Tummy Tuck

The tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a procedure used to tighten lax stomach muscles and remove excess skin from the abdomen.

Abdominoplasty is a popular option for women who have lost elasticity in their abdominal area due to pregnancy, and others who have experienced sagging, fat deposits, and loss of elasticity around the midsection as a result of aging, weight loss, or other factors.

Abdominoplasty targets the area between the pelvic bone and the navel, where stores of excess fat and skin so frequently accumulate. Following the procedure, patients have a firmer, leaner, and more sculpted looking abdomen, a slimmer waist, and skin that lays taut over the area.

Depending on each patient’s unique needs and goals, an abdominoplasty may consist of any one or more of the following procedures to resolve specific problems:

• Tightening excess skin to eliminate loose and sagging skin
• Tightening the underlying abdominal muscles to create a firmer abdominal wall
• Removing excess fat to eliminate a protruding tummy

There are two general types of abdominoplasty in current use:

Complete Tummy Tuck

Complete abdominoplasty is a procedure in which the surgeon flattens the stomach area, ridding the patient of unwanted fat in the belly, and tightening sagging skin so that it lays taut. The surgeon accomplishes this by removing excess skin and fat, translocating the navel, and tightening the abdominal muscles, creating a trimmer waistline.

Partial Tummy Tuck

Partial abdominoplasty is a less extensive version of the abdominoplasty procedure, requiring a smaller incision. Unlike the complete abdominoplasty, the partial abdominoplasty is localized below the navel area, and does not involve translocating the navel.