Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)
An abdominoplasty, or “tummy tuck”, addresses excess skin +/- excess fat with diminished muscle tone which often occurs after significant weight loss or pregnancy. When evaluating a patient’s abdomen, there are 3 separate components – skin, fat, and muscles. The elasticity of the skin determines how well it will contract in response to removal of fat underneath. A patient with good skin tone may not require an abdominoplasty, but may be a better candidate for liposuction or VASER ultrasonic liposuction. In contrast, a patient with significant stretch marks and loose or hanging skin will have poor skin retraction after removal of fat and require excision of the excess skin.
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Muscle tone can be improved by exercise, but if the muscles have been stretched apart, there may be a separation between the muscles which will not improve with working out. This is known as a diastasis, and can only be corrected with surgery to narrow the bridge between the rectus abdominis (6-pack) muscles.
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Age: 40 yo
Procedures:
- Full abdominoplasty
- Flank liposuction
Time after surgery: 12 months |
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A mini-abdominoplasty is ideal for people who have a small amount of excess skin or muscle laxity below the umbilicus (belly button). The scar is limited, but the muscles can be tightened, and a small amount of skin can be removed.
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Age: 38 yo
Procedures:
- Mini-abdominoplasty
- Umbilical hernia repair
Time after surgery: 4 months |
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If a patient has a significant excess of skin +/- excess fat, a full abdominoplasty may be necessary to achieve the most dramatic improvement in body contour. The scar will extend from hip to hip, and there will be a scar around the umbilicus. On occasion, there may be a small vertical scar in the lower abdomen from the previous site of the belly button. All of these scars fade and soften over the course of a year.
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Age: 37 yo
Procedures:
- Full-abdominoplasty
- Back and flank liposuction
Time after surgery: 10 months |
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