Dr Royal Benson, III Diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology

What is a Tummy Tuck?

The tummy tuck is the procedure to remove excess fat and skin and to tighten underlying muscles in the abdomen. It also gets rid of loose or wrinkled skin and in some cases, stretch marks. Both women and men can benefit from this extremely effective body contouring surgery.

Pregnancy, weight gain, and weight loss have a devastating impact on a woman’s abdomen. Only rarely can exercise fully restore the abdominal wall to its flat desirable shape after the skin and muscles have been stretched to their limit. After losing weight, men can also have difficulties regaining their youthful flat abdomen.

Liposuction is ideal to contour the abdomen for those who have good skin tone and excess fat that is resistant to diet and exercise, but the tummy tuck is a better procedure for women and men who have loose abdominal skin and lax muscle tone following pregnancy and weight loss.

Abdominal wall deformities have three components:

Wrinkled or loose skin with stretch marks. This is usually the result of pregnancy, aging or marked weight loss.

Excess fat tissue, usually more prominent in the lower abdomen

Rectus Muscle Diastasis (separation of the anterior abdominal muscles). Exercise does not help in this situation.

Types of Tummy Tuck

Full Tummy Tuck (abdominoplasty)

A Full Tummy Tuck addresses the three defective components (skin, muscle, and fat) so it benefits most patients who want a flat stomach and skin as tight as possible. Results, especially when combined with liposuction of the flanks, are dramatic. The procedure is done under local anesthesia (Tumescent) in our office. A relatively long incision in the bikini line just above the pubic area is made. The fascia is then sutured in order to tighten loose or stretched out muscles located below the fascia. This step creates a tighter abdominal wall and a thinner waist. The skin is pulled down and the excess skin and fat are removed. Usually drains are inserted to eliminate fluid collection. Every effort is made to hide the scars in the bikini area. The incision is then closed and a firm dressing is placed on the abdomen. Liposuction to remove excess fat from the hips and flanks are often performed in conjunction with the tummy tuck for better body contour.

Mini Tummy Tuck

A mini tummy tuck or partial abdominoplasty is best suited for patients who have a pouch below the belly button who do not have significant stretch marks, saggy skin, or a hooded belly button. The procedure is much less invasive than a full tummy tuck. While a full tummy tuck might involve an incision around the belly button and across the lower abdomen, a mini tummy tuck leaves the belly button intact and requires a smaller incision. The excess skin and fat are removed and tightening of the muscles is performed. Liposuction is frequently employed with this procedure to remove excess fat above and below the belly button to enhance body contour.

Dermolipectomy

A dermolipectomy is a procedure that removes skin and fat from the abdomen but does not tighten the muscles. It is indicated for slender women who have wrinkly or excess skin but good muscle tone. The scar is the same as a tummy tuck.