Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

What can a tummy tuck do for me?

An abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, is a surgical procedure to reduce skin and fat from the abdomen and to help tighten the underlying muscles of the abdominal wall. A tummy tuck is designed to smooth and firm the abdominal profile. Abdominal issues differ greatly from patient to patient, so a highly personalized approach is necessary to achieve ideal tummy tuck results.

The 4 types of abdominoplasty surgery:

Generally speaking, there are 4 unique techniques of abdominoplasty surgery:

• Mini-abdominoplasty (mini-tummy tuck) tightens the lower abdominal wall skin only (shortest scar).
• Standard abdominoplasty (traditional tummy tuck) tightens all abdominal wall skin (normal scar, generally along the natural crease in the lower abdomen).
• Extended abdominoplasty tightens the abdomen and the flanks or sides (longest scar extending around the flanks onto lower back.)
• Liposuction abdominoplasty liposuction is added to the procedure to reduce regional fat.

Get up to speed on Tummy Tuck surgery by reading our intro blog post: Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) Basics.

Are you an ideal candidate for tummy tuck surgery?

Because every patient is different in both body and aesthetic goals, Dr. Tauber and Dr. Yan take pride in customizing every treatment to your situation. This means that the three most typical causes of belly sagging (muscle weakness, excess fat, and excess skin) will be examined and your particular problems assessed before any planning is even done for your tummy tuck. Dr. Tauber or Dr. Yan will explain all your options during your consultation.

• If you have good skin elasticity and minimal amounts of excess fat, liposuction alone may be the best option for you.
• If you have minimal amounts of excess fat and skin sagging confined to the area below your belly button, a mini-tummy tuck (mini-abdominoplasty) – that may or may not include liposuction – may help to give you a tighter-looking stomach.
• For patients who suffer from muscle weakness and a more pronounced excess of skin and fat, a full abdominoplasty may be the best option.

Get more details about what makes a good Tummy Tuck candidate by reading our blog post: Do I Really Need A Tummytuck.

The Consultation

Following a thorough review of your medical history, Dr. Tauber or Dr. Yan will then take time to fully address all questions, comments, hopes, and/or concerns you may have about the tummy tuck procedure. If there is anything you aren’t perfectly clear or certain about, the 1st consultation offers a terrific opportunity to dramatically enhance your understanding of the procedure via answers custom-tailored to your unique body type and surgery goals.

After that, you and your surgeon will review before & after abdominoplasty photos of patients whose body shape, size, age, height, weight, and/or skin elasticity closely resemble your own. Many patients find this to be the most helpful part of the consultation because it helps them clearly visualize their own results. The consultation will end with a review of your surgical options, and your surgeon will offer his final opinion on what surgery plan will be best for you.

At the completion of your consultation, your patient coordinator will provide you with a written estimate which lays out the total cost of your procedure. She will also detail the cost of each aspect of the surgery (i.e. hospital fee, anesthesiologist fee, surgeon’s fee, etc.). At this time, you will also have an opportunity to schedule your procedure if you so choose. If you’d like to think things over, don’t worry – at no time will your surgeon nor any member of the staff at DeLuca Plastic Surgery – pressure or rush you into making a final decision.

Day Of Surgery

On the day of surgery, many patients are a combination of nervous and excited. They are taking their first step towards achieving the body shape they have been striving for. In the pre-op area, the surgery is reviewed and markings may be done to delineate the areas to be worked on. Surgery generally takes 2-3 hours under anesthesia. After surgery, patients wake up with dressings and a belly binder covering the surgical area. Small drains (tubes) track from under the skin to help control the fluid that escapes after surgery. Patients are very sore, discombobulated, and tired. We encourage patients to go home and get some sleep. There is a long road ahead.

The Importance of Post-Operative Care

Tummy tuck patients have 24/7 access to Dr. DeLuca and Dr. Tauber by phone and email, individually tailored recovery programs, and a post-op appointment policy that encourages patients to follow up with DeLuca Plastic Surgery at regularly scheduled intervals. Every abdominoplasty patient is required to see Dr. Tauber or Dr. Yan a day following their operation to assure that everything looks exactly as it should. Patients then typically come in for a series of post-op checkups one week, one month, three months, six months, and one year after surgery. Some patients come in more often than that, while others come in less. It’s mostly up to you. Dr. Tauber and Dr. Yan do not charge for any cosmetic post-op visits and will open up their schedules to see you anytime following your surgery.