Abdominomplasty, commonly known as ‘tummy tuck’ is a major surgical procedure involving the removal of excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdominal region with the aim of tightening the muscles of the abdominal wall. It can significantly reduce the protrusion of the abdomen.

Who is a candidate for an abdominoplasty procedure?

Anyone who has an abdomen which simply sticks out too far and which does not respond to exercise or to other lifestyle factors may consider an abdominoplasty. Loose skin around the abdomen is another reason that some seek out this procedure. Women in particular will elect for an abdominoplasty due to loss of the tightness of the skin of the abdomen due to multiple pregnancies when neither diet nor exercise can remedy the situation.

Risks of Abdominoplasty

when performed by a qualified surgeon, trained for the job, Abdominoplasty is quite successful. However, as with all surgical procedures, this one too, has its own risks and complications which must be clearly understood before going in for surgery.

Infection and blood clots are possible, though very rare complications sometimes seen from an abdominoplasty. These complications are treatable, but will result in a longer hospital stay following the operation. Healing is better in some patients than in others, with scar formation happening in a small number of patients. If the scars are prominent, a second operation may be needed. If you are considering undergoing this procedure and you smoke, quit! Smoking can exacerbate any complications from the operation.

Planning and Preparation for an Abdominoplasty Procedure.

First, the surgeon must evaluate the skin tone of the patient and the size and location of fat deposits in the patient’s abdomen. After having looked at these factors, the surgeon will recommend either a partial or full abdominoplasty based on their findings. If fat deposits are to be found only below the navel, then a partial abdominoplasty will likely be their recommendation. If they are more extensive, or simply to result in a better end result for the patient, the surgeon will recommend either a full abdominoplasty or a partial abdominoplasty in tandem with liposuction.

You will be given some guidelines in regard to diet and other habits (i.e. – smoking and drinking) to be followed prior to undergoing the procedure. If you develop an illness or an infection, your surgery will probably be postponed until a later date. The complete abdominoplasty procedure takes between two and five hours, depending on the patient and a partial abdominoplasty one to two hours.

In a complete abdominopplasty, an incision is made from one hip to the other, directly above the pubic area. A second incision is made just below the navel to make removal of fat deposits easier. In a partial abdominoplasty procedure, a much shorter incision is made, with the second incision often not needed at all.