Tummy Tuck: Prices, Photos, Reviews, Info, Q&A

A tummy tuck operation is a surgical option for women or men who have loose skin or weak muscles in their stomach area. Loose skin usually does not respond to exercise or weight lose.

My tummy tuck operation includes the following skin removal abdominal muscle repair and liposuction under the breasts hips and pubic area so the whole area is treated with one procedure.

The tummy tuck scar is placed where the patient requests so the patients underwear or bikini covers and hides it. Most patients are able to return to work in 7-14 days. (John Ward, MD, Phoenix Plastic Surgeon)

Patients have many medical tummy tuck reasons available now for body contouring purposes. For instance, Smartlipo, or laser assisted liposuction, can be very effective in improving one’s waistline. Patients who have mostly excess subcutaneous fat and mildly loose skin are the best candidates for this procedure.

However, in females who have significant excess skin in the lower abdominal region from having children or significant weight fluctuations, the best way to improve the appearance of the waistline would be via surgical excision of the excess skin, ie abdominoplasty or tummy tuck. In general, it is is more significant operation than liposuction, but the tummy tuck scars are well concealed within the lower abdominal skin crease and around the belly button.

A detailed examination by a board certified plastic surgeon is important in order to make a proper decision regarding the appropriate procedure to realize the patient’s goals and desires. (Fernando G. Serra, MD, Clermont Plastic Surgeon)

Is Tummy Tuck for Me?

Decide how much the appearance of your post-partum abdomen bothers you…. Enough to improve it with tummy tuck surgery that will last at least two hours, cost several thousand dollars, necessitate several weeks of recovery, and result in a permanent scar across the lower abdomen? If you are that dissatisfied, are relatively certain your pregnancies are behind you, and you want a flatter tummy for life, then go for it.

See several surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery to educate yourself, develop appropriate expectations, and choose the right doctor for you.

If after these consultations and looking at before and after pictures you are inclined against surgery, than put it off. (Steve Laverson, MD, San Diego Plastic Surgeon)

It is difficult for patients to know whether a tummy tuck or liposuction alone is the best medical tummy tuck reason for them. If ther is loose, or stretchmarked damaged skin, liposuction will not improve that appearance, and a tummy tuck should be entertained. If the skin is good quality and not significantly loose, liposuction alone can remove the fat underneath the skin and create a nice result. In some women,

following pregnancy, the muscles that hold the abdomen flat become stretched out, and no longer work as a girdle. The lower abdomen then protrudes forward, even if there is no excess fat. During a tummy tuck, this muscular gap is repaired with a permanent stitch, so that the abdomen is flat again. I generally also liposuction the lower back and upper buttock region at the time of tummy tuck so that the contour improvement is circumferential and looks natural. (Patti A. Flint, MD, Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon)

A tummy tuck is a wonderful procedure designed to improve the contour of the abdominal area. The best candidate for a tummy tuck is someone who has loose skin and a loose abdominal muscle wall (which causes the bulging stomach). Despite the claims of many personal trainers, exercise and diet will not address the loose or excess skin and bulging muscles. These issues can be corrected with a tummy tuck procedure in which the excess skin is removed, the muscle wall tightened (to provide a flatter abdominal contour) and excess fat, if necessary can be removed with liposuction.
(Louis DeLuca, MD, Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon)

There are many medical tummy tuck reasons for patients interested in body-contouring procedures. If a patient is concerned about the anterior abdominal region, some options include liposuction, mini-abdominoplasty, and full-abdominoplasty. Liposuction (the aspiration of adipose tissue/fat) is primarily used for patients who have good skin elasticity, a minimal amount of excess/loose skin, and no rectus diastasis (weakened abdominal muscles).

One way to help determine if the skin has lost elasticity, is to check for stretch marks. If you have significant amount of stretch marks, then chances are that the skin will not contract appreciably after liposuction.

There are several other new techniques using lasers (SmartLipo, etc.) that heat up the dermis prior to fat aspiration that might help reorganize the dermal collagen and tighten the skin, but in my opinion, these technques are good for mild to moderate loose skin and limited to very specific areas of concern.

A mini-abdominoplasty is good for patients who have excess skin and fat limited to the region between the belly button and pubic hairline.

Some rectus abdominis muscle tightening can also be performed with a mini-abdominoplasty, but this is limited to the region between the belly button and pubic hairline. Many surgeons combine liposuction to the flanks and epigastric region with a mini-abdominoplasty as well. If a patient has a moderate to severe amount of excess skin and fat, significant rectus diastasis (loose abdominal muscles), and excess skin in the upper abdominal region then a full-abdominoplasty would be indicated.

In general, if you can almost touch your fingers when pinching the skin from just above your belly button to your pubic hairline from a sitting position, then you may be a good candidate for a full-abdominoplasty.

The full-abdominoplasty can tighten the rectus muscles from your xiphoid (the inferior edge of your breastbone) to the pubic region. Many surgeons also combine liposuction to the flanks during a full-abdominoplasty.

With that said, you should have a formal consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon to see which of the aforementioned techniques or combination thereof will be the most appropriate for you. Also, when considering an abdominoplasty, you should be as close to your ideal BMI (25) as possible. Surely have a BMI less then 30 prior to an abdominoplasty. It is a safer procedure, less wound complications, and a better cosmetic result. (Peter Ashjian, MD, Glendale Plastic Surgeon)