Loose and sagging skin around your abdominal wall can weigh you down and prevent you from looking the way you want to. This extra skin doesn’t have to be your reality forever.
Do you want to tighten your abdominal skin? Galanis Plastic Surgery performs skilled abdominoplasty procedures for patients who want a slimmer, tighter abdomen.
Here’s what you need to know about the tummy tuck procedure.
What Is an Abdominoplasty Surgery?
Abdominoplasty is the official name for a tummy tuck. When you get a tummy tuck, we remove excess skin from your abdominal area.
Once most of the extra skin has been removed, we pull the remaining skin tightly over your abdomen and sew it into place. If you have any problems with separated abdominal muscles, we reposition them before closing the incisions.
Abdominoplasty is intended to tighten and slim your midsection so you can have a more contoured physique. If you struggle with skin that hangs below your tummy or protrudes from your figure, this procedure is for you.
Reasons for Getting a Tummy Tuck
Many patients have similar reasons for getting their excess abdominal skin removed. We view each patient as an individual, not just a number, while utilizing the best well-known surgical techniques for abdominoplasty.
Some common reasons for loose abdominal skin include:
- Pregnancy
- Significant weight loss
- Aging
- Weak or strained abdominal muscles
- Weight gain around your midsection
- Lack of muscle tone
- Genetics
These underlying factors can give even the fittest person excess skin. With a tummy tuck, you no longer have to worry about having an untoned, sagging abdomen.
Tummy Tuck Procedures: Your Options
We can perform different types of abdominoplasty to help you achieve your desired aesthetic. During your initial consultation, we will discuss the best options for you.
Mini Tummy Tuck
If you only have a small amount of excess skin and fat below your belly button, this is the tummy tuck procedure for you.
In a mini tummy tuck procedure, we only make one incision and target your lower abdomen. We will repair any strained or misplaced lower abdominal muscles and remove your excess skin.
Your lower belly skin will look tighter and more toned after your mini tummy tuck. We make the incision below your bikini line so that it will not be visible when you wear most swimsuits and underwear.
Full Tummy Tuck
For patients with large amounts of excess skin, abdominal fat, and weakened muscles, we perform full tummy tucks. This procedure requires an incision that spans the distance between your hips.
During a full tummy tuck, we tighten and repair the skin and muscles across your entire abdomen. This procedure is beneficial for patients with diastasis recti, a condition where your abdominal muscles separate from one another. This is common after pregnancy and childbirth.
We separate your abdominal skin from your fatty tissue and muscles to better position it tightly against your figure. Then we reposition your belly button to make your results appear natural and enhance your aesthetic.
Liposuction Addition
Some patients opt for liposuction at the same time as their tummy tuck procedure. During liposuction, we remove excess fat using a special suction device. This further enhances your physique and slims your midsection.
It is a good idea to pair a tummy tuck with liposuction because liposuction can leave behind loose skin. Your abdominal skin is used to the excess fat, so the excess loose skin will not be able to bounce back into shape without a tummy tuck.
Adding liposuction to your tummy tuck procedure can enhance your tummy tuck results and make you appear much slimmer than a tummy tuck alone.
The Recovery Process
Tummy tuck recovery varies from patient to patient. In general, you should expect to take up to two weeks off of work and avoid heavy lifting for up to six weeks after cosmetic surgery.
You should plan to get a ride home from the surgery center, as this procedure requires general anesthesia. Most patients can leave the same day or the morning after their tummy tuck procedures.
Arrange for help with childcare and household chores for the first few days to a week after your procedure. This will help you get the rest that you need to recover faster.
You will have a shorter recovery period if you get a mini tummy tuck. This is because mini tummy tucks only require one incision and are less invasive. We only adjust the skin and muscles covering your lower abdomen.
Full tummy tuck procedures take a bit longer to recover from, especially if paired with liposuction. It will take a little time for your body to heal your incisions and adjust to the changes we have made to your midsection. In less than three months, most patients are fully healed from a tummy tuck.
Questions and Answers
Is a tummy tuck a major surgery?
Yes, a tummy tuck procedure is a major surgery, and while many individuals can resume daily activities within two weeks, complete recovery may take several weeks. Sustaining long-lasting results is contingent upon maintaining a stable weight. Any weight gain or loss exceeding 15 lbs has the potential to alter the achieved results.
Who should not get a tummy tuck?
Patients with underlying health issues or uncontrolled health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, higher potential for blood clots, or a bleeding disorder, your plastic surgeon may advise you to prioritize managing your health before considering abdominoplasty.
Will a tummy tuck remove stretch marks?
Stretch marks located directly on the excess skin that is removed during a tummy tuck may see some improvement or removal. However, it’s important to note that a tummy tuck will not address remaining skin outside of the specific area where the excess skin is removed.
When Will You See Your Results?
About six months following cosmetic surgery is when most patients see the slimming and tightening effects of your tummy tuck.
You can now show off your new slim midsection! If you have had children or experienced major weight loss, you probably can’t wait to look and feel like yourself again. Thanks to the tummy tuck procedure, we can help you accomplish that.
Book a Tummy Tuck Consultation
If you want a slimmer, tighter abdomen and wish to get rid of loose, hanging skin, come to Galanis Plastic Surgery Beverly Hills. We help patients in the Beverly Hills, CA, area enhance their abdomens to get the physiques that they want. Book a consultation with us today!
