Abdominoplasty, commonly called a “tummy tuck,” may be an option for people who have excess fat and skin due to extreme weight loss or gain, or in women who have had multiple pregnancies and have lost abdominal muscle tone and firmness. Abdominoplasty is considered a cosmetic or elective procedure, meaning that it is not medically necessary, in most cases.
Getting a tummy tuck is not a weight loss solution and it is not recommended for people who are intending to lose significant weight or to become pregnant in the future. People who smoke may not be candidates for this type of surgery as smoking cuts off blood flow to the tissues and increases risk of complications from surgery.
Abdominoplasty is often performed in conjunction with other procedures such as liposuction and panniculectomy.
Your surgeon will go over the different types of abdominoplasty procedures available to you, depending on your particular needs and condition.
Abdominoplasty is major surgery requiring general anesthesia (you'll be asleep throughout). As with any surgery, there are risks as well as varying outcomes depending on your health and your body's ability to heal.
You will have pain and swelling after your tummy tuck, and it will take several weeks to recover from the initial surgery. You can expect full recovery to take several months or longer.
Your plastic surgeon will discuss all of your treatment options with you and help you determine whether abdominoplasty is right for you.
Many people think of plastic surgery as purely cosmetic, but there’s a lot more to this surgical specialty. Plastic surgeons often do reconstructive procedures that can rebuild body parts after an injury or illness.
