Tummy tuck is the name given to the operation in which the skin-including the subcutaneous fat is removed and skin is sutured-also called abdominoplasty, it is a major surgical procedure requiring general anesthesia, and involves liposuction and excision to remove fat, plus a large excision of skin. The typical result is usually a flatter tummy with a large scar extending from the pubic area to the lower abdomen to anterior hips.
Before the invention of liposuction, a tummy tuck was the only surgical method for removing excessive abdominal fat. In many patients (but not all) liposuction of the abdomen can often provide equivalent or better results than a tummy tuck. Because liposuction is safer and causes less scarring compared to tummy tucks, tummy tucks are less often preferred now.