A full abdominoplasty begins with an incision above the pubic area that extends between the hipbones. The surgeon then makes a second incision to separate the navel from the underlying tissue. The skin is separated and pulled up to the level of the ribs. The surgeon pulls the abdominal muscles together and stitches them into position. The navel is then relocated and stitched into place. The surgeon replaces the skin (excess skin is trimmed) and sutures the original incisions. A complete tummy tuck takes between two and five hours.

Immediately following surgery, the incisions are dressed with bandages to keep the skin in place. A tube is usually inserted to drain any excess fluids that will collect for about a day or so after. Patients may experience some swelling and discomfort, however your doctor can prescribe medication to alleviate these symptoms. Stitches are usually removed five to ten days following surgery, although deeper sutures may take up to three weeks. The specifics of each procedure, as well as duration of down time and type of anesthesia (general or local), will vary among individuals.

Abdominoplasty surgery is performed under general anaesthesia, and often on an out-patient basis. Sometimes, patients choose to spend one night in hospital. Most patients are back to normal daily activities within two weeks, but are asked to avoid heavy physical activity and heavy lifting for at least 6 weeks.

Although most patients undergo abdominoplasty with very few complications, it is important for you to be well informed of the risks and potential benefits. These issues should be discussed with you at your initial consultation. Patients will maximize their chances of a successful result by following their pre- and
post-operative instructions, eating well and avoiding smoking.

If you have thick abdominal fat, lose fascia, and lax skin, your cosmetic surgeon may recommend both tummy tuck and abdominal liposuction. If so, they should be performed as separate procedures at least three months apart. If these procedures are performed at the same time, you may be at high risk for significant healing problems. Although the term "healing problems" may not sound frightening, be aware that healing problems can result in further surgery, larger scars, and or hospitalization.

 

At a glance:

Procedure:	Flatten abdomen by removing excess fat and skin and tightening muscles of abdominal wall.
Length:	2 to 5 hours.
Anesthesia:	General, or local with sedation. Anesthesia is usually a general, but an abdominoplasty can sometimes be performed under heavy sedation.   Length of surgery is 1-3 hours. An overnight stay may be needed for pain control.   Discomfort is moderate to severe. The tighter your surgeon makes your inner girdle, the greater your discomfort will be. You can anticipate 3-8 days of prescription pain medication. Abdominal numbness will last for 6 months or longer. Stitches are removed in 7 days.  Bandages are removed in 1-4 days. Drains will be placed at the time of surgery to prevent postoperative fluid collections. They will be removed between 2 days and 2 weeks following an abdominoplasty surgery. You will be presentable in a bathing suit within 30 days of surgery. Returning to work will take about 7-10 days, as long as your job requires no lifting or manual labor. If it dose, wait 4-6 weeks or get an excuse from your cosmetic surgeon so that you can be given a non-lifting job during that time. Driving may be resumed in one or two weeks provided you have stopped taking any pain medication. Exercise may be resumed in 4 weeks. Your final result will be evident after your scar has matured, approximately one year.
In/Outpatient:	Either depending on individual circumstances and extent of surgery.
Side Effects Risks, and Complications:	Temporary pain. Swelling, soreness, numbness of abdominal skin, bruising, tiredness for several weeks or months. Serious healing problems can occur which is due to poor circulation to the abdominal skin and can cause skin death. This is one reason that liposuction is not advised as a second procedure with a tummy tuck. Sometimes It occurs because the abdominoplasty operation, requires your surgeon to separate your skin/fat layer from your inner girdle (so that your skin and inner girdle may be tightened). When these layers are separated, some of the circulation is lost. Usually enough circulation remains to allow healing without skin death.  In some cases however the remaining circulation is inadequate. The skin above the scar line may then turn black and die. Fortunately, this is uncommon, and if it does occur, it is usually limited to a small area and heals on its own within a few weeks. Infection may occur following any operation and may require additional surgery, intravenous antibiotics, and hospitalization. The risk is about 1%. Seroma a fluid collection under the skin is due to your own body fluids which collect under the skin after surgery. To prevent seromas, many surgeons place drains under the skin at the time of surgery. A seroma may occur, anyway and can be removed using a needle and syringe. Because your abdomen will be numb after this operation, seroma removal is not painful.   Hematoma is a collection of blood under the skin, which is due to bleeding that occurs after surgery is over. If the hematoma is large, you may require surgery to remove it, and it may predispose to skin death. Dog ears are puckers of skin on either end of your scar. If you have very very lose skin, you will be more likely to have dog ears. Fortunately, your plastic surgeon can remove your dog ears in the office under local anesthesia as a simple procedure
Recovery:	Back to work: 2 to 4 weeks. More strenuous activity: 4 to 6 weeks or more. Fading and flattening of scars: 3 months to 2 years.

Costs: