Abdominoplasty | Tummy Tuck

Are you unhappy with the contour of your abdomen? Do you have a muffin top, sagging skin, or stretch marks? Has your figure been affected by pregnancy or massive weight loss? Do you diet and exercise with no results? If so, you should consider a tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, to restore a youthful contour and flat stomach. Tummy tuck surgery will remove excess fat and skin from the abdomen and tighten the abdominal muscles, for a toned and flattened stomach.

A tummy tuck by a board-certified plastic surgeon in Atlanta can flatten and firm your abdomen, enhancing your appearance and creating a smoother abdominal profile. This procedure is designed to tighten abdominal muscles and remove excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen.

Good Candidates for Tummy Tuck

You are a good candidate for a tummy tuck if you are healthy, are maintaining a stable weight, are a non-smoker, and don’t plan to be pregnant in the future. Prior to tummy tuck surgery, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Lisa DiFrancesco may ask tummy tuck candidates to stop taking aspirin and anti-inflammatory and/or herbal medications that can increase their post-operative bruising. In addition, candidates should also have realistic expectations for this plastic surgery, as tummy tuck surgery will not address intra-abdominal fat—the fat surrounding your internal organs.

Tummy Tuck Techniques

A tummy tuck is an outpatient procedure done under general anesthesia. The technique and the incision size for a tummy tuck procedure depend on the amount of loose skin or overhang as well as any prior surgical scars from other plastic surgeries. People who have experienced significant weight loss and have a large amount of excess skin will likely need an extended incision around the hips or even a lower body lift.

Liposuction is often used in addition to any type of abdominoplasty procedure to recreate a more youthful contour of the waist. This additional plastic surgery treatment can be performed at the same time as a tummy tuck procedure.

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Endoscopic Abdominoplasty

Dr. DiFrancesco can use endoscopic abdominoplasty with patients who have severe muscle laxity with little or no excess skin and fat. This laparoscopic technique uses two to three small incisions to insert a small camera under the skin the visualize the fascia, the layer of skin that covers muscle tissue.

Using this tummy tuck procedure, double board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. DiFrancesco can better understand the tissue needing treatment and can more quickly and safely remove the tissue required to achieve the most naturally beautiful results. Your tummy tuck scars will be smaller and easier to conceal. To better achieve your body contouring desires, Dr. DiFrancesco can also perform liposuction of the abdomen at the same time to remove excess fat.The recovery time for endoscopic abdominoplasty is similar to a full abdominoplasty, which includes restricted activity for around six weeks post-surgery.

Mini Abdominoplasty

A mini abdominoplasty is best suited for tummy tuck patients who have mild skin laxity and stretch marks only below the navel. The incision for a mini tummy tuck is placed lower on the abdomen—like a C-Section incision—and the length includes a limited length of skin in the shape of an ellipse.

A mini tummy tuck can be combined with liposuction for optimal results. Patients of Dr. DiFrancesco usually maintain a healthy lifestyle with a regular exercise routine and a good diet but have a stubborn overhang of excess skin that may be caused by a previous plastic surgery procedure, weight loss, or pregnancy.

Modified Abdominoplasty or Lipoabdominoplasty

Dr. DiFrancesco uses a modified abdominoplasty most often with patients who have previous scars that interfere with the blood supply of an abdominal flap or patients who need a significant amount of liposuction of the abdominal flap. A modified abdominoplasty uses an incision low on the abdomen and lifts the abdominal flap in the midline to preserve maximum blood flow yet still allows Dr. DiFrancesco to suture the abdominal muscle to repair skin and muscle laxity.

In the course of a modified abdominoplasty, the navel can be repositioned and an ellipse of loose skin below the navel is removed. A modified abdominoplasty is usually recommended for patients with loose skin, and fat, and who experience significant muscle laxity, but who are not candidates for a full abdominoplasty.

Full Abdominoplasty

A full abdominoplasty (or traditional tummy tuck surgery) is the most common technique for excising abdominal skin, which uses a low abdominal incision as well as an incision along the bikini line. During this plastic surgery procedure, an ellipse of skin is removed from the lower abdomen, the belly button is repositioned on the abdominal flap, and the muscle is tightened in the midline section of the abdomen.

With a full tummy tuck in Atlanta, removing excess skin also removes lower abdominal stretch marks. Skin laxity above and below the navel can be tightened, and a youthful contour to the abdomen can be restored.

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The staff is great... I would come back to any place that offered professional, inviting, and accommodating service as they do. Dr. DiFrancesco is a wonderful person and a surgeon I can wholeheartedly trust. I very much believe her number one priority is making people’s lives better and that it’s her goal to achieve the results desired.

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No-Drain Abdominoplasty

Drainless abdominoplasty is a newer technique that uses progressive tension sutures to avoid using drains. After traditional tummy tuck Atlanta surgery, it is common for fluid to develop under the skin as part of the healing process. If excess fluid is not removed, it can form a seroma—or fluid-filled portion of skin tissue.

Traditionally, doctors like board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. DiFrancesco have used medically administered drains to prevent seromas from forming after surgery. However, drains are uncomfortable and can be cumbersome, and aren’t the only way to prevent fluid from accumulating underneath the skin after body contouring surgery.

Drainless abdominoplasty uses sutures to affix the skin and fat tissue to the fascia in a pattern that prevents the formation of seroma fluid by tightening the space between the skin and the fascia. This suturing technique uses what’s known as progressive tension sutures, which reduce tension on tissues and improve scarring.

Extended Abdominoplasty

An extended abdominoplasty is used in patients who have severe skin laxity extending to the hips or love handles. This condition is common in patients who lose significant weight, especially those who lose weight over a short period of time.

One disadvantage of the extended tummy tuck is the length of the scar, which must be extended to address the excess skin and hard-to-reach fatty tissue. An extended abdominoplasty not only flattens the stomach but can also lift the thighs and hips in the process.

Tummy Tuck Recovery

During your pre-operative visit to DiFrancesco Plastic Surgery, our medical specialists will go over your pre-surgery instructions, including any medications you take on a regular basis as well as signs of complications (medically known as contraindications) to look for.

Depending on the length of your tummy tuck procedure, this plastic surgery can be an outpatient procedure, but you may be required to stay overnight in our surgery center. In the days following your surgery, light activities such as walking may be encouraged, but Dr. DiFrancesco typically recommends that patients avoid strenuous exercise or heavy lifting for 6 weeks.

If drains are required for your tummy tuck, you will receive instructions at your tummy tuck consultation and again before discharge. Dr. DiFancesco may require you to wear a post-surgery compression garment to reduce swelling and ensure optimal results.

Schedule a Consultation

If you’re looking for a highly effective way to address the problem areas affecting your abdominal area, Dr. DiFrancesco at DiFrancesco Plastic Surgery is here to help. Contact us any time by calling (404) 531-2478 or contacting us online and our medical professionals can help you schedule a consultation about a tummy tuck treatment plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I walk after tummy tuck?

Yes. Walking is healthy and we encourage our patients to walk several times a day for short distances during their recovery.

Can you get a tummy tuck if youre obese?

Tummy tucks can safely be performed in patients with a BMI < 35. In high BMI patients, wound healing problems and infection are more prevalent

Can you get pregnant after tummy tuck?

Sutures are placed internally to tighten to fascia and muscles which will help flatten your stomach and create an hourglass figure. Pregnancy is not recommended after a tummy tuck.

Can you lose weight after tummy tuck?

Yes, a tummy tuck will not interfere with your ability to lose weight.

Do men get tummy tuck?

Yes, men can be good candidates for tummy tuck especially after massive weight lose.

Does a tummy tuck tighten muscles?

After pregnancy or massive weight loss, muscles and fascia become stretched , a tummy tuck uses internal sutures to recreate a flatter more contoured look to your stomach.

How can I lose my stomach fat?

Diet and exercise is the best way to lose stomach fat.

How do I prepare for a tummy tuck?

The best way to prepare for a tummy tuck is with a healthy diet and exercise

How long do you wear a binder after surgery?

Typically, we recommend you wear a compression garment for 6 weeks after surgery.

How long does it take to lose weight after a tummy tuck?

Tummy tuck is a body contouring procedure which flattens your stomach and improves your waist. You may notice minimal weight lose svereal weeks after the procedure when the swelling has resolved.

How much weight can you lose having a tummy tuck?

A tummy tuck is not a weight lose procedure, It removes extra skin and tightens your muscle to make a flatter more contoured abdomen.

What do you eat after tummy tuck?

After a tummy tuck you should resume a normal healthy diet.

What is the best girdle to wear after a tummy tuck?

After your tummy tuck we will provide you with a compression garment.

When can I start working out after tummy tuck?

We encourage walking early after surgery as an important part of your healing process.Most patients resume exercise at 6 weeks, starting slowly and working up to their pre surgery routine.

What's the difference between a mini-tummy tuck and a full abdominoplasty?

The mini version is used on patients with only mild to moderate amounts of excess fat and skin. A full tummy tuck involves removal of more significant fat and skin and tightening of the abdominal muscles from the rib cage to the pubic area. Incisions for both mini and full tummy tucks are low and well hidden in a bikini line.

How long does it take to recover from a tummy tuck?

Mini and full tummy tucks are two to three hour long surgical procedures performed under general anesthesia. Medication is used to control any post-operative pain. The full tummy tuck involves a slightly longer recovery period than the mini version, but all abdominoplasty patients are usually able to resume their regular work and most activities in 2 to 3 weeks. Strenuous exercise and heavy lifting should be avoided for one month, however.

Can I have another procedure at the same time as an abdominoplasty?

Yes, most commonly liposuction is performed with abdominoplasty. Waist and back bra roll liposuction help to define the hourglass shape. Massive weight loss patients may choose to combine their abdominoplasty procedure with an arm lift or thigh lift.

Do I need a drain with abdominoplasty surgery?

At DiFrancesco Plastic Surgery, we offer drainless abdominoplasty surgery in patients who are good candidates. Good candidates for drainless abdominoplasty are patients in good health with a low BMI and moderate skin resection. Dr. DiFrancesco uses a technique called progressive tension sutures to reduce the space which allows seroma fluid to accumulate and form a seroma. This drainless abdominoplasty is more comfortable for patients after surgery and reduces scarring by eliminating tension on the flap.

Do I need to lose weight before my abdominoplasty?

Patients who are within 10 lbs. of their ideal weight will achieve the best results with the least chance of having a complication. You want to have a healthy diet and exercise before surgery and continue it after surgery to maintain your excellent results.

Is abdominoplasty painful?

Dr. DiFrancesco uses ERAS u2013 enhanced recovery after surgery u2013 for all her surgeries, not just abdominoplasty. ERAS is a cocktail of medications to significantly improve post-operative pain control and decrease the use of opioid pain medications. Abdominoplasty patients have less downtime and a faster more comfortable recovery using ERAS. Dr. DiFrancesco is one the of first plastic surgeons in Atlanta to use ERAS and her patients love it!