What Is Tummy Tuck Surgery?
If diet and exercise have failed to give you the flat tummy you desire, tummy tuck surgery may be the ideal body sculpting solution for you. Also known as abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck sculpts your waistline by removing surplus skin and tightening abdominal muscles. While tummy tuck surgery is frequently the only effective way to correct a bulging belly after pregnancy, both men and women can benefit from abdominoplasty. Weight loss in both men and women can cause skin and muscle looseness. Our board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Mary C. Herte, achieves outstanding results with tummy tuck surgery for patients at the Herte Center for Cosmetic Surgery, and would love to help you restore your waistline as well.
Am I A Candidate For Tummy Tuck Surgery?
Tummy tuck surgery can be highly beneficial for men and women with excess, hanging skin in the abdominal area. The procedure is often performed on individuals who have undergone major weight loss or have had past pregnancies that caused their skin to sag and abdominal muscles to stretch or tear. In addition, patients should exhibit the following in order to be considered a candidate for a tummy tuck:
- Are in good overall health
- Are at or close to their goal weight
- Refrain from smoking before and after surgery
- Want to improve the appearance of excess skin in their midsection
- Have realistic expectations about their surgical outcome
The best way to learn if you are a good candidate for tummy tuck surgery is to schedule a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon like Dr. Herte.
Your Tummy Tuck Consultation
The consultation process for tummy tuck surgery typically begins with a thorough discussion of your aesthetic goals and medical history to ensure you are a suitable candidate. Dr. Herte will examine your abdominal area to assess skin quality, muscle tone, and fat distribution. She will also provide you with detailed explanations about the procedure, expected outcomes, and potential risks. Once Dr. Herte develops your individualized treatment plan, a member of our team will provide you with pre- and post-operative instructions.
This time is also an opportunity for you to ask questions and address any concerns, ensuring you feel informed and confident about your abdominoplasty.
Breaking up with Your Belly Fat: Is a Tummy Tuck Right for You?
What Does The Tummy Tuck Procedure Involve?
At the Herte Center for Cosmetic Surgery, tummy tuck surgery is customized for your individual anatomy and desires. Dr. Herte is able to achieve beautiful results through her surgical expertise and extensive experience, as well as by seeing each patient as a unique individual and recommending a very personalized procedure. Depending on your needs, one or more of these tummy tuck techniques might be right for you:
Mini Tummy Tuck
Also known as a limited-incision abdominoplasty, a mini tummy tuck targets the lower abdominal area. It can be an ideal solution if you have very little excess sagging skin but still want to eliminate a bulging lower belly. With or without muscle repair, the mini tummy tuck is less invasive than its traditional counterpart, and you may enjoy quicker recovery times and shorter, minimized scars.
Full Tummy Tuck
A full tummy tuck may be recommended if you have a lot of loose abdominal skin, both above and below the belly button. Typically during this type of abdominoplasty, a larger section of excess skin and fat is removed, and the entire length of the underlying sit-up muscles are tightened to produce a shapelier waistline. If the belly button is too low on the stomach, it is repositioned and reshaped in a more aesthetic location.
Muscle Repair
To create the tight, flat abdomen that looks amazing in and out of clothing, Dr. Herte combines skin removal with repair of your abdominal muscles. This supports your body’s core strength, with the added bonus of relieving chronic lower back pain in many of our patients. If your abdominal muscles have been overstretched from weight fluctuation or pregnancy, it may be impossible to improve the bulging belly with exercise and those sit ups may actually be making your low back pain worse rather than better. After abdominoplasty, the muscles are repositioned to their proper functional position. And you may just find that getting a “six pack” is now finally a possibility. We have had fitness athletes who have proudly achieved competitive six pack abs after abdominoplasty.
Liposuction
Combining your tummy tuck surgery with liposuction can help reduce the size of your abdomen and improve its contour. This can be helpful for you if you have stubborn fat deposits as well as excess abdominal skin. Additional areas of liposuction can be added to your abdominoplasty procedure to improve your overall body shape. Frequently, patients request liposuction of the flanks or hips on the back to improve the whole circumference of the waist area. This combination can be an excellent idea since the healing area is contained in the same recovery garment as the tummy tuck.
What Can I Expect After Tummy Tuck Surgery?
The recovery after tummy tuck surgery will vary for each patient based on the technique performed and their overall health. Patients can typically go home the same day as their surgery and should expect to get a lot of rest in the first couple weeks. Dr. Herte often recommends patients take two weeks off of work to focus on their healing, if not more time for more active jobs. While the recovery will be slightly different for each individual, take a look at the general timeline below of what you can expect:
- 1 Day After Surgery: You will likely have moderate to severe bruising and swelling in the abdomen, along with some discomfort. Pain medication, muscle relaxers, and rest can help control these side effects that are to be expected. A pain pump may also be employed to help maximize comfort in the first 24 hours.
- 1 Week After Surgery: Swelling should significantly fade by this point, and your surgical drains will most likely be removed during your one-week follow-up appointment. Some discomfort may still be present.
- 1 Month After Surgery: You should be able to resume most of your daily activities, with some light exercise to help facilitate the healing process. Dr. Herte will advise you on safe exercises for this stage of recovery. More strenuous activities should still be avoided.
- 2 Months After Surgery: At this point you should feel more like yourself and be mostly healed from your tummy tuck. Many patients feel they are “bikini ready” at two months post-op. While the surgical site should be healed by this time, your scars will continue to lighten and flatten for six months to a year.
More personalized details about what you can expect during your tummy tuck recovery will be discussed with you prior to surgery to help you plan accordingly.
How Long Do Tummy Tuck Results Last?
When this procedure is performed by a qualified and experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Herte, tummy tuck results are generally long-lasting. However, the longevity of these results can be influenced by several factors such as the natural aging process, weight fluctuations, and pregnancy, all of which can stretch the skin and muscles again, potentially altering surgery outcomes. To help preserve the best results, it is important to maintain a stable weight and fitness status. You can best achieve this by following a balanced diet, engaging in regular exercise, and avoiding significant weight gain. Although natural changes in the body can still occur over time, with proper care, the improvements from a tummy tuck can last a long time.
What Will My Tummy Tuck Scars Look Like?
Tummy tuck scars are typically determined by the technique that is utilized. In most cases, scars will be located along the lower abdomen, usually from hip to hip, and around the navel if the skin was repositioned. Scars are typically low enough to be hidden by underwear or a bikini. The final appearance of tummy tuck scars can vary based on your personal healing process, the surgical technique chosen, and post-operative care, such as following instructions on scar management and avoiding direct sunlight.
How Much Does A Tummy Tuck Cost?
The cost of tummy tuck surgery can vary from patient to patient based on the details of their surgical plan. Other factors that can influence your tummy tuck estimate include: the surgeon’s expertise, the geographic area of the practice, the extent of your surgical needs, fees associated with the surgical facility, anesthesia fees, as well as post-operative medications and garments.
Learn more about the cost of tummy tuck surgery.
Why Should You Choose Dr. Herte for Tummy Tuck Surgery?
Patients often choose Dr. Herte for tummy tuck surgery due to her extensive expertise and board certification in plastic surgery. With a deep passion for cosmetic surgery, Dr. Herte focuses on personalized care, ensuring that each patient’s aesthetic goals are met with the highest standards of safety. She is known for her commitment to natural-looking results and performing advanced techniques in a state-of-the-art facility. Dr. Herte has a strong reputation thanks to her experience and qualifications, making her a trusted choice for those seeking transformative and enduring abdominoplasty results.
Additional Tummy Tuck Frequently Asked Questions
What procedures complement tummy tuck surgery?
Tummy tuck surgery can be effectively complemented by several other cosmetic procedures to enhance overall body contours. Liposuction is commonly combined with a tummy tuck to remove stubborn fat deposits and refine the silhouette of the hips, waist, and thighs. A breast lift or breast augmentation may be recommended to complement the changes from a tummy tuck for more comprehensive enhancements on the upper body. For those looking to rejuvenate their lower body as well, a lower body lift, that includes buttock lifting can be recommended. Additionally, patients who are good candidates for tummy tuck may also choose thigh lifts to reduce sagging in the upper leg area. These complementary surgeries can help achieve more comprehensive aesthetic improvements, ensuring a more balanced and proportionate appearance.
Can a tummy tuck help me lose weight?
While tummy tuck surgery does involve the removal of excess skin and fat, it is not designed as a weight loss procedure. The primary goal is aesthetic enhancement of the abdomen rather than significant weight reduction. Our average skin and fat removal on a tummy tuck patient is a scant 2 pounds. Patients may see a minor decrease in their weight, but a tummy tuck should not be considered as a substitute for traditional weight loss methods. Abdominoplasty is typically most effective for individuals who are already at or near their ideal weight but want to address loose skin or muscle separation that diet and exercise cannot fix. It is a contouring procedure.
Can I have a tummy tuck if I plan to have more children?
It is generally recommended to wait until you have completed your family before undergoing a tummy tuck. While having children after the procedure is certainly possible, pregnancy can stretch the abdominal skin and muscles that the surgery aims to tighten and flatten. This can compromise the results, potentially leading to the need for additional surgeries to restore the initial improvements. If you plan to have more children, discussing your long-term body goals with Dr. Herte can help determine the best timing for your tummy tuck to ensure that the results are as long-lasting and satisfying as possible.
Are there risks associated with tummy tuck surgery?
Tummy tuck surgery, like any surgical procedure, carries some risk. Safety precautions are a major focus in our surgical procedures to minimize complications as much as possible. Complications may include numbness and changes in skin sensation, bleeding, and infection. Following the post operative instructions of deep breathing and coughing, even though it is uncomfortable following tummy tuck surgery, can reduce the more serious risk of respiratory problems. Blood clots and pulmonary emboli, though rare, can be minimized even more by getting up and around as soon as possible after surgery and remaining mobile. The risk of complications can be minimized by selecting a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience in tummy tuck surgeries and by closely following pre- and post-operative care instructions. Discussing all potential risks with Dr. Herte beforehand can help you in making an informed decision about your plastic surgery journey.
Does insurance cover a tummy tuck?
Ordinarily, insurance does not cover abdominoplasty because it is considered a cosmetic procedure. We recommend checking with your insurance provider to understand what is specifically covered under your policy.
Learn More About Tummy Tuck Surgery
For men or women, the benefit of a firmer, stronger core and a tighter waistline can boost your self-confidence. Call to speak to our caring and knowledgeable staff about your tummy tuck surgery questions, or to get your journey to a tighter tummy started, schedule your personal consultation right away with Dr. Herte at our Las Vegas practice. Contact The Herte Center for Cosmetic Surgery today at 702-732-9600 to schedule your consultation.
Read more about tummy tuck surgery and our other offered services on the Herte Center for Cosmetic Surgery’s blog!