Tummy Tuck Surgery (Abdominoplasty)
Tummy Tuck Featured Surgeons
Tummy Tuck Overview
Tummy tuck surgery has progressed in recent times, and now there are a variety of different tummy tuck procedures that can help you achieve the body you have always wanted. Are you unsatisfied with the shape of your tummy? Have dieting and exercise failed to give you a flat tummy? Tummy tuck surgery can give you the shape you desire.
If you are an adult in overall good health and close to your medically determined weight, you should consider the different types of tummy tuck procedures available. Tummy tuck surgery helps by removing the stubborn excess skin around the abdominal area that cannot be shed through regular exercise. Having the tummy tuck procedure performed dramatically reduces a protruding abdomen—with dramatic effects. Tummy tuck surgery will solve the loose skin problem on your belly.
Tummy Tuck Benefits
Consider the benefits after having tummy tuck surgery:- look more attractive
- improve your health
- wear clothes comfortably that you weren't able to wear before
- have a positive attitude about yourself
- raise your confidence and improve your outlook on life
Tummy Tuck is a surgical procedure which is also known as abdominoplasty. It is a procedure where excess skin is removed from the abdomen. The tummy tuck procedure helps tighten the skin and return it to a flatter, smoother, youthful look that will not only make you look good, but it will also make you feel good about yourself and your newly tummy tucked appearance.
Tummy Tuck Surgery
Tummy tuck surgery usually takes about two to five hours depending on the extent of your tummy tuck procedure. Tummy tuck surgery begins with the tummy tuck surgeon making a long incision across the abdomen from hip bone to hip bone at the bottom part of the abdomen right above the pubic area. A second tummy tuck incision is made around the belly button to free it from the abdominal tissue. Next, the tummy tuck surgeon separates the skin from the abdominal wall to the ribs and lifts a large skin flap to reveal the vertical muscles in the abdomen.
Tummy tuck is performed by tightening the muscles by pulling them close together and stitching them into their new position, which provides a firmer abdominal wall and a thinner waist. The skin flap is stretched down and the excess skin and fat is removed. A new opening is cut on the skin for the repositioning of the belly button. The belly button will need a new opening because it's necessary to free the navel from the surrounding tissue. The belly button position will complete your newly formed tummy tuck to give your tummy a natural look.
If you are pregnant, then you should postpone your plan for tummy tuck.
You should consult the surgeon if there are any questions or doubts regarding a tummy tuck surgery. Make all the inquiries about the tummy tuck procedure before you decide to have one. After you are fully informed and have all the details, you can be prepared for the operation.
Tummy Tuck Precautions
You will be given a set of instructions about tummy tuck healing and recovery from your tummy tuck surgeon. Tummy Tuck Recovery page on the left menu has more information on the tummy tuck surgery recovery process. Typically, after major tummy tuck surgery you should always avoid any kind of heavy activities like exercising and driving until your tummy tuck recovery time has ended. Average tummy tuck recovery takes at least two to four weeks after your tummy tuck surgery.
Tummy Tuck surgery involves risks you should consider. Tummy Tuck Risks page on the left menu has more information about the risks associated with tummy tuck surgery. The more prepared you are for tummy tuck surgery, the more likely your tummy tuck surgery will be a success.
TummyTuckGuide.com provides the latest information about different tummy tuck procedures, risks, costs, and everything else you need to know before scheduling your consultation with a tummy tuck surgeon. Tummy Tuck Guide is here to help you make a well-informed decision about your future tummy tuck procedure.
Tummy Tuck: Get A Flatter Tummy
Abdominoplasty or a Tummy Tuck is a procedure designed to give you a tighter and firmer tummy. During the tummy tuck procedure, the loose skin and excess fat are removed and the muscles are stretched and tightened to give the patient a flatter looking tummy. In most cases, a tummy tuck is performed in conjunction with liposuction to give the patient optimum results.
Tummy Tuck Procedure Length
The average surgery time for a tummy tuck is between two to five hours. Please keep in mind that the procedure time will vary from patient to patient. The time it takes to perform the tummy tuck surgery is also highly related to your tummy tuck technique used and the tummy tuck surgeon’s skill level. In addition, a tummy tuck surgery time will be prolonged if it is performed in conjunction with another procedures, such as liposuction or breast augmentation.
Tummy Tuck Cost
The cost of a tummy tuck ranges from about $4,000 to $15,000. Please keep in mind that every case is different. The cost of a tummy tuck is affected by many factors, such as: the tummy tuck surgeon’s skills and experience, the area where you live, the extent of your tummy tuck procedure among other factors.
Why Get A Tummy Tuck?
Pregnancy, weight loss, weight gain, and age are some of the most common causes of an unflattering waistline or tummy. Sometimes, it is impossible for people to to flatten their stomachs with traditional methods, such as diet and exercise. In the cases where there is an excess of loose skin, it is impossible for patients to get rid of this excess skin by themselves. A tummy tuck presents a great solution for solving these issues with a surgical procedure that is safe, affordable, effective.
If you are self-conscious about the appearance of your stomach, the presence of loose skin in the abdominal area or a prominent pooch, then tummy tuck is a great way to correct these issues and achieve a better looking, flatter stomach.
The first step to getting a tummy tuck is by setting up a consultation with a tummy tuck surgeon. To learn more about this procedure and how you can benefit from it, use our tummy tuck surgeon locator to find a specialist in your area!
Considering a Tummy Tuck?
Getting a tummy tuck is a decision that should not be taken lightly. Tummy tuck is a surgical procedure that offers great benefits to the patients that get it done. Since large incisions will be made to the body and muscles in the abdominal area, it is highly recommended that patients arrange for someone to help them following the surgery. It is ideal to have someone help you for at least the first three days to a week after a tummy tuck surgery.
Tummy Tuck & Pregnancy
Additionally, patients considering a tummy tuck should be aware that pregnancy will affect the results achieved with this procedure. Tummy tuck is a procedure highly recommended for women who have had children and are certain that they will not get pregnant again. In the case that you do get pregnant, please be aware that that you will most likely need a tummy tuck revision in order to achieve a flat tummy again.
Tummy Tuck Techniques
There are several tummy tuck techniques available today. Each tummy tuck technique is designed to address the different degrees of a prominent stomach and loose skin in the abdominal area.
Mini Tummy Tuck
The mini tummy tuck is a technique requires a horizontal incision above the pubic area. The size of the incision ranges from just a few inches to a much larger incision that expands across the abdomen, depending on the extent of the tummy tuck. The surgeon will then use this incision to remove the excess skin, tighten the loose muscles and use liposuction to contour the area (if needed). This tummy tuck technique does not involve an incision around the belly button.
The mini tummy tuck technique works best for people who carry excess fat and skin on the lower part of the abdomen, just below the belly button.
This procedure is highly recommended for people whose abdominal problems are not severe, and who are otherwise in good shape, but have not been able to get rid of their protruding stomach and excess belly fat with diet and exercise alone.
The mini tummy tuck is the technique with the lowest cost due to its simplicity when compared to other tummy tuck techniques.
Extended Tummy Tuck (High Lateral Abdominoplasty)
This tummy tuck procedure is recommended for patients who have excess skin and fat located around the love handle and hip areas. The extended tummy tuck requires the scar to be longer than the mini tummy tuck scar. The larger scar allows the tummy tuck surgeon to remove larger amounts of excess skin. An extended tummy tuck is a great procedure for those patients where liposuction alone will not correct the problems on their love handles and hips.
Full Tummy Tuck
This is the most extensive type of tummy tuck. It is highly recommended for cases that are more severe - where bulging fat and sagging skin is highly prominent. The Full tummy tuck technique requires an incision on the belly button additionally, to the incision across the lower abdomen. During a full tummy tuck, the excess skin is removed, the loose muscles are tightened, and if needed, liposuction will be performed to remove the excess fat.
It is highly likely that your tummy tuck surgeon will place drainage tubes in the area to facilitate the evacuation of liquids, and facilitate healing after the tummy tuck surgery.
A full tummy tuck is an extensive surgery that removes the excess skin from the belly button to the pubic area that has been affected by: one or more pregnancies, weight gain and/or loss, obesity or genetic laxity. This is the most expensive and extensive type of tummy tuck.
Tummy Tuck: After A Pregnancy
Even if they lose the "baby weight" after a pregnancy, some women may carry the extra fat and skin on their stomach or a paunch that just won’t budge. Also, weight fluctuations, lax muscle tissue and excess fat can produce a prominent stomach. A tummy tuck is a procedure that can address those problems and can help you achieve a flat, tight and smooth looking stomach after childbirth.
During pregnancy, the muscles and the skin surrounding the abdomen are stretched. Many women find that after a pregnancy, even if they are at a low weight, the stretched muscles and skin will not bounce back. A tummy tuck is the cosmetic procedure designed to correct both bulging from muscle separation and the presence of excess skin.
Every tummy tuck is different. Therefore, a tummy tuck consultation is necessary in order to know if you are a good candidate for this procedure and to learn what results you can expect from a tummy tuck.
Your tummy tuck experience will never be exactly like someone else’s. The need for the tummy tuck surgery and the possible outcomes from it are highly related to: your genetics, your history of weight fluctuation, your skin’s elasticity, and your tummy tuck surgeon’s experience and surgical technique used.
Just like with any plastic or cosmetic procedure, patients must maintain realistic expectations about the possible results from their surgery. If a patient is realistic about the results that he or she can obtain from a tummy tuck, he or she will have more chances of a successful and fulfilling outcome.
Tummy Tuck Candidate
A tummy tuck is a procedure that is recommended for people who suffer from excess skin and fat on and around the abdomen, love handle and hip areas, and a have prominent pouch in the abdominal area. Tummy tuck is recommended for women who are not planning on getting pregnant again.
A tummy tuck is not recommended as a weight loss technique for patients who suffer from obesity. Tummy tucks are usually performed in conjunction with liposuction in order to remove the fat from the patient’s body.
If you suffer additionally from severe excess skin around the back area, then a body lift procedure might be the right choice for you. Body lift surgery is ideal for patients who suffered from morbid obesity and have undergone weight loss treatments and have lost massive amounts of weight.
Tummy Tuck Recovery
This procedure is performed under general anesthesia. The patient will be put to sleep and will not feel anything during the tummy tuck surgery.During the first week after the surgery, a patient can expect to feel discomfort, limited mobility and soreness. It is important for patients to try to stand completely upright and walk during this time. By doing this, the patient will help prevent the formation of blood clots in their legs.
Most patients will be back to sedentary work within two weeks after their tummy tuck surgery - and will be back to normal in six to eight weeks. Patients will start to notice results within two to three weeks after their procedure, once the swelling has gone down. It may take up to six months for the patient to fully recover and see the full benefits of the tummy tuck procedure.
Most tummy tuck surgeons use preemptive analgesia when performing this procedure. This type of analgesic has a long lasting effect, and therefore will help reduce pain during the first days after the tummy tuck surgery.
Depending on the extent of the tummy tuck, the surgeon may place a pain pump in order to help the patient feel more comfortable after the surgery. A pain pump is a device that delivers pain medication internally in time intervals to the threaded area; especially the first days after the tummy tuck surgery.
Tummy Tuck Results
Tummy tuck is a procedure that will give you lasting results as long as you maintain a stable weight and do not get pregnant after the surgery.
The best way to maintain the results from a tummy tuck is to keep an active lifestyle and maintain a healthy diet. If you do this, then you will enjoy the benefits of your tummy tuck for a very long time!
Find Out More About Tummy Tuck Surgery
For more information on tummy tuck surgery, see the menu items to the left. You should take a look on the experience of the surgeon, license and and all the information you can find. To find a tummy tuck doctor near you, use our tummy tuck surgeon locator
Achieve a better you: Find Out More About This Procedure!
Choosing to have this procedure is an important decision. Like any other medical procedure, tummy tuck provides different benefits, risks, and considerations. Making an informed decision is a very important part of the process. It will not only assure that you are getting all the benefits from this procedure, but it will also help you find the right surgeon for you; increase your chances of having a smooth recovery; obtaining the best results and achieving complete personal satisfaction.
Use the menu options on the left of our site to learn more, including if you are a good candidate. Then you can review all the information on our site and decide if you are ready to get tummy tuck. If you are sure about the procedure and that you want to get it done; the next step is to find that you want to perform your procedure. Visit the different physicians websites, read their credentials and browse their before and after photos. Once you have chosen a surgeon the next step is to schedule a consultation. In most cases you can call the doctor's office or send them an e-mail or use a contact form on their site to find out more information or schedule a consultation.
During the consultation; you will be examined and you can talk to your surgeon about how the procedure will be performed; what to expect, how long it takes, how long is the recovery process and if there are any special considerations about you case. Make sure that all your questions are answered and that you are fully aware of all possible complications and have realistic expectations about the results that can be obtained.
In some cases, a person might not be a good candidate for the procedure, the procedure may represent big risks for them or the results that can be achieved might not be significant. In this case you can explore with your doctor other alternatives to tummy tuck that can give you similar results without any problems. Please keep in mind that every person is different and that each body can react differently to each procedure. That is why is so imperative that an expert and skilled specialist evaluates your case and performs this procedure.
If you are unsure about getting tummy tuck; you can continue your research, talk to accountancies that may have had this procedure. People who have had this procedure done can tell you more about their experience, how they feel about the procedure and the doctor that performed. In some cases a second opinion from another physician can answer questions; clear doubts and help you make a clearer decision.
After your procedure remember that all recoveries are different. If someone you know has had tummy tuck performed they can let you know about their experience but it does not mean that your results will be the same, not that your recovery will be the same either. Some people are more sensitive to pain that others, some recover faster while others recover slowly; and in very few cases there may be complications. Having the best physicians will lower your changes of complications and increase your chances of success.
Use our surgeon locator to find a tummy tuck surgeon near you.
In most cases, complimentary treatments before or after this procedure can help you also achieve faster and better results. Ask your doctor about available treatments and how you can benefit from them.
After your procedure follow the doctor's instructions carefully and consistently. These recommendations are meant to make sure that you have minimal discomfort after the procedure, minimize the risk of infection and other complications and that you heal fast among others. Failure to follow these instructions can create severe problems for your health, make your recovery low and painful and interfere with the expected results. Be especially careful about any prescription medications especially when it comes to the time when you are to take them and any other instruction. Your doctor will most likely ask you to abstain from alcohol, smoking and any other substances that may interfere with your recovery for a short period of time.
You can also ask your doctor about any side effects after the procedure or with any of the medications prescribed in case of any; and how to reduce these side effects. Remember that your doctor may perform the procedure, but it is your body and your health and your responsibility to follow his or her recommendations.
Always remember that the objective of tummy tuck is to help solve a problem or need. Having this procedure done does not change nor defines who you are. The goal is to allow you to life a happier live by correcting a situation that causes either discomfort, pain or other problems in your life; and allowing you to feel better about yourself.