PROCEDURES: TUMMY TUCK (ABDOMINOPLASTY)

Abdominoplasty is a surgical procedure that removes excess fat and skin that is concentrated in the abdomen. Age, fluctuations in hormones and pregnancy can often cause irreversible alterations to your stomach for those that are otherwise of normal body weight and proportion. In some cases the loosening and sagging of the abdomen can be hereditary. The tummy tuck procedure can remove excess skin and fat from the abdomen and strengthen abdominal muscles. The surgery may also somewhat improve the appearance of stretch marks, especially those located below the belly button.

The abdominoplasty procedure is most commonly performed under general anesthesia. Typically, the incision line for a tummy tuck is just above the pubic area in a horizontal hip-to-hip line. Surgeons are conscious to make sure the incision placement, and consequentially the resulting scar of the surgery, is hidden by the swimwear or underwear worn by the particular patient. Some patients have loose skin they wish to be removed above the navel. In this case, a second incision is made around the navel area so the area may be treated without any alteration to the position of the navel itself. The excess skin and fat of the lower abdomen are detached from the abdominal wall to reveal the muscles and fascia to be tightened. In the case of women who have experienced changes from pregnancy, such as diastasis, sutures may be used to repair the separate of the muscle walls in the front of the abdomen.

It is important to remember that a tummy tuck is not a surgical treatment for treating obesity. It is not an alternative to healthy living and exercise in order to lose weight. Those who intend to lose weight should postpone all forms of body contouring surgery until they have been able to maintain their weight loss. A full recovery from the adminoplasty procedure takes between three to six months, with further fading scars thereafter. The initial recovery period takes between one to four weeks, before being able to fully return to one’s daily routine. This will largely depend on the problem treated, surgical technique and other factors. If you are interested in Tummy Tuck, please schedule a consultation with our West Palm Beach plastic surgeon.