The Abdominoplasty or Tummy Tuck is a surgical procedure that aims to remove excess skin and fat from the abdomen but also to tighten disjointed abdominal muscles (diastasis cure) to give a flatter, firmer and more regular appearance.
Why have an abdominoplasty?
Everyone aspires to have a well toned and flat stomach. Unfortunately, several factors can come into play over the years to disrupt this harmony such as:
- Pregnancies
- Surgeries
- Significant weight fluctuations
- Genetics
- Age
The abdominal skin then becomes loose, wrinkled and covered with stretch marks. The disjunction of the abdominal muscles caused by pregnancy and obesity will also alter the aesthetics of the abdomen, making it appear plump.
Goals
Depending on the excess skin and the amount of muscle relaxation, you may choose to do a full Abdominoplasty or a mini abdominoplasty (mini tummy tuck).
Full abdominoplasty is performed for large excess skin associated with very relaxed abdominal muscles. It helps remove excess skin, tighten the abdominal muscles, but also replace the navel and fix it in a better position.
The mini-abdominoplasty is performed for light or moderate excess skin without noticeable muscle relaxation. The navel is then not changed.
What abdominoplasty cannot do
Abdominoplasty is not a substitute for the treatment of overweight or obesity. Nevertheless, it can eliminate excess skin after bariatric surgery (bypass, sleeve, gastric band).
If the patient has a large excess of visceral fat (intra-abdominal fat), the tummy tuck will not be able to achieve a completely flat stomach despite tightening of the abdominal muscles.
Abdominoplasty has no effect on stretch marks. On the other hand, it will reduce them by removing a good part with the resected skin.
Scar
It is a low horizontal line of varying length, generally hidden in the panties. For a full abdominoplasty, there is also a circumferential scar around the navel. These scars will fade over the months to become inconspicuous.