TUMMY-TUCK (Abdominoplasty)

Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is recommended for patients with redundant and flaccid abdominal skin, for those with excessive fat tissue, abdominal muscular weakness, and with scar deformities in the lower abdomen (striae of pregnancy). A large area of the lower abdomen is removed (the full thickness of skin and fat is excised), the abdominal wall tightened, the umbilicus reconstructed, and the remaining skin edges sutured together. It is usually performed on women who are beyond their reproductive years, and suffer the consequences of abdominal wall laxity and redundant fat and skin after pregnancy.

Tummy-Tuck (Abdominoplasty) FAQ's

Being a candidate for tummy-tuck, can I have a liposuction instead?
Considering the limits of liposuction (see FAQ on liposuction) on patients with a structural profile mentioned above, the results of body contouring would be sub-optimal for liposuction.

What about the scar?
The trade off of the minimal incision scars of liposuction for the optimal contouring of Abdominoplasty is a long linear scar. A transverse scar is situated at the lowest portion of the abdomen, above the pubic area. It is particularly necessary to design the scar that can be hidden when the patient wears her usual swimwear or panty.

What’s a lipectomy?
Short of doing the standard Abdominoplasty with tightening of the abdominal wall and reconstructing the umbilicus, the flaccid skin and excessive fat in the lower abdomen can only be excised. Others call this procedure as Mini-Tuck.

What should be expected immediately after the operation?
I personally prefer to employ an epidural anesthesia in order to have an adequate control of the post-operative pain. The patient is placed on a semi-flexed position with an abdominal binder for support. The patient is expected to be mobile with abdominal support the day after the surgery. There will be a gradual progression of the diet since the abdominal compartment has been decreased because of the tightening of the wall. The drains are usually removed after 2 days. The urinary catheter and epidural line are expected to be out on the 3rd day. If uneventful, the patient is discharged on the 3rd post-operative day.

Can I still get fat after the operation?
The fat that had been surgically removed is gone. However, the remaining layer of fat can increase in size and quantity when one slumbers and binges! It must be emphasized that the optimal result of body contouring surgery is a cycle of life-style changes, proper diet, continuous exercise, and appropriate surgery.

I underwent a tummy-tuck, my upper abdomen is still bulky. What can be done?
The simultaneous application of Liposuction with Abdominoplasty is tricky, especially to address the fat in the upper abdomen. The propensity for skin loss or necrosis is higher when these procedures are performed at the same time (by virtue of its blood supply). Ergo, Liposuction of the upper abdomen, if necessary, is recommended weeks after the Abdominoplasty has been performed. However, Liposuction of the flanks may be done simultaneously with Abdominoplasty without compromise to the skin flap.

Before and After Pictures of Tummy-Tuck Surgery

Before

After

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