Tummy Tuck Surgery

After you are under general anesthesia, a horizontal incision is made within or at the pubic hairline towards the hip bones. The incision is placed within the swimsuit lines. The more excess skin that exists, the longer the incision. Through this incision, the muscles can be tightened by pulling them together to achieve a flatter abdomen. The skin is pulled downward, the excess skin excised, and sutured into position. Skin with stretch marks may be completely or partially excised.... more

Surgeons may perform surgery in different ways. Yes, normally, liposuction of the abdominal area is part of the tummy tuck procedure. I have attached a video of a tummy tuck procedure. If performed correctly, the excess skin and adipose tissue should be removed and the abdominal muscles (that have most likely stretched out) should be put back together.

Liposuction has but one goal remove fat - it does NOT tighten skin nor can it repair stretched out muscles. A well-done full Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) will "take in" the looseness and stretched out muscles of the abdominal wall and thereby it will flatten the tummy and do away with the "pooch". It will narrow the waist are lift a sagging Mons pubis and COULD lift sagging anterior thighs smoothing away cellulite dimpling. Proper healing in Plastic Surgery is always a... more

Dear Silversage, I do not consider liposuction as part of a routine tummy tuck. A tummy tuck allows the surgeon to directly remove excess abdominal skin and fat, and also tighten the abdominal wall. These two actions have several effects: Tightening the abdominal wall This pulls in the abdomen (seen best on side view pictures) and corrects any bulge or diastasis that resulted from having children. If you happen to have a significant distance from your lower ribs to your pelvis (common... more

The tummy tuck (Abdominoplasty) procedure is designed to reverse the predictable changes that occur after pregnancy and/or weight gain and eventual loss. These changes include sagging skin (or skin with a loss of elasticity), excess tummy fat, and abdominal muscle separation.   Therefore, a standard tummy tuck procedure addresses these 3 anatomic changes and usually involves:    Removal of excess abdominal skin    Removal of excess... more

Modern techniques can help us combine liposuction with tummy tuck surgery safely and effectively, leading to more optimal results.

Tummy tuck (also called abdominoplasty) is a very popular cosmetic surgery procedure. A tummy tuck can be an effective tool for shaping and sculpting the body for better body appearance and improved self esteem. Sometimes no amount of diet and exercise can create a flat tummy. Tummy tuck plastic surgery actually tightens abdominal muscles and removes excess fat and skin from the stomach area to create a tighter, slimmer, smoother belly. A  tummy tuck can be combined with... more

The use of liposuction with an abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is not necessarily the standard. When the skin flap is elevated off of the abdominal wall there is a significant disruption of the blood supply. Therefore, liposuction of the abdominal flap must be done cautiously and only of the upper part of the flap. Liposuction of the inferior and inferior central part of the flap has a very high potential of leading to tissue necrosis, wound breakdown and significant contour irregularity... more

More than 90% of the time I perform a tummy tuck, I routinely perform liposuction.  The area in which I most commonly perform liposuction are the flanks.  I do not routinely perform liposuction of the skin lifted off the abdominal wall; in some patients, this can lead to an increased risk of healing.

Yes, in many instances liposuction is done at the time of abdominoplasty. There are typically 3 things that contribute to the excess contour or shape-that may be improved with an abdominoplasty and body contouring. Excess skin, excess fat and laxity of the abdominal wall. The excess skin is typically removed, the tissue(fascia) just on top of the muscles is tightened or restored to where it once was and liposuction may be done in certain areas. Many times the tummy should be thought of... more

I usually do some liposuction with a tummy tuck - especially to reduce the love handles on the sides. I do not usually suction the portion of the abdomen that I lift - it can cause an increase in healing problems.

Abdominoplasty accomplishes 3 things: First, it removes lax skin so the skin is tighter and smoother; second, it brings the muscles together in the middle if they have been pushed apart by pregnancy or weight gain; and third, it removes excess fat from the abdominal area, typically extending to the mid-lateral line (an imaginary line separating the front of the body from the back). Some patients have only the issue of skin laxity, and maybe the issue of muscle separation; others need fat... more

I did a full abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) today on a lady whose primary complaint was excessive skin and a protuberant abdominal wall. Since her abdominal flap was very thin, the only zones I liposuctioned were the lateral "dog ears" or the areas on the outside of her hips. Liposuction and tummy tucks can be combined as long as the blood supply isn't compromised, which could lead to problems with wound healing. The "ideal" surgical candidate should be close to their... more