Abdominoplasty – Tummy Tuck Surgery

Abdominoplasty, also known as the Tummy Tuck, removes hanging loose abdominal skin and tightens the weakened abdominal muscles. Even diligent diet and exercise, can not solve these problems, every year more than 80,000 American women and men undergo abdominal surgery.

Women and men with protruding abdomen, hanging loose abdominal skin and abdominal muscles that are weak are candidates for a full abdominal tightening.

Mini-Abdominoplasty, also known as mini – Tummy Tuck, is reserved for people who have only a limited amount of loose skin or pregnancy stretch marks in the lower abdomen, or by the pubic bone. Also, Mini Tummy Tuck usually does not involve the tightening of the abdominal muscles. Therefore, it is sometimes used in combination with liposuction for patients with high body fat, but limited abdominal looseness.

Abdominoplasty

In most cases, the women considering abdominoplasty should have no additional pregnancies, or they may have the need for a second procedure again to retighten the belly. In many cases an abdominal tightening helps get rid of pregnancy stretch marks because most of the ”stretched” skin below the navel.

During abdominoplasty, the plastic surgeon makes an incision that extends from hip to hip along the lower pubic region. A qualified plastic surgeon makes this cut so that the resulting scar is hidden under a bathing suit or undergarments.

The plastic surgeon then lifts the loose skin off the abdominal wall, and streamlines and repairs the loosened ”rectus” muscles, the muscles that normally give strength to the abdomen achieving the effect that an old-fashioned girdle would.

The umbilicus or ”navel” is separated from the abdomen, and reconnected again after the loose skin has been removed. A qualified plastic surgeons not only tightens the abdominal wall, but also pulls up and tightens the thighs and buttocks. Drains are inserted in each side of your abdomen to remove excess liquid, as it accumulates after the operation.

In a mini-Abdominoplasty, the plastic surgeon makes an incision, usually only spans the width of the pubic sector, which is similar to a C-section cut. In both procedures, patients with excessive fat in the hips and sides can have liposuction in these areas to contour them, but not in the areas of the abdomen that are being stretched as this may cause damage to the blood circulation in these areas, scarring or even skin loss.