Abdominoplasty

What is Abdominoplasty?

Abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, removes excess skin and fat, as well as restore weakened or separated abdominal muscles. Factors that often contribute to these issues include aging, pregnancy, heredity factors, prior surgeries, and significant weight fluctuations. A tummy tuck results in a flatter abdomen that is proportionate with your body type.

Am I a good candidate for abdominoplasty?

Candidates for abdominoplasty surgery in Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts are healthy men or women who are unhappy with the appearance of their abdomen. It is important that patients are at a stable weight, are non-smokers, and have realistic expectations for the outcome of their surgery. Furthermore, patients should be aware that a tummy tuck should not be used as a primary weight loss solution.

Abdominoplasty – Patient 156
A 2 ½ year followup on a mother of two who was bothered by hanging skin and fullness in the mons area. She is shown before and again, 2 ½ years after an abdominoplasty with translocation of the umbilicus. Her scar is nicely hidden in the “thong line”
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Abdominoplasty – Patient 155
A woman in her early 40’s who is bothered by the appearance of her abdomen, despite having liposuction of the abdomen elsewhere 13 years before. She has also had liposuction reduction of her breasts 15 years before, also elsewhere, and feels that her breasts have regrown. She is especially bothered by “rolls” of the abdomen that show through her clothing. She has not had children. She is 5’6” and 170 lbs and is shown before and again, 7 months aften extended abdominoplasty. She had the excision of more than 4 lbs of skin. We can expect scars to continue to fade over the next 18 months. She is thrilled to be able to wear fitted clothes now, without seeing “rolls” of skin in her abdominal area.
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Abdominoplasty- Patient 154
mother of 3 in her late 30’s who is bothered by the appearance of her abdomen after pregnancy. She gained 65 lbs with her last pregnancy and wished to be able to feel comfortable wearing a 2- piece bathing suit again. Many patients mistake the bulging of the abdomen after pregnancy with somehow being overweight. They come in to see me and feel guilty, as if they could correct their problem with further weight loss or exercise. That is certainly not the case here, as she is 5 4 ½ inches and 122 lbs, giving her a BMII of 20.62, and is extremely physically fit. The problem is skin and muscle that was stretched with her pregnancies. Her umbilicus is high, and we need to decide between placing the entire abdominal scar higher, or placing it in the best “thong line” position and accepting a small vertical scar in the lower abdomen that represents the skin that was previously around the umbilicus. In other words, we cut around the outside of the umbilicus (belly button) and leave the belly button attached where it is- after repairing the stretched muscles, the skin is pulled down like a window shade and the excess skin is removed, ant the belly button is popped back up through a new incision. She is shown before and again, 3 years after surgery. The abdominal scar is in the optimal “thong” position, placed 6 ½ cm above where the vaginal lips come together. The small vertical scar is seen just above this and is from the skin that was previously around her umbilicus before the skin was detached and pulled down. She has an excellent contour to her abdomen, and now feels comfortable again in a 2-piece bathing suit.
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Abdominoplasty- Patient 153
A mother of 3 in her early 40’s who is bothered by a ”bump” of her stomach after pregnancy, despite diet and exercise. She is also bothered by unfavorable scarring after gallbladder surgery at the age of 21. She had had this revised by a plastic surgeon 12 months before seeing me but was still unhappy with the scar. A subcostal incision is sometimes called a “Kocher” incision and can make an abdominoplasty more challenging. Limited undermining can allow us to maintain the blood supply to the lower abdominal skin. Liposuction of the abdomen can also increase the risk of healing problems with an abdominoplasty. Sometimes a scar can be improved further by releasing and breaking up the scar tissue and fat grafting around the scar. Lipoabdominoplasty utilizing Power assisted liposuction was used to break up the fat around the old scar using a “Becker” type cannula and judicious liposuction was performed to remove 400 cc of fat from the upper abdomen. Then an abdominplasty was performed with limited undermining to preserve the blood supply to the lower abdominal skin. Fat equalization was performed to break up and smooth the fat under the scar. She is shown before and again, 4 years after surgery.
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Abdominoplasty – Patient 152
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How is an abdominoplasty performed?

Patients choosing to undergo abdominoplasty surgery have the choice of intravenous sedation and general anesthesia, and Dr. Hall will recommend which choice is best for you. During the surgery, Dr. Hall creates a horizontal incision between the belly button and the public hairline, where a bikini can easily cover. The skin is then lifted, and the weakened abdominal muscles will be tightened. Depending on how much excess skin is being removed, a second incision around the naval may be necessary. Skin on the upper abdomen is pulled down, and a new opening for the belly button is created. Incisions will be closed with sutures, tapes, or skin adhesives.

What should I expect during recovery?

During abdominoplasty recovery, dressings are applied to incision sites and a compression garment may be worn to minimize swelling and provide support. Small tubes may also be inserted to drain any excess blood or fluids. Dr. Hall will provide you with specific instructions about your recovery. Abdominoplasty results are permanent, although substantial fluctuations in weight can greatly diminish these results. Patients who are planning on losing a substantial amount of weight or future pregnancies are advised to delay tummy tuck surgery.

“I saw 3 surgeons before meeting with Dr. Hall and by far
he and his staff was the most compassionate, thorough,
professional and helpful. Can’t say how pleased and
comfortable he and his staff made me feel.”

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