Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)

The stomach is always the body part that we pay the most attention to whenever we’re trying to lose fat. Sometimes, abdominal fat is stubborn and even after restrictive diets and countless hours at the gym, it doesn’t disappear and is accompanied by loose, sagging skin. This can also occur because of aging, after pregnancies or in men or women that were obese at some point and lost a lot of weight but still have some fat deposits in their stomach, that don’t respond to diet and exercise. The abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is a surgical procedure that removes the excess of fat and skin in the stomach; it also tightens the abdominal wall muscles, which results in a flat stomach and a narrow waist. It is a major surgery, so it is important to educate yourself before deciding to undergo it. 

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In those patients who require a bigger correction, there is an option of a complete abdominoplasty. It consists of a first incision made in the low abdomen, approximately at the level of pubic hair; that extends from hip to hip. Then, a second incision is made to release the navel from the tissue that surrounds it. Afterwards, the surgeon separates the skin from the abdominal wall until the level of the ribs and tightens the muscles of the abdominal wall by suturing them together into a new position. This results in a firmer abdominal wall and a narrower waist. Later, the skin is pulled downward and the excess of fat and skin is removed and then the skin is sutured. In other patients, whose fat deposits aren’t as big and are located under the navel, there is an option of a partial abdominoplasty in which shorter incisions are made and the navel isn’t moved.