options provide patients with comparable results without the potential complications of surgery. Using a combination of procedures, such as Kybella injections, CoolSculpting, Thermage skin tightening, BodyTite radiofrequency treatment, SculpSure, VelaShape, and Renuvion, Dr. Green is able to provide patients with their ideal body sculpting results in a number of targeted areas, including the abdomen, legs, back, buttocks, arms, and neck. To find out which treatment options are best for your specific needs, schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Green today.
Dr. Michele Green was among the first dermatologists in New York City to incorporate non-invasive body contouring procedures such as CoolSculpting and Kybella into her private practice, located in the Upper East Side neighborhood of Manhattan. As an internationally renowned expert in the field of cosmetic dermatology, Dr. Green has over 25 years of experience providing her patients from around the globe with their ideal body sculpting results. Castle Connolly, Super Doctors, and New York Magazine consistently identify Dr. Green as one of New York’s best physicians for her holistic approach and ‘less is more’ philosophy when it comes to rejuvenation. When you consult with Dr. Green for a non-surgical tummy tuck, she will work with you to determine which unique combination of treatments is best suited to addressing your specific concerns and delivering your optimal aesthetic results.
Is there a non-surgical tummy tuck?
A traditional tummy tuck is a surgical procedure designed to make the abdomen look thinner, firmer, and more contoured. Most often performed by a plastic surgeon, it requires local anesthesia before making incisions—or cuts—to the lower abdomen to remove excess fat and eliminate sagging skin. While a surgical tummy tuck can provide patients with dramatic results, many are worried about the adverse effects of any surgical procedure, which can include complications under anesthesia, the possibility of infection, scarring, and an extended recovery time. Luckily, a combination of non-surgical body-contouring procedures, including Kybella, CoolSculpting, VelaShape, Thermage radiofrequency skin tightening, microneedling, and more, can be used to achieve a similar result in what is known as a non-surgical tummy tuck.
What is a non-surgical tummy tuck?
A non-surgical tummy tuck is a combination of cosmetic procedures used to reduce unwanted fat deposits, tighten sagging abdominal skin, and tighten abdominal muscles for an overall tighter, slimmer look to the midsection. This series of procedures is advantageous compared to a traditional surgical tummy tuck in that there is very minimal downtime associated with the treatment, the risk of serious side effects is low, and patients can see long-lasting results without the need for any incisions. A non-surgical tummy tuck is not a weight loss solution, meaning that patients should be within 30 pounds of their ideal weight to see the best results. The treatment works best for patients who are at or near their target weight with a healthy diet and exercise regimen and who are still experiencing stubborn fat along the abdomen.
How does a non-surgical tummy tuck work?
In general, non-invasive body contouring procedures use one of four main principles to remove excess fat: cryolipolysis, laser lipolysis, radiofrequency lipolysis, or injection lipolysis:
Cryolipolysis utilizes freezing temperatures to target and destroy fat cells. CoolSculpting and CoolTone are two procedures that utilize this principle to contour the body. This works because fat freezes at a higher temperature than the skin. The cryolipolysis device cools the fat to a temperature that destroys it while leaving your skin and tissues unharmed. This procedure typically takes about half an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the areas that are targeted, and during that time, about 25% of the fat cells in the area are destroyed. Results usually show up after a few months as your immune system slowly clears out the dead fat cells.
Laser lipolysis uses a combination of a laser and heat to “melt” fat cells before a liposuction procedure takes place. This procedure allows fat cells to be more effectively vacuumed out of the body while also encouraging elastin and collagen development. Laser lipolysis is just as good as traditional liposuction. It has the added benefit of skin tightening, while with traditional liposuction, the skin over the fat deposits may remain lax or saggy.
Radiofrequency lipolysis is a procedure that uses radiofrequency (RF) to heat the fat without damaging the surrounding skin. Common devices that use RF technology include Vanquish and VelaShape. These devices are effective in body contouring and reducing subcutaneous fat concentrations in targeted areas. RF also has the added benefit of stimulating collagen and elastin production, tightening the skin as fat cells are destroyed.
Injection lipolysis typically utilizes deoxycholic acid, an acid normally found in our bodies that breaks down and absorbs fat. In the digestive system, deoxycholic acid breaks down fat by destroying the cell membranes. When injected within fat cells, the same thing happens. Kybella injections are the first and only FDA-injectable drug for dissolving and contouring submental fat and reducing the appearance of moderate to severe fat under the skin using deoxycholic acid. Once injected into the fat cells, these cells can no longer store or accumulate fat.
What is Abdominoplasty?
Abdominoplasty is the medical term for a surgical tummy tuck, a plastic surgery performed on the midsection to reduce unwanted fat, eliminate loose skin, and tighten the abdominal muscles. Patients who are concerned about the way their stomach protrudes can turn to abdominoplasty for slimming results. To prepare for an abdominoplasty, the plastic surgeon will place patients under local anesthesia. Then, a plastic surgeon will make an incision in the mid- or lower abdomen, back, or sides. The type of incision and exact placement will depend on the concentration of fat in the targeted area and the patient’s aesthetic goals. The plastic surgeon will extract the excess fat from the abdomen using a cannula, remove the excess skin, move the belly button to the correct position, and then close the incision site. Typically, the scar that forms from the incision will form along the bikini line. While abdominoplasty is effective, the risk of scarring, extended recovery time, and risk of complications make many patients wary of the procedure. Any plastic surgery procedure, from abdominoplasty to a facelift to breast augmentation has a risk of these serious side effects.
What is the difference between non-surgical tummy tuck and Liposuction?
Liposuction is an invasive procedure performed by a plastic surgeon that works to remove fat from the target area. First, patients are given a local anesthetic to reduce discomfort during the procedure and epinephrine to control the bleeding. The plastic surgeon will then make an incision and insert a metal rod, called a cannula, to remove the fat at the treatment area before stitching up the incision and bandaging the wound. While liposuction (known colloquially as “lipo”) is an effective method for removing excess fat, the procedure does not address skin laxity, meaning that patients who undergo liposuction may experience loose skin. If you do not have high skin elasticity, lipo may not be the best treatment option for you.
For fat reduction and the elimination of loose skin, patients can turn to non-surgical tummy tuck procedures, such as Kybella, CoolSculpting, and Thermage skin tightening. While liposuction will have more dramatic fat reduction results than a non-surgical procedure, Kybella and CoolSculpting are highly effective treatment options for patients who are at or near their target weight for fat elimination. Though they differ in their exact methods of action, Kybella and CoolSculpting both destroy fat cells, which are then naturally removed by the body. As such, there is no increased skin laxity associated with either treatment. That said, if patients are experiencing loose skin due to recent weight loss, age-related collagen loss, or cosmetic surgery, Thermage radiofrequency laser treatment is considered the gold standard when it comes to skin tightening.
Is a non-surgical tummy tuck the best invasive tummy tuck alternative?
Many patients feel nervous about the idea of a surgical tummy tuck—called an abdominoplasty—due to the risk of serious side effects associated with any surgical procedure, which can include scarring, bleeding, infection, long recovery time, and pain. Instead, patients can turn to a non-surgical tummy tuck, which is a series of cosmetic procedures that help contour the body without requiring any surgery. A non-surgical tummy tuck is best for patients who are within 30 pounds of their ideal weight, as the procedure is not a weight-loss treatment. Expert board-certified dermatologist Dr. Michele Green will tailor your non-surgical tummy tuck treatment to your specific needs and aesthetic goals for the best, individualized results.
What is the best non-surgical tummy tuck?
The best non-surgical tummy tuck treatment option depends on various factors, including the concentration of stubborn fat in the treatment area, your skin laxity, and your aesthetic goals. The treatment options that Dr. Green turns to most frequently include Thermage to tighten the skin, Kybella injections to melt fat cells, CoolSculpting to destroy stubborn pockets of fat, VelaShape and BodyTite radiofrequency body contouring, and Renuvion skin tightening. When you have your initial consultation with Dr. Green, she will examine the treatment area, and you will discuss your goals before determining the best treatment option for you.
What is Thermage skin tightening treatment?
Thermage radiofrequency skin tightening treatment is safe and extremely effective for tightening the skin to improve skin tone and texture and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Thermage works via the emission of radiofrequency energy, which causes controlled heat damage to the tissue, triggering the body’s natural healing response and boosting the production of collagen to tighten the skin. Thermage skin tightening treatment can be used anywhere on the body, including the face, neck, decolletage, arms, abdomen, and thighs. Often considered the “gold standard” for skin tightening, one study of Thermage RF treatment found that there was a significant improvement in skin laxity for all patients that received Thermage treatment, and 73% saw a significant improvement in facial contouring. If patients are experiencing high skin laxity in addition to stubborn pockets of fat, Dr. Green will often combine body contouring treatment with Thermage for skin tightening.
Does non-surgical skin tightening work?
Thermage is an FDA-approved technique that delivers radiofrequency energy to the deepest layers of the skin while simultaneously protecting the skin’s surface through a continuous cooling process. The radiofrequency energy works to heat collagen fibers deep in the dermis, which tightens the skin and stimulates renewed collagen production for several months after the treatment session. The result of the new collagen growth in the treatment area is an improvement in skin laxity across the treated area for firmer, smoother skin. In addition to use on the abdomen, Thermage can be used on the face, neck, decolletage, hands, arms, and legs.
What is CoolSculpting treatment?
CoolSculpting is an FDA-approved, non-invasive body contouring treatment designed for fat reduction in stubborn problem areas for healthy patients. CoolSculpting reduces the fat cells in any treatment area by 25 percent without any side effects. Repeat treatment of the same area shows even greater results with up to a 40 percent decrease in fat cells. This process of fat freezing was originally designed to treat the abdominal area but has since extended its use to treat multiple areas of the body. Some of the most common areas of treatment are the submental area (double chin), love handles, upper arms, inner thighs, outer thighs, bra fat, flanks, back, and abdominal areas.
CoolSculpting uses patented cooling technology to deliver targeted and controlled cooling to specific areas of your body, affecting only fat cells and ensuring no harm occurs to any surrounding tissue or cells. Fat cells freeze at higher temperatures than the surrounding tissue. This process causes the fat bulges to be “frozen,” and the body excretes these fat cells through its natural metabolic process. CoolSculpting causes these fat cells to be slowly metabolized by the lymphatic system, and for this reason, there is no increased skin laxity associated with this treatment. The full results of CoolSculpting can be seen four months after the procedure, but results can be visible within a few weeks.
Kybella Injections for Fat Reduction
Kybella is the first and only FDA-injectable drug approved for dissolving and contouring submental fat, but can be used on other areas of the body as well, such as the bra bulge area of the back. The active ingredient in Kybella is a synthetic version of deoxycholic acid. Deoxycholic acid is a substance that occurs naturally in the body and aids in the absorption and breakdown of dietary fat. Kybella injections can quickly, safely, and effectively melt the excess fat in as little as three treatment sessions. The procedure itself takes only a few minutes, and tiny injections of Kybella are taken into the designated treatment area. After some minimal swelling, the fat cells are permanently treated. Each injectable treatment takes 4 to 6 weeks to see the full cosmetic results. After a series of treatment sessions, stubborn fat is eliminated permanently.
What is EmSculpt treatment?
EmSculpt is a treatment option that can be included in a non-surgical tummy tuck to help tighten the abdominal muscles. When the EmSculpt device is applied to the midsection of the body, it stimulates many strong muscle contractions—up to 20,000 per treatment session—to engage and tone the muscles in the treatment area. EmSculpt is an effective way to flatten and tone the abdomen and requires no downtime following the procedure, though patients’ muscles may be sore in the days following the treatment.
What is a non-surgical tummy tuck called?
“Non-surgical tummy tuck” is an umbrella term for cosmetic procedures that can be paired together to help patients achieve a flat, slim, perfectly contoured midsection. These procedures are an alternative to the plastic surgery procedure known as the traditional tummy tuck or abdominoplasty, which involves the surgical removal of fat and redistribution of skin to improve the appearance of the abdomen. When creating a non-surgical tummy tuck treatment plan, Dr. Green will often turn to Kybella, CoolSculpting, VelaShape, and Thermage.
How long does a non-surgical tummy tuck last?
The results of non-surgical procedures like CoolSculpting and Kybella are permanent as long as you maintain a healthy lifestyle and do not gain weight following your treatment. These treatments cannot prevent new fat cells from forming or existing ones from expanding. During the fat removal treatments, fat cells are destroyed and slowly metabolized by your body in the subsequent weeks and months. If you were to gain weight after the procedure, the remaining fat cells in the treated area can expand and begin to occupy the area that was cleared out by the procedure. Other non-invasive body contouring procedures like VelaShape and Thermage are not permanent and will need maintenance treatments every six months to every year. The results of any non-invasive body contouring can be prolonged by following a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise and a balanced diet.
What does a non-surgical tummy tuck use?
The device used in a non-surgical tummy tuck varies based on which procedure is being done. Kybella may be a component of the non-surgical tummy tuck and uses a needle to inject deoxycholic acid, which destroys fat cell membranes to reduce stubborn pockets of fat. CoolSculpting, which uses the principle of cryolipolysis, employs a device designed to freeze the fat cells in the targeted area while leaving the surrounding tissue unharmed. Thermage skin tightening treatment uses radiofrequency energy to heat the inner layer of skin, boosting collagen production to reduce skin laxity and tighten the skin.
How much is a non-surgical tummy tuck?
The total cost of your non-surgical tummy tuck treatment will be dependent on a number of factors, including the size and scope of the treatment areas, the type of procedure selected for your treatment plan, and the number of treatment sessions required to achieve your ideal body sculpting results. The geographic location of the office in which you are treated and the experience level of the provider performing your treatments will also impact the final cost. To ensure that you achieve satisfactory results and avoid unwanted side effects, patients should seek out an expert. Dr. Michele Green in NYC is an internationally renowned board-certified expert in the field of cosmetic dermatology with over 25 years of experience providing ideal body sculpting results to her patients from around the globe. When you consult with Dr. Green, she will work with you to develop a customized treatment plan for non-invasive body contouring that is best suited to your needs and aesthetic goals.
Does non-surgical tummy tuck work?
Non-surgical tummy tuck treatment is the ideal option for patients at or near their target weight who are still experiencing unwanted stubborn fat deposits or skin laxity in their midsection. While plastic surgery can provide dramatic results, many risks are associated with surgical treatment, including bleeding, infection, scarring, and extensive pain. Non-surgical tummy tuck treatments, on the other hand, are safe and effective options for those who do not wish to undergo a surgical procedure. The first step in determining if a non-surgical tummy tuck is best for you is to schedule your consultation appointment with expert board-certified dermatologist Dr. Michele Green.
How to get started with non-surgical tummy tuck treatment today
Suppose you are looking for a way to reduce unwanted pockets of stubborn fat and cellulite that are not responsive to wellness routines, such as regular exercise and a healthy diet. In that case, the non-surgical tummy tuck may be the solution for you. Non-surgical tummy tuck procedures, such as CoolSculpting, Kybella, VelaShape, and Thermage radiofrequency, can be excellent alternatives to plastic surgery. These non-surgical body contouring treatments produce consistently stunning results and are associated with very little, if any, recovery time. Every patient presents with their own unique skin concerns and aesthetic goals and thus requires a customized treatment approach for their non-invasive body contouring. It is always recommended that you have your non-surgical body contouring treatments with an expert, such as Dr. Michele Green in New York City, who can tailor your body sculpting treatments to your needs and help you achieve ideal results that are long-lasting and natural-looking.
Dr. Michele Green is an internationally renowned board-certified dermatologist with over two and a half decades of experience providing her patients with the best non-invasive treatment options. Dr. Green takes a holistic approach and embraces a less-is-more philosophy, creating customized skincare routines and treatment plans that cater to the unique concerns and aesthetic goals of her patients. She is consistently identified as one of New York’s best dermatologists by Castle Connolly, New York Magazine, and Super Doctors for her dedication to her patients and expertise. Please call us at 212-535-3088 or email our New York City-based office today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Michele Green and find out if the non-surgical tummy tuck is the right treatment option for you.