What's involved with a Tummy Tuck?
A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, involves removing the excess skin and fat from the lower part of the abdomen (from the belly button downward) to improve the shape and contour of the lower belly, and make it flatter and more attractive. During the procedure, the gap between the rectus abdominus muscles (also known as your ‘abs’) is also typically tightened to provide a flatter abdomen that corrects any bulging. This is called a rectus diastasis repair and can make a significant difference to the contour and shape of the belly.
Women who have been pregnant, or those individuals who have lost a significant amount of weight frequently develop excess loose skin and fat of the lower abdomen that simply does not disappear with diet and exercise, despite even the best efforts to get rid of it. This is because of a process called ’tissue expansion’ in which the skin, fat, and abdominal muscles have stretched out and then after becoming deflated later on, the stretched out loose tissue is unable to return to its previous contour. Many times, patients will have wrinkled skin, stretch marks, and extra skin and fat that can easily be pinched. Even simple aging can contribute to unwanted abdominal tissue laxity.
When the rectus muscles have separated there is often weakness of the abdominal wall causing significant bulging, such that even smaller patients may appear to have a ‘bulging belly.’ The rectus diastasis repair that is done in conjunction with the abdominoplasty helps to greatly improve this problem.
A tummy tuck can dramatically improve your self-esteem and make you feel more confident about your body. Many mothers find that they are finally able to get their pre-pregnancy body back. Dr. Sharma will sit down with you to discuss your goals for the surgery and review in detail how the procedure is performed to get you the look you deserve.
Incisions are typically placed along the lower part of the abdomen where a C-section scar is typically found. The scar extends from hip to hip. The scar line is place low down and can be well hidden when wearing underwear or a swimsuit. There is also a scar around the belly button, since it is re-positioned after removing the excess loose tissue. Dr. Sharma will discuss the pros and cons of the surgery and develop a treatment plan that best suits your individual needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Am I a Good Candidate?
Good candidates for this procedure are men or women who:
- are self-conscious about the appearance of their abdomen and wish to improve their shape and figure
- may be embarrassed to wear certain types of clothing or a bathing suit that reveals excess skin and fat tissue
- are physically healthy to undergo surgery, do not smoke, and have realistic expectations
- have gained and then lost a significant amount of central abdominal weight (such as previous pregnancies, massive weight loss following bariatric surgery, or moderate weight loss from diet and exercise)
- have unwanted stretch marks, skin indentations, wrinkles, rolls, bulging, C-section scars, other surgical scars, or tattoos on the abdomen that they wish to have removed
- are at a stable weight and do not have any further plans for significant weight loss or gain
- are not planning to have any further pregnancies
- are tired of being unable to get rid of the excess tissue by diet and exercise
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What are the important considerations?
There are a variety of factors that go into making a decision about a tummy tuck. Most often a full tummy tuck with correction of the separated muscles is required, however some patients may only need removal of skin and fat of the lower abdomen, called a mini-abdominoplasty. Other patients, particularly the ones who have had massive weight loss, may need tissue to be removed both horizontally and vertically, using a ‘fleur-de-lis’ incision pattern to correct the tissue laxity. Dr. Sharma will discuss your options with you in order to get you your desired look. Sometimes liposuction may be combined with a tummy tuck procedure to remove unwanted fat around the waistline, hips, and flanks, in order to get the look you want. It is important to remember that a tummy tuck is not a substitute for weight loss and a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Patients are often extremely happy with their results after a tummy tuck, since this operation has the ability to dramatically improve one’s shape and figure, with a flatter more toned look to the abdomen, and removal of the extra sagging tissue. It also has the added benefit of improving the look of the belly button. Sometimes, with aging, pregnancy, or weight fluctuations, the belly button’s shape can be elongated or distorted and can appear deep and hidden. The tummy tuck can significantly improve the look of the belly button too, so that you look and feel your best in a bathing suit.
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