A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is one of the most commonly performed procedures at Denton Plastic Surgery. The procedure involves surgically removing excess skin, fat, and tissue, along with removing stretch marks on the lower abdomen and tightening the underlying muscle structure to create a flatter, firmer, fit, more sculpted abdomen.
Are You a Good Candidate for a Tummy Tuck?
A tummy tuck can help achieve that taut, firm tummy you have always wanted or that you had when you were younger. If you have excess fat and skin in the midsection of your body that has not responded to diet and exercise, you are probably a good candidate for a tummy tuck.
While a tummy tuck is not a weight-loss technique, it can address stubborn fat, excess skin, stretch marks, and sagging fat and tissue, leaving your body looking youthful and sculpted through flattening the tummy and slimming the waistline. Liposuction is often used in conjunction with a tummy tuck to remove larger quantities of fat in that area. We will tell you if liposuction is right for you.
A consultation and examination in our office can determine if a tummy tuck is the right procedure for you. In your consultation, we will perform a thorough examination and advise you about the most effective way to slim and trim your abdomen.
*Individual Results May Vary
What Are My Options?
Our plastic surgeons, Dr. Nicholas Flugstad and Dr. Joshua Rivet, are proud to offer the most advanced tummy tuck techniques, including a complete tummy tuck and a mini tummy tuck. At Denton Plastic Surgery we offer both procedures, with or without liposuction or additional body contouring, and do everything we can to ensure that each patient has the most natural-looking, attractive results with minimal scarring. If you have lost large amounts of weight, sometimes a complete “fleur de lis” tummy tuck is needed. This means that a vertical (up and down) scar is needed to remove all the extra skin.
A full tummy tuck is usually recommended for those who have larger quantities of excess skin and fat in the midsection, including above the belly button. A mini-tummy tuck has a shorter incision and is appropriate when the issues are located only below the belly button, with less extra skin that must be surgically removed.
When less extra skin is needed, often an “umbilical float” can be performed, which removes excess skin, tightens your abdomen, and leaves no visible scar at the belly button. We work with you as an individual in determining which procedure will be most effective for you, including whether liposuction should be part of your procedure.
What Happens During a Tummy Tuck?
A full tummy tuck is usually performed with the patient under general anesthesia. During the procedure:
- The incision is made below the bikini line and extends to the hip bones so that the maximum skin and excess tissue can be removed.
- In some cases where there is a considerable amount of tissue to be removed, a vertical incision in the center of the abdomen may also be necessary; this is called a “fleur de lis” tummy tuck.
- The abdominal muscles are tightened.
- Liposuction may be used to remove excess fat and loose skin will be surgically removed.
- The navel is then repositioned to an appropriate central placement on your abdomen, and the incisions are closed with carefully placed self-dissolving sutures.
Liposuction of other areas such as the lower back/hips can be done simultaneously to further enhance your result.
Mini-Tummy Tuck
A mini-tummy tuck is typically performed under general anesthesia. In these procedures:
- The incision below the bikini line is shorter.
- The navel may not need repositioning, or “umbilical float” can be performed.
- Liposuction may still be performed, and the abdominal muscles may be tightened when necessary.
In this procedure, as with a full tummy tuck, liposuction of other areas such as the lower back/hips can be done in the same surgery to further enhance your body shape.
* Individual Results May Vary
What Is the Recovery Like?
For mini and full abdominoplasty, you will have to plan for the recovery time. For a tummy tuck, you can expect:
- Full tummy tuck surgery requires a couple of weeks off work for recovery.
- A mini-tummy tuck may require only about one week, or two weeks if muscle plication is needed.
- Sometimes, a combination of muscle relaxer and pain medication brings the most relief.
- A drain is usually inserted in the incisions at the end of surgery to capture blood and fluid. We will give you full instructions. The drain will be removed in a post-operative examination.
- A drainless tummy tuck is possible for some patients. Dr. Flugstad and Dr. Rivet can tell you if your tummy tuck can be done without a drain.
- A binder garment is also worn around the area for a few weeks to promote healing and reduce swelling.
Due to the frequent need for muscle tightening, there is no shortcut for recovering from a well-done tummy tuck. To help with discomfort, a single-use, long-acting injectable pain medication (Exparel®) has recently come to market that is used to help numb the area for the first 48 hours or more. We will closely monitor your progress and let you know when it is safe to return to your normal activities.
We know that the enjoyment of your body and ability to show off your new, ideal contour post-surgery is a top priority, so we always place the incision very low. This ensures that your scar will always be concealed by low-cut clothing or a bikini. You will be enjoying a flat tummy and a more defined waist before you know it!
Why Choose Denton Plastic Surgery?
While some pain, swelling, and bruising are to be expected after the exciting and dramatic reshaping of your body is completed, your team at Denton Plastic Surgery will do everything we can to speed your recovery and keep you pain-free as you prepare to unveil your new, slimmer physique.
Safety and comfort are top priorities for our doctors and staff, which is why we are very selective of the surgical environment. We utilize a fully certified surgery center with a respectful, discretionary, board-certified staff. The surgery center provides Dr. Flugstad and Dr. Rivet an excellent environment to conduct a safe, successful tummy tuck procedure.
We do everything possible to ensure you have a great result, and your risks are minimized. As an example, DVT (blood clot in the leg) is a known risk of tummy tuck surgery, and we help avoid it by using special electronic stockings that you bring home with you. We also prescribe blood-thinning medications if our guidelines suggest it will decrease your risk. Meticulous care and well-trained staff make your tummy tuck experience second to none.
Patients can contact our office at (940) 287-3795 to schedule a consultation for more tummy tuck information.