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Extending Tummy Tuck to Remove Excess Skin?

I had a Tummy Tuck 2 years ago to tighten excess skin after losing a substantial amount of weight. I am very satisfied with the results as it achieved the desired effect at the abdominal area.

However, there's still some lax skin in the area where the tummy tuck did not extend; towards the sides and back. It's not severe but I was wondering if that could be removed now as well.

Could this be done under local anesthesia? It's not a large area as the original Tummy Tuck extended at least halfway along my sides.

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5 Doctor Answers | Asked by dvcwlc in San Diego, CA

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Removal of loose skin on the sides after a tummy tuck

This is a fairly common issue with a tummy tuck after substantial weight loss. This problem can be remedied by continuing the abdominal incision laterally and posteriorly to excise the redundant skin/fat excess. If the amount of skin/fat to be removed is small, this can certainly be done under local anesthesia in office. However, the final determination of how best to perform this procedure (local or general anesthesia) should be left to your surgeon.

Local anesthesia is possible, but general is better

The incisions can be extended around your sides and onto the back to remove excess skin. The best result would require a good dissection of all the excess skin in order to remove it -- too much to do under local anesthesia. If the excess skin looks more like large dog ears which can occur after tummy tuck, then that removal can be done under local anesthesia. Be sure to discuss the options with your surgeon.

A circumferential incision may be the answer

It is not unusual for women to notice some skin laxity along the hips after the correction has been done on the abdomen. If you are able to grab a hand full of skin at the end of the abdominoplasty incision then you would benefit by extending the skin removal around your back. Some times this is done at the same time as a circumferential abdominoplasty, other times it is staged as a second procedure. The skin removal can be all the way around or it can be done in a lesser manner where the... more

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Extending Tummy Tuck for Loose Skin

Most plastic surgeons can offer you a correction under local anesthesia, especially if it is for dog ears. However I think you may be requesting more of a correction than what can be performed under local anesthesia. If there is residual loose skin it is best treated under anesthesia to aggressively correct the areas of concern. If you have lost alot of weight you may be best served with an extended tummy tuck or even a lower body lift, which are performed in the operating room under... more

Loose skin on sides after tummy tuck

The short answer is yes, your plastic surgeon can tighten these areas. The scar would extend more towards the back. Most surgeons would probably perform it under general anesthesia. Patients are usually very satisfied with the results of this surgery. Tracy M. Pfeifer, MD, MS

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