Tummy Tuck
Can be performed for cosmetic purposes to achieve a flatter, more youthful-appearing midriff. The operation can also be medically necessary to tighten a weak abdomen that has been stretched from extreme weight or pregnancy.
This cosmetic surgery, sometimes called a “tummy tuck”, reshapes and slims the area of the body between the chest and the pelvis to give the patient a trimmer body.
How a tummy tuck is done?
Abdominoplasty is always performed under general anesthesia, which means you will be asleep during surgery. The operation takes about two hours depending on how much tissue needs to be removed. Approximately two days of hospitalization are required along with very strict limitations after surgery.
A tummy tuck is done through a long incision placed immediately above the pubic area, which extends across the lower abdomen. Through this incision the surgeon releases all of the skin and fatty tissue above the abdominal muscles, but the belly button is preserved and then brought out again through a new opening. After all of the fatty tissue and skin tissue have been released, so that the entire complex can be lifted up like an apron, the muscles themselves can be examined.
The ideal patient
The ideal patient for a tummy tuck is an individual who has lost weight, and who wants to keep that weight off after surgery. Such patients frequently have excess skin that may not be associated with any fat increase. In these cases, the excess skin can easily be removed with only a well-hidden horizontal abdominal scar and a small elliptical or circular scar around the belly button.
Patients who typically fall into this category are young women who have had pregnancies during which there was extreme abdominal skin and muscle stretching. They often have muscle weakness that can also be repaired at the time of abdominoplasty. These patients will enjoy an improved appearance and may be more comfortable afterwards. The final scar is usually at the level of the bikini line and patients can choose the position of the scar depending on the type of bikini they wear. It can be made straight across the tummy, or in a V shape, if they prefer to wear hipster bikinis.
The combination of abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) and liposuction is thoroughly covered and at the present time has become our most popular procedure.
