What is a Tummy Tuck?

If pregnancy, significant weight loss, or age-related changes have left you with a sagging abdomen and deposits of stubborn fat, getting your sculpted figure back can seem impossible. Fortunately, a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is designed to undo these changes and restore your flatter abdomen and more shapely curves. A tummy tuck can have a dramatic effect on your self-confidence and help you feel like yourself again.

What is a Tummy Tuck?

While minor skin laxity may respond to non-surgical tightening, sagging skin in your abdominal area is best corrected with surgery. A tummy tuck or abdominoplasty removes this loose skin and any excess fat, then sculpts the area to define your curves. This procedure is most often requested by individuals who have been pregnant or lost weight and experienced stretched, loose skin, but other factors can also cause these issues.

Many people refer to their tummy tuck as a life-changing procedure. After years of hiding your abdomen and feeling uncomfortable in your clothes, a tummy tuck allows you to wear almost anything you want, even bikinis, and look like your sculpted, youthful self.

Each abdominoplasty is a customized procedure with the details determined by your needs. A consultation with your surgeon will allow them to assess your concerns and develop a plan to address them. The goal is to minimize the length of your incision while maximizing your results. You can even combine a tummy tuck with other procedures, such as breast enhancement.

How Does a Tummy Tuck or Abdominoplasty Work?

Abdominoplasty at Specialty Aesthetic Surgery takes place under general anesthesia and can take one to five hours, depending on the details of your treatment plan. Your surgeon will make an incision along the bikini line, with the length of the incision determined by how much loose skin must be removed.

This incision allows your surgeon to remove excess skin and fat from your abdomen. They will also repair loosened or torn abdominal muscles, a condition that often occurs during pregnancy. Repairing these core muscles helps your abdomen look tighter and flatter. Liposuction can be used to target excess fat around the area and to sculpt your figure in order to highlight your curves.

Am I a Good Candidate for a Tummy Tuck?

Individuals who are considering a tummy tuck must be healthy enough for the procedure and have reasonable expectations. Good candidates have loose skin and fat in the abdominal area and want to address these problems. They should understand that this procedure does create a noticeable scar, although it is easily hidden under almost any clothing.

If you are planning future pregnancies, you may want to wait to have your tummy tuck. Your skin could become stretched again, undoing your results. People who have been pregnant recently should wait six months to a year before scheduling the procedure. Individuals who are in the process of losing weight will achieve their best results if they wait till they achieve a stable weight before having a tummy tuck.

People with certain medical conditions may not be good candidates for a tummy tuck. Your surgeon will review your medical history and determine whether this procedure is the best, safest way to achieve your goals. While discussions of tummy tucks often focus on women and the effects of pregnancy, many men are also excellent candidates.

What is Recovery Like After a Tummy Tuck?

Most people experience swelling and discomfort after their tummy tuck. Pain medication is provided, and you will have a compression garment to support the area as it heals. Some people may have drains in place for a few days. Drains and sutures are removed during a follow-up appointment. Your team will provide instructions on how to clean your incision and when you can resume light activities.

Most people return to work in two to four weeks after their abdominoplasty, depending on the details of their procedure and the activity level of their job. You can usually resume most activities, including heavy lifting and strenuous exercise, after about six weeks.

How Long Does a Tummy Tuck Last?

Your tummy tuck results can last a lifetime under the right conditions. The removed fat will not return, but the remaining fat cells can expand if your weight changes. Your skin will also stay tighter and smoother unless you become pregnant or gain weight, causing it to stretch. The best way to keep your tummy tuck results for the rest of your life is to lead a healthy lifestyle. You will still experience signs of aging, such as minor skin laxity, but nothing like the sagging you had before your procedure.

Take the Next Step – Request a Consultation

Want to learn more about a tummy tuck? Schedule your consultation online or by calling Specialty Aesthetic Surgery at (212) 737-8700. We look forward to working with you!

Specialty Aesthetic Surgery serves the greater NYC metro area.

About Our Surgeons

Bruce Moskowitz is an experienced and board-certified oculoplastic surgeon. His practice encompasses all areas of oculoplastic cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. He has a well-known reputation for revision surgery, and a large portion of his practice comes from other colleagues to revise sub-optimal outcomes.

Grigoriy Mashkevich is an experienced and double-board certified facial plastic surgeon. He belongs to a highly select group of surgeons with a focused specialization in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the nose, face, and neck.

Dr. Anna Frants is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon who is experienced in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. Her areas of expertise include surgery of the face, neck, nose, eyelids, eyebrows, and ears.

*Individual results may vary