bdominoplasty (or “Tummy Tuck”) is a commonly performed body-contouring procedure intended to restore the abdomen after changes due to time, pregnancy or weight changes. Abdominoplasty is not intended for weight-reduction.
The best patients are within 10-15% of their ideal body weight with good diet and exercise habits. Most patients are active and exercise regularly, but cannot improve the shape of their abdomen by diet and exercise alone.
In almost all cases, abdominoplasties can be performed in our outpatient surgical center, The Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery. Sometimes it is necessary to perform the surgery in the hospital with a short overnight stay for monitoring. The operation is done under sedation or general anesthesia and generally takes 2-3 hours. During an abdominoplasty your surgeon will remove excess skin and fatty tissue then tighten and strengthen the muscle and connective tissue layer. Scars or stretch-marks below the navel may be removed. A drain is usually necessary for a short time to prevent fluid collections and a support garment must be worn for about 3 weeks after the surgery. Various surgical modifications are possible depending on the features to be improved, and liposuction may be performed during the procedure to improve the results. The operation will leave a horizontal scar which in most cases can be easily hidden by bathing suits and underwear.
Side effects may include scarring, numbness and changes in the belly-button. Risks are few, but may include bleeding, fluid collections, infection, blood clots and tissue loss. Serious problems are very rare.
Recovery time depends on the extent of the surgery. Most patients are back to work in about 2 weeks and resume strenuous exercise within 6 weeks. In some cases abdominoplasty can be performed at the time of other surgical procedures such as hysterectomy or breast reduction.