Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)
Columbia SC - Abdominoplasty - Tummy Tuck - Plastic Surgery - Gregory Sexton, MD - South Carolina
Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), is an outpatient surgical procedure performed to tighten the abdominal wall and remove excess, loose skin.
When patients come in wanting liposuction of the abdomen, often the skin has been stretched too much, and liposuction would leave them with loose, hanging skin. For these people, the best results are obtained from an abdominoplasty. Another patient that benefits from abdominoplasty is the young mother who is not really overweight, but has a significant bulge in the area just under her belly button. She does not have much fat or extra skin, but just a stretched muscle wall. This patient does well with a “mini-tuck”.
A mini-tuck involves a smaller scar and consists of tightening the muscle wall to eliminate the bulge without removing much skin. The procedure does not address the area above the belly button, and there are no incisions around the belly button itself. The scar is much smaller then a standard tummy tuck.
A standard tummy tuck involves a scar from hip bone to hip bone, and another scar around the belly button. The skin and fat from the pubic bone to the belly button is removed. The muscle wall is tightened, and the skin is then stretched down and sewn together. The belly button is then popped out in the new location.
Patients will be sore for 1-2 weeks, and will be out of work for about two weeks