Pregnancy, weight loss, and aging can alter your body and your way of life. Before you realize it, unflattering silhouettes contribute to a discouraging level of confidence. These changes, such as excess skin and fat around the abdomen, can be so severe that the body fails to return to its normal shape even with diet and exercise. When skin is stretched beyond its capacity, and muscle tissue is weakened by muscle separation, the abdominal area has difficulty responding to a healthy lifestyle. Many body contouring procedures can help patients experiencing unflattering changes in their bodies, yet in cases where the abdominal area is affected, a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) may be the best solution.
PREMIERE Center for Cosmetic Surgery is here to guide and assist you throughout your abdominoplasty journey. For a more involved conversation regarding how this procedure will improve the quality of your life, it is recommended that you schedule a consultation with one of our skilled tummy tuck surgeons.
What Are the Benefits of Abdominoplasty?
- Produces tighter and smoother abdominal contours
- Enhances abdominal tone and definition
- Repairs diastasis recti
- Can remove stretch marks
- Can restore a positive body image
- Improves the body’s overall shape
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What Areas and Concerns Can a Tummy Tuck Treat?
Loose, Excess Skin Under the Tummy
Pregnancy or major weight loss can leave loose, hanging skin around your midsection.
A tummy tuck can remove this excess tissue and tighten the abdominal area for a smoother and more attractive silhouette.
Loose or Separated Abdominal Muscles
Core muscles can separate with pregnancy or weight loss, resulting in diastasis recti.
During a tummy tuck, our surgeon can restore the proper positioning of these muscles to provide a more fit abdomen.
Diet and Exercise-Resistant Fat
Stubborn fat in the midsection can be excised or removed with liposuction, often combined with a tummy tuck.
Removing residual fat and recontouring abdominal tissue helps you to achieve a more desirable figure.
“…The appointments are always on time, quick, and friendly! They always make me feel comfortable and happy with my results! “
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PREMIERE Center is a pioneer of affordable, safe, high-quality, patient-focused cosmetic surgery, and has made it a reality for thousands of patients from all over the world.
View Tummy Tuck GalleryWhat Are the Procedure Steps for Abdominoplasty?
Step 1: Making the Incisions
After administering general anesthesia, our skilled surgeon will make an incision just above the pubic area (bikini line) that extends from one hip bone to the other.
A shorter incision can be used for a mini tummy tuck, as the surgeon doesn’t need full access to the abdominal muscles, and there is typically less excess skin.
Step 2: Fat Removal
When undergoing a full tummy tuck, your surgeon will perform liposuction to remove excess fat in the entire abdominal area, waist, and hips.
During a mini tummy tuck (partial abdominoplasty), only the fatty deposits below the navel are removed.
Step 3: Restoring Muscle Position
If receiving a full tummy tuck, the abdominal muscles are tightened with three layers of closure, producing a firmer abdominal wall and a narrower waistline.
During a mini tummy tuck, partial muscle repositioning is performed in the lower abdominal area if needed.
Step 4: Skin Removal and Naval Reconstruction
Excess skin and any stretch marks within it are removed. The skin is redraped over the tummy, the incision is closed, and a new belly button is created.
Because the mini tummy tuck targets the areas below the belly button, relocation of the navel is not always required.
Our philosophy is to create the most natural results and never do more than is necessary.
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Tummy Tuck Recovery and Results
Liposuction is performed on an outpatient basis, and patients typically go home on the same day as their surgery. Compression garments are placed over the treated area to minimize swelling, aid in proper healing, and help retain your new shape.
Downtime may last between one and two weeks, and most patients can resume their normal daily routine with some limitations. Avoid strenuous work, exercise, and other rigorous activities for six weeks or until cleared by your surgeon.
Recovery time varies depending on the tummy tuck option performed and the extent of treatment. Your surgeon will provide a more precise timeline and vital instructions for your recovery.
You can make your tummy tuck recovery faster, safer, and less intense by following your surgeon’s instructions, keeping your incisions protected, and wearing your compression garment as directed.
Other tips for abdominoplasty recovery include picking up your prescribed pain medication before your procedure, having help for the first 24 to 48 hours after discharge, getting plenty of rest, having precooked meals available to eat, drinking lots of water, wearing comfortable clothing, and taking gentle walks periodically.
You will notice changes soon after your surgery. As swelling and bruising subside and your body heals, your results will become more apparent. Your final outcome will often become visible within six to eight weeks.
Most tummy tuck patients find their slimmer waist makes them feel much better about their body and consider their results worth the downtime they experienced.
Abdominoplasty does cause scarring, but this fades over time and is easily concealed under clothing.
Tummy tuck surgery is considered a permanent procedure. However, subsequent pregnancies or fluctuations in weight can adversely affect your outcome.
Practicing a healthy lifestyle, including a low-fat diet and exercise, will ensure your results last a very long time.
Schedule a Free Tampa, Florida, Tummy Tuck Consultation
Do you want to discover how a slimmer waist and flatter tummy can improve your appearance and self-confidence? Contact Premiere Center for Cosmetic Surgery at (813) 400-1465 to schedule a consultation or fill out our contact form.
Tummy Tuck FAQs
The cost of a tummy tuck differs from patient to patient, depending on individual needs. Geographical location, surgical fees, anesthesia fees, and the extent of correction can all affect the ultimate cost of your tummy tuck.
A more exact price will be discussed during your consultation. PREMIERE Center for Cosmetic Surgery also offers financing options, which you can view here.
Tummy tuck patients can dramatically improve their appearance by reducing localized fat and excess skin. Women with diastasis recti (separated core muscles) due to pregnancy and childbirth can only have their “belly pooches” corrected with a surgical procedure, such as abdominoplasty. Those with extra layers of skin may feel uncomfortable, experience skin irritation, and lose confidence in their bodies.
Tummy tuck surgery addresses these issues by repositioning and tightening the abdominal muscles while removing unwanted skin and fat from your belly and waist to restore a toned midsection.
An in-depth tummy tuck consultation is an essential part of your abdominoplasty experience. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions and express your cosmetic concerns and goals.
After our skilled and experienced plastic surgeon reviews your medical history and lifestyle, they will explain the tummy tuck procedure, what a tummy tuck can accomplish, and your customizable options.
The reputable surgeons at PREMIERE Center for Cosmetic Surgery prioritize your safety, and the instructions you’ll need to follow to reduce post-operative risks will also be discussed.
Tummy tuck surgery is primarily designed to remove skin and tighten muscles, but fat removal can also be performed. Liposuction alone may be ideal for you if you have elastic skin. You will be evaluated during your consultation to determine the best procedure to meet your needs.
Tummy tuck surgery is performed under general anesthesia, which makes the procedure painless for the patient. You will experience the most discomfort during the first few days following your procedure. Oral pain medication is used to control post-operative pain. Some patients choose to use over-the-counter medication instead. This decision is often made based on a patient’s pain tolerance.
Good candidates for a tummy tuck are individuals who have lost a large amount of weight, those with sagging abdominal skin due to aging, menopausal women, and mothers with drooping skin after pregnancy.
If you are a candidate for a mini tummy tuck, muscle repair can sometimes be achieved surgically by accessing the muscles through the naval and combined with liposuction. This procedure may also involve a smaller incision along the pubic area through which the muscles below the belly button are tightened. A mini tummy tuck is ideal for people with extra fat and limited muscle separation without excess, loose skin.
It is possible for your tummy tuck stitches to “pop.” However, this is rare. Patients who describe hearing or feeling a single popping sound are usually not at any risk, but if you are concerned that your tummy tuck results may be compromised, it is important to call your surgeon.
One way to check your stitches is by performing a self-examination. Occasionally patients experience a benign popping that occurs as the area heals. Ultimately, it is essential to call our office if you are experiencing serious or unexpected symptoms after surgery.
IUDs have become a viable source of relief for women who experience cramps and heavy periods. If you have not experienced problems with an IUD thus far, there is typically no cause for concern. Still, it is important to get a second opinion from your gynecologist, as it might be best to insert the IUD several weeks before your tummy tuck or several weeks after.
It is possible to undergo a tummy tuck revision if you are unsatisfied with previous abdominoplasty results. This can be done with a scar revision procedure with or without liposuction being performed above the scar.
While tummy tuck surgery has many benefits, it is not a catch-all solution for all abdominal concerns. Tummy tuck surgery cannot always remove all your stretch marks. The only marks that will be removed are the lines located on the excised skin; however, as this procedure results in a flatter, firmer abdomen, the remaining marks may be less noticeable. It is important to talk to a dermatologist or cosmetic specialist about scars and stretch marks to learn how to reduce them.
Tummy tuck surgery can also not treat obesity and should not be considered weight-loss surgery. Even liposuction cannot remove large enough amounts of fat that would significantly affect weight.
Lastly, tummy tuck surgery exclusively addresses the abdominal area and not the entirety of a patient’s hips. Patients who want to address other areas should speak to their surgeon about other body contouring and enhancing procedures.