Tummy tuck

WHO COULD BENEFIT?

Individuals with loose or sagging skin on their abdomen.

Individuals with bulging of their abdomen due to excessive laxity or separation of the muscles of the abdominal wall.

Women or men who are unable to flatten their abdominal wall or tighten the skin skin with exercise.

THE GOALS:

A smoother flatter abdomen.

An abdomen with tighter skin.

A better defined waste line.

THE PROCEDURE:

We perform the procedure with IV sedation and local anesthesia, or general anesthesia.

Relatively younger and heathier patients are able to go home on day of surgery, while those with significant surgical risks stay overnight in the hospital.

There are multiple versions of an abdominoplasty (major abdominoplasty, modified abdominoplasty and mini abdominoplasty), based on the specific problems the patients presents and the goals of surgery. We can removed the excess skin. We can tighten the deep muscle layer. We can simultaneously perform liposuction.

In most cases, the incisions run along the pubic hair line and exends towards the lower waisteline, within the bikini line. Occasionally, when there is a large amount of excess skin in the horizontal direction, we have to make a vertical incision in addition to the lower, horizontal one.

POST-OP RECOVERY:

As mentioned above, some patients are able to go home on the day of surgery while other must stay overnight in the hospital.

Most patients must keep their hips and knees flexed at all times during the first week or two after surgery.

Most patients must wear a specialized post-operative garment to control selling and/or protect the deep muscle repair.

All patients are walking around the house the day after sugery and resuming light activities in 3-7 days. Patients who only have their skin tightened can resume restricted work in 7-10 days and full work and even strenuous physlical activity in in approximately 2-3 weeks. Patients who have their muscles tighten must refrain from strenuous physical activity for 4-6 weeks.

OTHER POSSIBILITIES:

Additional procedures that may enhance the result are liposuction, breast enlargement, breast reduction, or a thigh lift.

INSURANCE?

Rarely, if the abdominoplasty is being performed for medical reasons, the procedure may be partially covered by insurance. Usually, the patient is responsible for payment.

NOTE

The suitability of abdominoplasty for an individual is determined during the office consultation. All procedures have risks. Minor complications do occur occasionally. Major complications are rare.