TUMMY TUCK
Tummy Tuck in Washington, DC
At Peel Haus, we are pleased to offer patients abdominoplasty surgery, also known as a tummy tuck in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia area. We all want a flat stomach, but diet and exercise often cannot accomplish this goal. If you have worked hard to reduce your stomach but still find that you have excess skin and fat in the abdominal area, an abdominoplasty may be the answer for you. The result is better fitting clothes, a smooth contour, and improved self-confidence.
Our plastic surgeons have many years of experience performing this procedure successfully in the Washington, DC area, helping her patients achieve a flatter, tighter abdomen. Call us to schedule a complimentary consultation to learn if you might be a good candidate and what options might be best to help you reach your goal of a smaller, flatter stomach.
How Tummy Tuck Surgery Works
A tummy tuck in Washington, DC — also known as abdominoplasty — is one of the most popular procedures that our board-certified plastic surgeons perform and is a part of our Mommy Makeover package. A Tummy Tuck is a cosmetic surgical procedure to improve the shape and appearance of the abdomen. During a abdominoplasty, your plastic surgeon removes the excess skin and fat below the umbilicus (belly-button), and tightens the Rectus Abdominal muscles and External Oblique muscles to cinch the waist, and liposuctions the abdomen to further shape the abdomen and waist. Some patients add liposuction of the flank (love handles) to give their body a more hourglass curvature. Additionally, liposuction of the upper back can be performed to circumferentially contour the trunk and improve the patient’s profile.
Benefits of an Abdominoplasty
The results of this procedure are amazing, and patients are incredibly pleased with their results. Abdominoplasty can:
- Flatten a round stomach
- Reduce love handles
- Remove lax skin in the abdominal area
- Correct stretched, separated, or weakened abdominal muscles (a condition that often occurs post-pregnancy)
- Improve lower back pain
- Help you feel better about your body
Ideal Candidate for a Tummy Tuck
A Tummy Tuck in Washington, DC is best for people who have both excess fat and skin in the abdominal area. If you have no lax skin, but only excess fat, liposuction may be sufficient to give you the flatter stomach you want.
Abdominoplasty is often part of a mommy makeover for women who have excess skin and fat due to pregnancy. However, it is best to postpone this procedure until after you are finished having children as a subsequent pregnancy could create the need for an additional tummy tuck.
This procedure is a good option for anyone who wants to remove excess skin and fat deposits left behind after childbirth or weight loss. This includes people who have lost weight after having weight-loss surgery, as well as people who have lost weight primarily through exercise or dieting.
The ideal candidate is:
- In good overall health
- Physically fit in general
- At a stable weight
If you still have a lot of weight you want to lose or are planning to have more children in the future, it may be better to put off having the abdominoplasty surgery. This is because losing more weight or having more children will further change your body, and that may undo some or all the effects of the tummy tuck procedure.
Types of Tummy Tucks
Every patient has unique aesthetic goals and desired outcomes of treatment. Your plastic surgeon will recommend the type of surgery that she or he believes would be able to achieve the patient’s goals and minimize any concerns they have about scarring and creating a natural look.
The types of Tummy Tuck procedures vary due to the amount of excess skin that patients may have. The excess skin a patient wants to be removed will influence the location and length of the incision that the plastic surgeon needs to make. A patient who is undertaking an Extended Tummy Tuck will require a larger incision than a patient who is undergoing a Mini Tummy Tuck, for example.
What are the different Tummy Tuck procedure types?
Full Tummy Tuck
A Full Tummy Tuck in Washington, DC is designed to improve both the upper and lower abdomen. Patients who are in good health and who have weakened abdominal muscles or excessive skin around their midsection may consider a Full Tummy Tuck to flatten and contour the areas above and below their belly buttons.
A Full Tummy Tuck consists of four things:
- Liposuction of any excess fat around the waist.
- Repair of the stretched-out abdominal muscles (“rectus diastasis”)
- Removal of stretched-out abdominal skin
- Reconstruction or reshaping of the belly button.
Mini Tummy Tuck
Unlike a Full Tummy Tuck, the Mini Tummy Tuck address only the lower abdomen – the area below the belly button. The American Board of Plastic Surgery suggests that patients who are concerned by a “pooch”, loose skin, or stretch marks below their belly button may want to consider a Mini Tummy Tuck.
Patients who undertake a Mini Tummy Tuck are often close to their ideal weight but frustrated by stubborn fat between the pubic area and navel that they have been unable to get rid of despite rigorous exercise and strict dieting for years.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, a Mini Tummy Tuck involves:
- Making a small horizontal incision between the hipbones
- Removing excess skin
- Tightening underlying muscles.
In a Mini Tummy Tuck, a patient’s belly button is not repositioned as any excess skin, fat or muscle laxity above the belly button is not addressed. As the scope of the Mini Tummy Tuck is less than the Full Tummy Tuck, patients can heal in less time. Often, recovery takes only a few weeks. Strenuous exercise should not be undertaken until at least 6 weeks following surgery.
Extended Tummy Tuck
An Extended Tummy Tuck involves the components of a Full Tummy Tuck with the addition of improving a patient’s flanks. This can be an effective treatment for patients that have lost a substantial amount of weight and are looking to refine the contours of their body.
Typical candidates for an this often have:
- An abundance of excess skin hanging from their upper and lower abdomen and flanks – in some cases, weighing several pounds
- Significant laxity in their abdominal muscles.
Extended Tummy Tuck patients may also benefit from liposuction, usually performed on the hips, love handles and flanks, during their procedure to achieve their ideal body contour.
This procedure involves a longer incision than a Full Tummy Tuck as the scope is larger. The postoperative scar following the procedure can often be hidden by clothing or swimsuits.
The recovery time for an Extended Tummy Tuck is similar to that of a Full Tummy Tuck. However, according to MedicalNewsToday, the scar from an Extended Tummy Tuck may take longer to heal.
Fleur-De-Lis Tummy Tuck
The Fleur-De-Lis Tummy Tuck gets its name from the incision’s shape. The surgery involves the plastic surgeon making an incision that’s shaped like the petals of a Fleur-De-Lis. This type of Tummy Tuck is best for patients who have excess skin in the midline of their abdomen.
Candidates for a Fleur-De-Lis Tummy Tuck have often experienced dramatic weight loss and combined vertical and horizontal laxity. Like Full Tummy Tuck candidates, they have a lower roll of loose skin but have the addition of looseness from side-to-side.
This abdominoplasty requires two incisions. Like a Full Tummy Tuck, an incision is made along the pubic bone and there is a vertical incision that runs along the middle of the abdomen. The extra incision is intended to allow the plastic surgeon to tighten a patient’s skin from the side-to-side as well as up-and-down, which can drastically improve the look of the abdomen.
Patients should consider the scarring that the Fleur-De-Lis Tummy Tuck can cause and decide for themselves whether it will be suitable for them. Fleur-De-Lis Tummy Tuck patients are advised not to return to work for 2 or 3 weeks and should not exercise until 6 weeks following their surgery.
Tummy Tuck with Liposuction
When performed as a single procedure, a abdominoplasty is designed to excise excess skin, not to remove a patient’s fat. Liposuction is a procedure that contours the body by removing pockets of fat.
Combining Liposuction with a abdominoplasty procedure is common and can benefit patients who want any body fat addressed during the surgery while simultaneously eliminating loose skin and repairing muscle tissue.
Tummy Tuck Recovery
Patients ambulate from the surgery center immediately after the procedure and are fully recovered within 10-14 days. Most patients will have a drain and are required to wear compression garments for up to 6 weeks post-procedure. The most important thing to remember during this process is that you should follow your plastic surgeon’s instructions closely. Don’t hesitate to contact the doctor’s office if you have questions or concerns.
Post-Surgery
Directly following a tummy tuck in Washington, DC, your abdomen will be covered with surgical dressing. In many cases, there will be thin, small tubes placed around your incision in order to drain any fluid that builds up around it. This is common and shouldn’t cause you any additional discomfort. You will need to rest at an angle for the first few days of recovery and will be given instructions to move about to help prevent any blood clots.
At Home
It’s important to line up help for at least the first day or two that you’re home following surgery. You will be prescribed pain medications and have somewhat limited mobility, so you will not be able to drive yourself home.
Once home, you will likely have difficulty with bending, lifting, or standing for prolonged periods of time, so having someone to help around the house during the initial period after your surgery can make recovery significantly easier.
Daily Care
Your doctor will teach you how to properly care for your incision and drainage tubes for the duration of your recovery. Most patients are given antibiotics and anticoagulants to take for a certain length of time, and some are given topical creams to apply around the incision site. You will have an abdominal support garment or wrap that will help with swelling and discomfort during recovery, so it’s important to wear it for the recommended amount of time each day. Smoking and drinking alcohol can seriously inhibit your recovery, so they should be avoided for at least three months post-surgery.
Resuming Normal Activities
If you have young children, you will want to enlist help to assist with childcare, as squatting or picking up children (or heavy objects for that matter) for the first few weeks is strongly advised against. However, driving, cooking, or shopping is often manageable after a week or two. Some patients opt to take a few weeks off work for recovery. If you have a physically demanding job, it’s especially important to take plenty of time off so you don’t jeopardize your recovery. You will also want to avoid exercise during this time for the same reasons.
Long-term effects
Some people experience numbness or a pulling sensation for weeks or months after a this procedure, but this is typically normal and often fades with time. It can take up to three months for the swelling and bruising to go down completely, and it may take longer than that for your scar to fade. There are a variety of abdominoplasty procedures available, and each one has a slightly different recovery time. Your treatment plan determines the level of correction needed to meet the desired results.
Most patients return to work after a tummy tuck within 7-10 days and resume strenuous exercise in about 4-6 weeks. By 3 to 6 months post-op, most patients are enjoying their permanent results. However, it is also important to note that results are only permanent when patients maintain them with regular exercise and a healthy diet.
Learn More About Tummy Tuck Surgery in Washington, DC
If you are a generally healthy person but wish to contour your abdomen while strengthening the abdominal wall, a tummy tuck procedure may be a great option for you. The first step is making sure you’re a good candidate, and that you have realistic goals in mind. Take the first step by reaching out to Peel Haus today. Schedule a consultation with one of our plastic surgeons who can answer any additional questions you have about the abdominoplasty surgery process.
Enhance Your Look with a Tummy Tuck in Washington DC
Our plastic surgery team is widely recognized as one of the best practices for body and facial implants in Washington DC.
Schedule a consultation with our expert team today to create your unique treatment plan for a tummy tuck in Washington DC.
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TUMMY TUCK
