Abdominoplasty (ab-dom'in-o-plas"te), more commonly referred to as a tummy tuck, is a procedure to flatten the abdomen by tightening the muscles of the abdominal wall in addition to removing excess fat and skin.

    A tummy tuck can produce dramatic results for both men and women.  A smooth, flat and firm abdomen implies a healthy, fit and youthful body.  This also may be combined with liposuction to increase body contouring.

    This procedure is particularly helpful to those patients with a large fat deposit or loose abdominal skin that is exercise resistant.  Women who are unable to return their abdominal muscles and skin to normal after multiple pregnancies find this procedure very appealing.

    Abdominoplasty usually takes between two and four hours to complete and is customarily performed under general anesthesia, but local anesthesia with sedation may also be used.

    Many of our patients elect to stay in an overnight nursing facility following this procedure, particularly if work is done to tighten the abdominal muscles.  Recovery time will vary for each individual, but we tell our patients that they will return to work within one to two weeks and resume more strenuous activity within four to six weeks.

    While we strive to minimize complications and maximize patient satisfaction, we would be remiss if we did not remind you that there may be side effects and there are risk.  These will be discussed more fully during your consultation.

     For additional information on abdominoplasty or to schedule a consultation, please contact us at 520/297-3300 or by e-mail.

Additional References:

     Frequently Asked Questions - Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

    American Society of Plastic Surgery's Abdominoplasty web page.