Top 3 Tummy Tuck Methods

Cosmetic surgery has become something of a norm in the medical industry in the last 20 years, whether out of necessity or because of a desire to look more appealing. One way or the other face lifts and tummy tucks have been the predominant focal points when it comes to this subject. Where face lifts have been performed to smooth out the wrinkles in one’s face and give it a younger appearance, so too have tummy tucks been done to firm up the abdomen.

Abdominoplasty is the formal term used to refer to a tummy tuck and is a surgery which involves the removal of excess fat and skin from the lower and middle abdomen in order to tighten up the fascia and muscle of the abdominal wall. Normally, the surgery is performed on women that have loose tissues resulting from pregnancy or individuals that have sagging tissue resulting from major weight loss.

Normally, there are three tummy tuck methods – complete Abdominoplasty, partial Abdominoplasty, or extended Abdominoplasty. Additionally, there are also combination procedures as well, that involve Abdominoplasty and breast lifts, breast reductions, or hysterectomies.

Complete Abdominoplasty

Complete (or full) Abdominoplasty surgery involves:

• an incision is created just above the pubic area running from hip to hip

• the navel is freed from the surrounding skin by virtue of another incision

• the fascia and muscles that are to be tightened by the surgery are exposed by the skin being detached from the abdominal wall

• sutures are used to tighten the fascia and muscle

• the excess fat and skin are removed to close the defect

• the navel stalk is then brought out through a new incision and then sutured into place

• if the transition zones need to be refined, liposuction may be performed

• a compression garment or some type of dressing is applied and excess fluid that remains is drained off

Partial Abdominoplasty

partial (or mini) Abdominoplasty surgery involves:

• partial abdominoplasites start with a smaller incision

• a more limited detachment of the fascia and muscle tissue of the lower abdomen is done

• the skin is then stretched and the excess is removed

• occasionally, the navel stalk is separated from the muscle and slid to a lower position of the abdominal wall

• a portion of the fascia and muscle wall are tightened

• in order to contour the transition zone, liposuction is performed if needed

• the skin flap is then stitched back into place

Extended Abdominoplasty

• an extended Abdominoplasty involves performing a complete Abdominoplasty and making extensions into the flanks (sides) and/or thighs (front).

Combination Procedures

An Abdominoplasty is basically part of a “lower body lift” and can be done in conjunction with other procedures such as breast lifts, breast reductions, hysterectomies, and liposuction during combination procedures.

The tummy tuck is then followed by the recovery process. The partial tummy tuck requires a much shorter recovery period. The full procedure can require anywhere from a six month to a one year recovery period depending on how radical the surgery was.