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Abdominoplasty, commonly referred to as a "Tummy Tuck," is a cosmetic surgery procedure used to tighten overly stretched muscles and excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdominal areas in an effort to achieve a smoother, flatter appearance.

Abdominoplasty Procedure

After a significant amount of weight loss, the abdomen has difficulty returning to its original shape. Once the abdominal tissues have been stretched beyond capacity, it is likely that the tissues will not tighten even after rigorous exercise and dieting. In this case, a tummy tuck may be an effective solution in the treatment of loose skin and fat.

DIFFERENT PROCEDURES

There are several techniques for this type of surgery that the surgeon will choose from depending on the patient's condition.

FULL TUMMY TUCK: Most full tummy tuck surgeries are performed under general anesthesia. Two surgical incisions will be made. The first one will be made across the lower abdomen above the pubic area and a second one around the patient's belly button. After strengthening abdominal muscles and removing excess skin a new belly button will be created. Once the surgery is over, all the incisions will be closed and covered with surgical gauze to protect from possible infections.

Full Tummy Tuck Surgery

PARTIAL TUMMY TUCK: This surgery is a less invasive procedure, performed normally on an outpatient basis in order to treat loose abdominal tissue below the belly button. The procedure normally requires partial anesthesia. In some cases where additional fat deposits need to be removed, the doctor will recommend doing the abdominoplasty in conjunction with a liposuction, which is a type of cosmetic surgery operation that removes fat from different parts of the body.

The surgical improvement will depend on the magnitude of the tummy tuck. Factors such as patient's skin tone, body build and healing ability will contribute to quicker surgical healing process.

Depending on the type of procedure and the patient's pre-op conditions, the surgery can require about 2 to 5 hours. Unless the treatment is minimal, the patient will need to be monitored by qualified personnel and therefore an overnight stay at the hospital may be required.

RECOVERY

Abdominoplasty Before and After

Recovery periods may vary. It can take between one to four weeks for a patient to feel completely back to normal, although those who are in better physical condition will experience faster recovery times.

Wearing a supporting abdominal binder can help minimize swelling and bruising and support the repaired tissues.

Doctors recommend that a light exercise program be taken following the tummy tuck procedure to avoid developing blood clots, reduce swelling and enhance skin tone. It is important to ask your surgeon before starting any heavy exercise program. Full recovery can take up to six months while patients may have to wait up to a year for the fading of scars.

It is advisable to avoid nicotine for a month prior to surgery and during the recovery period.

COST

On average, a tummy tuck can cost between $4,000 to $20,000 in the U.S. depending on the extent of the surgery, the pre-op and post-operative care required, hospital fees, anesthesia, medications and surgeon's experience.