Tummy Tuck Plastic Surgery

See Before and After Pictures

CONSIDERING TUMMY TUCK (Abdominoplasty) – Excess abdominal fat is often a stubborn area that doesn’t respond well to diet and exercise. The commonly done “tummy tuck” safely and effectively removes excess fat and skin from the upper and lower abdomen and tightens the muscles thus reducing the appearance of a protruding abdomen. This procedure is used for both men and women who have large fat deposits and loose skin in the abdomen that just refuse to respond to diet and exercise. Some common causes of this problem include multiple pregnancies accompanied by weight gain and weight loss and stretched skin, loss of skin elasticity due to aging and gravity and genetic influence.

Are you a good candidate for “Tummy Tuck?”
If you are in otherwise good health but can identify with the above concerns and you have “realistic goals and expectation” … you may benefit greatly from this procedure.

The Initial Visit or Tummy Tuck Consultation
The initial visit is very important so we can evaluate your concerns, get a complete health history, discuss abdominoplasty in detail and help you arrive at the right decision for you. Then, your procedure can be customized to meet your specific needs and goals.

Preparing for your tummy tuck surgery
Following your consultation and once your decision is made, we will give you complete instructions to help you prepare for your surgery. We always recommend a nutritious diet, limiting vitamins and herbs to those okayed by the Doctor and we advise that smoking and use of alcohol can interfere with any surgical procedure and affect healing and recovery time. We advise all our patients to refrain from smoking 2 weeks prior to surgery and for 1 week following surgery.

TUMMY TUCK SURGERY OVERVIEW

Where will my surgery performed? Most of our surgeries are done at the Hawthorne Surgical Center state-of-the-art facilities.

How long will the procedure take? This always depends on the extent of the procedure – but usually 2-5 hours. A partial tummy tuck takes from 1-2 hours.

About Anesthesia … Tummy tuck is performed under “general anesthesia.”

What about recovery after tummy tuck surgery? You will be in our recovery area and be monitored at all times by our nurse who will be sure you are kept comfortable until time for you to go home This is an “outpatient” procedure – so you must have a responsible person drive you on the day of your surgery and then stay with you for 2-3 days.

How is tummy tuck surgery performed? An incision is made along the bikini line from hipbone to hipbone and the skin is separated from the abdominal wall up to your ribs. A large skin flap is lifted up to reveal the vertical abdominal muscles and then the muscles and loose tissue are pulled together and stitched in their new position. Liposuction is frequently used to remove excess fat and help with “contouring” the abdomen. The navel is brought through a small, newly created opening and once everything is lifted and stitched … the new overlying structure provides a stronger, tighter abdominal area and waistline. Immediately following surgery, we place you in a compression bandage and elevate your knees and head to reduce abdominal tension. We commonly place small drains which are removed in about a week along with surface sutures. You will be required to wear a support garment for at least 1 month.

What about after tummy tuck surgery? Most patients experience some numbness, bruising, swelling or abdominal discomfort for a few weeks and as long as 6 months. These symptoms do fade over time until you get back to normal. The customary pain described by our patients is “tightness or soreness” – which passes with time and is alleviated with pain medication if necessary.

Getting back to normal after tummy tuck surgery
Take it easy the first week. It will be challenging to stand upright for several days. But…it is most important that you begin to do so after 5-6 days. This will help prevent unnecessary backache and soreness and stiffness in other body areas as well. You may be able to return to work in two to three weeks but will be restricted from strenuous activity and lifting for about 6 weeks. Your energy level will start returning to normal in a couple weeks and you will gradually notice your bruising and swelling diminish. Watch for fluid accumulation or slow healing and report to your doctor if you notice either. Scars do fade over time….but can be quite noticeable for months, so don’t expect too much too soon.

With our years of combined, cumulative experience and use of the newest procedures and state-of-the-art technology … we anticipate great results and happy patients. We score very high on both and are confident about your outcome. We look forward to giving you a flatter, firmer, tighter stomach and a new or thinner waistline too!