The tummy tuck is also referred to as “abdominoplasty”. The tummy-tuck is used for patients with large excesses of skin, or for those with stretched skin and poor abdominal muscle tone. The operation is also excellent for removing surgical scars and stretch marks from the lower half of the abdomen.

Description

All the abdominal skin and fat below the umbilicus is excised, and the remaining skin is stretched down over the abdomen to leave a flat, smooth contour. Simultaneously, the muscles are “tucked-in” to give a narrower and tighter waistline. Fat from the franks, better known as love handles, may be removed at the same time by liposuction. Recuperation is 1-2 weeks, but strenuous activities are discouraged for 4-6 weeks. The result is usually remarkable in that it transforms an often hanging, scarred abdomen to a flat, smooth surface.

MINI-TUCK

The mini-tuck removes resistant abdominal fat and excess skin. This is done on an outpatient basis, as it simply consists of a standard liposuction procedure combined with a small skin excision. After completing the liposuction, we remove an oval section of skin in the lower abdomen. The resulting scar is placed very low and usually well hidden by undergarments or bathing suits. Postoperative care is similar to that of abdominal liposuction except that small paper tapes, commonly called “butterflies”, are placed over the incision area. This helps to reduce the size of the final scar. An elastic binder is worn for approximately one week, and light activity may start on the day following surgery.