TUMMY TUCK (Abdominoplasty)
Tummy Tuck NJ
The laxity of the abdominal skin is usually a consequence of pregnancy, but can also happen with weight gain, weight loss or a combination of these. In men, the laxity usually happens after weight loss. The quality of skin is critical in the decision about performing a tummy tuck (Abdominoplasty) versus liposuction. In some people, there is excess fat but the skin has no stretch marks and could retract after liposuction. A tummy tuck is a better choice when the skin is redundant or of poor quality.
Mini Tummy Tuck NJ
What is a mini abdominoplasty or the mini tummy tuck? To understand the mini tummy tuck one needs to know what a standard tummy tuck is all about. The standard tummy tuck involves an incision above the pubis, which typically goes from hipbone to hipbone on the other side. The skin of the abdomen is lifted over the muscle layer and the muscle separation that usually happens with pregnancy is repaired over the midline. The excess skin below the belly button is removed and the skin is closed above the pubis. The belly button is then brought out through a hole that is made in front of it and is repaired to the abdominal skin. Two drains are placed to allow the skin to heal with the deep muscle layer. With this operation, all of the excess skin both from above and below the belly button is eliminated.
What is a Mini Tummy Tuck?
When the skin redundancy is primarily below the belly button, one can do the so-called mini tummy tuck. In these cases, the plastic surgeon will do liposuction of the abdomen and remove the excess skin above the pubis without disconnecting the bellybutton. In this case, the operation is less extensive and the recovery is faster. In some cases, the muscles could be tightened with this procedure.
The table is usually flexed to help with the closure, and the patient is transferred to the hospital bed or the stretcher with their hip flexed like in a beach chair. They are allowed to get out of bed and walk, but the flexion at the hip and knees are maintained. An abdominal binder is applied to hold the dressings together.
The drains are removed in about five days. The patient can usually walk straight by the end of the week, and depending on what kind of work, they can return to work in as early as two weeks. Most tummy tucks can be done as an outpatient, as long as there is someone at home caring for the patient. Occasionally some patients ask to stay overnight at the hospital to get intravenous pain medicine and to be monitored.
The judgment about which of the three procedures described above is the appropriate one is critical in order to get good results. I see so many patients consulting me, who had surgery elsewhere and are unhappy with their results. The problem in these cases is usually related to the wrong choice of procedure. For example, liposuction is done in patients when the patient needed a tummy tuck. Or a mini tuck was performed when the patient should have had a standard tummy tuck. The patient has to be careful and see an experienced plastic surgeon before undergoing this procedure.
Lipoabdominoplasty
This is an operation for patients with redundant skin and excess fat over the entire abdomen. Liposuction is done over the entire abdomen. The skin from the lower abdomen is then removed, but no undermining is done to preserve the blood supply to the skin, except in the midline where the skin is undermined to repair the muscles. This procedure offers the advantages of tummy tuck and liposuction. This is normally performed in patients who are heavier. I often combine liposuction of the hips with the tummy tuck to achieve a better overall contour.