Tummy Tuck

A tummy tuck, also called abdominoplasty, is designed to give you a smoother, flatter abdomen. The procedure removes excess abdominal skin and may also reduce fat and tighten the muscles of your abdominal wall. It frequently is performed to correct the muscle weakness and loose skin that can occur following multiple pregnancies or significant weight loss.

Abdominoplasty may be done on an outpatient basis or during a brief hospital stay. Generally, a horizontal incision is made just within or above your pubic area. The contour of this incision may vary. The resulting scar is permanent, but your plastic surgeon will try to place it within the lines of the type of bathing suit or undergarments that you typically wear.

If you have loose skin above your navel (belly button), your surgeon may make a second incision around your navel so that the skin can be pulled down and the excess removed. The position of your navel will not change. If there are stretch marks on your lower abdomen, these may be removed. Any remaining stretch marks may be somewhat flattened, but don’t expect a dramatic improvement.

Abdominoplasty sometimes may be combined with lipoplasty to achieve the best results. If your skin laxity and muscle weakness are limited to the area below the navel, you may be a good candidate for a modified abdominoplasty
that leaves a shorter scar and requires no incision around the navel. Another technique for minimizing scars uses an endoscope; this procedure may be an option if you have only a minimal amount of excess skin and muscle laxity.

The day after surgery, you will be encouraged to get out of bed and walk for short periods to promote blood circulation. You may be instructed to wear a support garment for several weeks. You will need to avoid strenuous activity for a while but should be able to return to work within several weeks.

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