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 Before & After Examples · Back to More Procedures  

Once stretched by pregnancy or weight gain, the abdomen often fails to return to its original shape. Stretched beyond the capacity to return to normal, these tissues will also fail to respond to exercise or diet programs. In these cases, abdominoplasty can provide a long-lasting solution. Abdominoplasty (commonly called a tummy tuck) is a frequently performed procedure used to tighten overly stretched abdominal muscles and skin for a smoother, flatter appearance.

Best Candidates for Abdominoplasty
In general, the best candidates for abdominoplasty are:

• 18 years of age or older

• Mature enough to fully understand the procedure

• In relatively good shape, except for the abdominal area

• Not pregnant or planning to become pregnant

• Not severely overweight

• Not planning to lose a considerable amount of weight

• In good health

• Wanting to improve their appearance and/or comfort

• Realistic in their expectations

Note: If you have scarring from previous abdominal surgery, your doctor may recommend against abdominoplasty or may caution you that scars could be unusually prominent.

The surgery
There are several different abdominoplasty techniques. The most common procedure is performed under general anesthesia and generally takes about 2-5 hours, depending on the extent of the repair. A partial abdominoplasty takes about 1 or 2 hours.

In the full abdominoplasty procedure, an incision is made across the lower abdomen, just above the pubic area. Another incision is made around the belly button to free the surrounding skin, and the all of the skin is separated from the abdominal wall. Then the surgeon pulls the loose muscles from the left and the right sides and sutures them together. This tightens the muscles to create a stronger abdominal wall and a smaller waist. Excess skin is removed, and a new opening is made for the belly button at the right position. The incisions are closed with sutures (stitches) and/or staples, and gauze is placed over the incision area.

If your only problem area is below the belly button, you may benefit from a less complex procedure called a partial abdominoplasty, which can often be performed on an outpatient basis, under local anesthetic, such as that used by dentists. Or, your surgeon may recommend either a partial or complete abdominoplasty done in conjunction with liposuction to remove fat deposits from the hips, for a better body contour. Sometimes liposuction alone offers the best results.

One overnight hospital stay after the surgery is most common. If the area of repair is minimal, you may be able to go home the same day. This is usually discussed and decided by the surgeon during the initial consultation.