TUMMY TUCK (Abdominoplasty) Surgery

The best candidates for abdominoplasty are men or women who are in relatively good shape but are bothered by a large fat deposit or loose abdominal skin that won't respond to diet or exercise. The surgery is particularly helpful to women who, through multiple pregnancies, have stretched their abdominal muscles and skin beyond the point where they can return to normal. Loss of skin elasticity in older patients, which frequently occurs with slight obesity, can also be improved.

Patients who intend to lose a lot of weight should postpone the surgery. Also, women who plan future pregnancies should wait, as vertical muscles in the abdomen that are tightened during surgery can separate again during pregnancy. If you have scarring from previous abdominal surgery, your doctor may recommend against abdominoplasty or may caution you that scars could be unusually prominent.

Abdominoplasty can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence, but it won't necessarily change your looks to match your ideal, or cause other people to treat you differently. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with your surgeon.

This is not a scar-free surgery; in fact the scars may be quite severe depending upon the amount of skin needed to be removed, your body's ability to heal, if you scar well, the skill of the surgeon and the technique utilized. Most surgeons choose to offer their patients lesser scarring techniques that leave a well-hidden horizontal or slightly bowed scar which can be covered by a standard bikini. Be sure to discuss the incision types, techniques and placements with your surgeon at your consultation. Ideally, no scar would be wonderful, but that isn't possible - yet.

Tummy tucks come in a variety of forms. The following is the terminology that may be used. These words symbolize the different combinations that are possible with your skin, fat and muscle. (What procedure is best suited for you will depend on your anatomy.)

If, for example, your fat deposits are limited to the area below the navel, you may require a less complex procedure called a partial abdominoplasty, also known as a mini-tummy tuck, which is usually performed on an outpatient basis. This procedure usually leaves the belly button in its current place and removes the fat below the navel, tightening the muscles but only from the navel to the pubis. This procedure is frequently performed with liposuction to obtain the best results.

In the Complete Tummy Tuck procedure, we create a new belly button and tighten the muscles from the lower chest area to the pubis. The scar is usually from hip to hip. Liposuction is usually performed at the same time to create a nice contour. Although this is up to the individual surgeon, in our practice liposuction is routinely performed.

An extended tummy tuck is an excellent option for patients who have lost a substantial amount of weight whether through bariatric surgery or a strict regimen of diet and exercise. Such a weight loss often leaves the abdominal and lower back skin looking stretched and loose; in some case this skin can weight several pounds. In order to leave a nice contour, our scar needs to be extended beyond the hip area and extend more towards the back. Again in this case the physician will tighten the abdomen muscles to create a narrower waist and create a new belly button. Liposuction is usually performed at the same time to create a nice contour. Although this is up to the individual surgeon, in our practice liposuction is routinely performed in order to give the patient optimum results.

A circumferential tummy tuck is usually for someone who has lost a great deal of weight and fat (usually after gastric bypass surgery) and now has loose overhanging skin all around the body. In order to create a nice contour we need to extend the scar all around the waist line. This allows us to lift the outer thigh and buttock creating a smoother nicer look. Also the abdomen muscles are tightened and the new belly button is created.