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"Tummy-Tuck" (Abdominoplasty)

Abdominoplasty ("tummy-tuck") is a procedure for flattening and tightening the abdominal contour. Abdominoplasty candidates include those persons with sagging abdominal skin, stretch marks, or weakened abdominal muscles as can occur after pregnancy or weight loss. Tightening abdominal wall muscles and removing excess skin and fat can create the flatter, smoother abdominal appearance that exercise and dieting may not. The presence of many stretch marks on the belly skin or a large amount of overhanging skin and fat (panniculus) makes a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) the procedure of choice when simple liposuction may not be enough to address skin laxity. Large volume weight loss resulting in large amounts of excess skin, such as that following bariatric surgery (gastric bypass and gastric banding), may also require abdominoplasty to produce the more shapely contour desired.

Pre-operative Consultation

We wish to help you decide on the best treatment program tailored to your individual needs. During your consultation our doctors will address your abdominal contour cosmetic concerns and will advise you on the various abdominoplasty techniques available for their correction. In general, a full abdominoplasty consists of mobilization of the abdominal skin wall away from the underlying rectus abdominis muscle, freeing up the belly button and sliding the wall in a downward direction with removal of excess skin from the area immediately above the pubic region. The muscle wall is reinforced with sutures and a new opening for the belly button is created. Modified, lesser versions of a tummy tuck avoid the mobilization of the belly button and avoid the re-enforcement of the muscle wall. Although our doctors will provide you with their recommendations for your treatment, you will be empowered to make an informed decision about those procedures best for you. While tightening of the rectus abdominis muscles of the belly wall is not necessary in all cases of a tummy tuck, the results tend to be enhanced when the belly wall is reconstructed and tightened.

Surgery & Anesthesia

Our goal is to perform all surgeries in the safest manner, with the least amount of discomfort or anesthetic side-effects. Our doctors perform tummy tucks (abdominoplasty) most commonly under general anesthesia although sedation "twilight sleep" anesthesia is possible in some patients. Please refer to the section on Anesthesia and Pre-operative instructions for further information. The exact technique of abdominoplasty to be used is chosen by you and our doctors during the pre-operative consultation. We often perform an abdominoplasty along with liposuction of the epigastric (upper belly) and the "love handle" region.

The abdominoplasty incision extends across the lower abdomen toward the back. Its exact length depends on the width of the skin between the belly button and the pubic region to be excised in order to re-establish tightness of the belly skin envelope. The scar is designed to be covered by most clothing and bathing suits. Drains which remain in place for about seven to ten days are inserted for drainage of accumulated fluid. No drains are needed when the technique of lipo-abdominoplasty is used.

After Your Surgery

Most patients are discharged home after a 45 to 60 minute stay in the recovery room at the Bel-Red Center for Aesthetic Surgery. Post-operative discomfort is controlled with prescribed narcotic pain medications and muscle relaxants. A check-up visit with our doctors occurs the next day, and most patients take about one week off from work and avoid strenuous activities for three to four weeks. The drains are removed at seven to then days as are some of the sutures. Final cosmetic result is not achieved until three to four months when the residual changes resolve.