Pregnancy, weight gain, and weight loss have a profound effect on a woman’s abdomen. Dieting and exercise can seldom restore the abdominal wall to its flat desirable shape once the skin and muscles have been stretched from pregnancy or weight loss. Men are not immune to loose abdominal skin. Particularly men who have lost a large amount of weight may end up with loose abdominal skin. A tummy tuck is a procedure used to remove excess fat, skin, and additionaly tightens the underlying muscles in the abdomen. Stretch marks below the umbilicus are often removed completely. Both women and men can benefit from this safe and effective body contouring surgery.
Two types of tummy tuck procedures are available: full tummy tuck/abdominoplasty and mini-tummy tucks. A full tummy tuck addresses three components (skin, fat and muscles) and is useful for patients who have loose skin above and below the umbilicus. Results can be quite dramatic, especially when combined with liposuction of the flanks.
A mini tummy tuck is best suited for patients who have a pouch below the belly button and who do not have significant stretch marks, saggy skin or a hooded belly button above the belly button. A mini tummy tuck has a shorter, lower scar than a full tummy tuck and typically has a shorter recovery time. An important difference between a mini tummy tuck and a full tummy tuck is that a full tummy tuck involves an incision around the belly button and across the lower abdomen, a mini tummy tuck leaves the belly button intact and requires a smaller incision. During the mini tummy tuck procedure, the excess of skin and fat are removed below the belly button and tightening of the muscles is utilized below the belly button. Liposuction is frequently combined with this procedure to remove excess fat above and below the belly button to enhance the body’s contour.
The decision between a full tummy tuck or a “mini” will be discussed in your consultation. A full tummy tuck procedure corrects the entire abdominal portion while the mini tummy tuck corrects only the lower portion of the abdomen. Recovery times vary between the two procedures. Typically, a mini requires 7-9 days off from work. A full tummy tuck typically requires about two weeks off from work. Self employed patients, or patients that can work from home can often return to many activities much earlier.
If you think that a tummy tuck procedure can help you meet your body contouring goals, call Dr. Malhotra’s office, or you can request a consultation online.
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