Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) Surgery
Abdominoplasty, also called a tummy tuck, is a type of plastic surgery that helps make your stomach look flatter and tighter. An abdominoplasty allows Dr. Poppler to remove extra skin and tighten the core muscles. An abdominoplasty is often paired with liposuction (or liposculpting) to remove excess fat around the waist and flanks and to highlight your core muscles and six pack. Many people choose this surgery after weight loss, pregnancy, or when exercise and diet cannot remove extra skin and fat.
Where Are the Scars?
During a tummy tuck, Dr. Poppler makes a cut (called an incision) low on the stomach, usually just above the pubic area and below the hip bones (Pelvis). Dr. Poppler uses his experience to predict how the scar will move as your skin heals and stretches so that it is hidden under skimpy underwear or swimsuits. Often, there is also a small scar around the belly button if it is moved during surgery. Dr. Poppler uses a technique that helps hide this scar inside the belly button and makes it less visible to others.
What is Rectus Diastasis?
Rectus Diastasis is a condition usually caused by pregnancy where the six pack muscles (rectus abdominus muscles) are stretched apart from one another. This can result in bulging of the central stomach when standing or attempting to do a sit up. It also results in weakness of the muscles. Dr. Poppler will examine you for a rectus diastasis at your consultation, and if present, will correct it during your surgery.
Differences in Technique for Men vs. Women
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Women: Dr. Poppler will focus on tightening muscles stretched by pregnancy (rectus diastasis), removing loose or stretch marked skin, and giving your waist an nice feminine shape. The goal is to restore a smooth, hourglass shaped waistline and natural belly button shape.
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Men: Men usually want a straighter, firmer look without as much waist shaping. Men usually do not have rectus diastasis that needs corrected. Men also typically have hair on their abdomen. Dr. Poppler will focus more on removing extra fat and skin, while preserving a straight, masculine waist, and minimizing distortion of abdominal hair to preserve a natural, manly look.
What is a Mini-Abdominoplasty (or Mini-Tummy Tuck)?
A mini-abdominoplasty is an operation that addresses extra skin and fat in the lower abdomen. Mini-abdominoplasty uses a shorter scar at the waist and does not involve a scar around the umbilicus. This is not typically appropriate for patients with a lot of extra skin or with separation of their rectus abdominus (six pack) muscles (diastasis recti.) At your consultation, Dr. Poppler will examine you and if appropriate discuss the possibility of mini-abdominoplasty with you.
Why People Choose Abdominoplasty
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Flatter stomach
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Removal of loose, hanging skin
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Stronger abdominal muscles
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Improved body confidence
Possible Complications
Like all surgeries, abdominoplasty has risks. The risks are small but are higher in people with certain medical conditions such as smoking, poor nutrition, auto-immune diseases, or diseases that require the use of blood thinning medications. Dr. Poppler will carefully review your risk factors with you at your consultation and help you modify these where possible to make your surgery as safe as possible. At Treasure Valley Plastic Surgery, your safety is our number one priority, and all surgical prices include an insurance plan to help pay for care related to any complications.
Possible complications listed from most to least common include:
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Changes in skin feeling (numbness)
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Fluid build-up (seroma)
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Scars that may be thick or uneven
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Poor wound healing
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Infection
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Bleeding
What happens if I have a hernia?
Dr. Poppler will carefully examine you during your consultation for possible hernia (hole or weak point in the abdominal wall that your abdominal contents may protrude through). If you have a hernia, Dr. Poppler may order a scan such as an ultrasound or CT scat (cat scan) to better evaluate this. If you have a large or complicated hernia, Dr. Poppler may refer you to a general surgeon that specializes in hernia repair. If you have a small hernia, Dr. Poppler will repair it for you as part of your abdominoplasty surgery.
Should I lose weight before surgery?
If you are significantly overweight, you may not be a good candidate for abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) and Dr. Poppler may recommend you lose weight prior to surgery so that he can give you a better result and decrease your risks with surgery. Best results are achieved when you are at the weight you intend to stay at. Losing weight before surgery is not helpful if you think you will gain it right back. Similarly, doing surgery before losing weight produces a sub-optimal result because your skin will loosen again as you lose weight. For this reason, it is best to lose weight before abdominoplasty surgery if you intend to lose weight or if you are significantly overweight, but otherwise you should have surgery when you are at a stable weight you are happy with.
How long is recovery after a tummy tuck?
Recovery from abdominoplasty surgery usually takes about 6 weeks. Most patients return to light activities within 1 week, and work in 2-3 weeks. Return to most exercise is possible about 3 weeks after surgery. Depending on if you have your muscles tightened, you will have some lifting and twisting restrictions for 3 months. Swelling is typically mostly gone in 4 weeks but will come and go for about 3 months.
Is a tummy tuck safe?
A tummy tuck is generally safe when performed on appropriate patients by a board-certified plastic surgeon. Like all surgeries, there are risks such as infection, bleeding, fluid build-up, or scarring. Choosing an experienced surgeon like Dr. Poppler, following his advice to modify any risk factors before surgery, and following aftercare instructions lowers these risks and improves results.
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