Tummy Tuck Surgery or Abdominoplasty Surgery is designed to tighten and remove loose skin and repair abdominal wall looseness or muscle separation that can occur as a result of weight fluctuations or pregnancy. Weight gain or pregnancy stretches the skin and causes the skin to lose its elasticity and many times creates stretch marks. It can also pull apart the muscles and loosen the abdominal wall creating a pooch or bulging.
Diet and exercise, although important, often cannot repair or treat the skin and underlying muscles that have been stretched. Even some of the thinnest patients have excessive skin that they just can’t remove that a tummy tuck can help with. If there is excess fat in addition to excess skin, patients may also need to have liposuction as an additional procedure. If the mons pubis is also hanging, patients may also need to have a pubic lift.

Patients on a weight-loss plan should be close to their goal weight before having tummy tuck surgery. For best long term results it is advisable that weight is stable after surgery (without a lot of yo-yoing up and down). Patients can get pregnant after surgery, however, the tissues will likely get stretched out again and they may need to do a revision or re-do after pregnancy. A tummy tuck is not a treatment for obesity. It does not remove the pinch of fat under the skin, or the internal fat (visceral fat). Because internal (visceral fat) creates a lot of pressure, there is a limit to how much tightening can safely be performed in a tummy tuck. As I’ve mentioned before, plastic surgery is not an exact science. Every person has a unique anatomy and their own idea of what their body goals should be. This is why consultations are vital so we can work together to create the best possible plan, customized for your personal needs and goals.
I will do a detailed consultation, take a complete medical history and conduct a careful examination and develop a customized plan based on your anatomy as well as your aesthetic goals. I consider age, overall health, emotional well being, as well as expectations for surgery when evaluating a candidate for this procedure.

To make sure you have the best possible outcome, it is very important that you do all you can to prepare for your tummy tuck procedure. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Two months before surgery – stop smoking. This includes all nicotine products but also any other inhalants. Anything that affects your lungs will affect the way you recover from surgery. Nicotine can also interfere with the blood flow to your skin, and that affects wound healing.
2. Several weeks before your tummy tuck procedure – arrange for someone to drive you to your surgery and back. Please do not count on a taxi or Uber; you need someone to drive you home, get you settled, make sure you take your medications.
3. Two weeks before surgery – it is important that you stop taking Aspirin, Motrin, Ibuprofen, Alleve (Naproxen), or other NSAIDs. You should also discontinue all herbal medications, vitamins, and diet pills and stop drinking alcohol. You can take paracetamol for simple headaches.
4. Two weeks before surgery – do not overexpose yourself to the sun or get a sunburn.
5. The week before your tummy tuck surgery – let us know if you have a cough, fever or any other illness, or any skin changes or infections. If you are feeling sick, please do not take over-the-counter medications without asking us.
6. The week before the surgery – pick up your medications. When you go to the pharmacy, you should also pick up the special soap we recommend – Betadine soap, and also the garments.
7. Two days before tummy tuck – thoroughly wash your body with the betadine soap. This will minimize the chance of infection. Shave or remove hair around your surgery site.
8. Two days before surgery – stick with a light diet. You want to avoid being bloated during or after your tummy tuck.
9. The night before your surgery – do not eat or drink anything after midnight. This includes water. You can take your high-blood pressure medications with a sip of water the morning of surgery, but otherwise, do not eat or drink anything the night before your surgery.
10. On the day of the surgery – do not use makeup, creams, lotions, hair gels, sprays, perfumes, powder, or deodorant on your skin, hair, or face. Also, do not bring or wear any valuables or jewelry to your surgery. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes.