Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

A tummy tuck not only improves the contours of your abdomen and waistline but also heightens self-esteem as many people feel more confident wearing fitted clothing or sporting a bikini. A tummy tuck procedure at Cosmetic Surgery Associates will make you look good and feel good too.

Many people feel frustrated with the appearance of their abdominal region, despite maintaining a routine of good diet and exercise. Even after paying close attention to nutrition and exercise, they may still be stuck with excess fat and excess skin. Fortunately, tummy tuck surgery can dramatically slim your waistline to reveal a more toned look. At Cosmetic Surgery Associates, we strive to give you the contoured figure you have been working so hard for so you can enhance your overall image and self-esteem. Our office is located just 5 miles away from Rockville, MD and 10 miles away from Gaithersburg, MD. 

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What is a Tummy Tuck?

Abdominoplasty, alternatively known as a tummy tuck, is a surgical procedure done to remove excess skin and fat from the abdomen while tightening stomach muscles. Patients who consider a tummy tuck procedure may have recently given birth or experienced significant weight loss. Even after reaching their goal weight, men and women can still be stuck with sagging excess skin that typically cannot be reduced solely through diet or exercise; this is where a tummy tuck can aid in contouring your midsection.

A tummy tuck is designed to excise loose skin and localized fat deposits and tighten abdominal muscles to create a beautifully defined, flat midsection. This procedure can also remove stretch marks caused by weight loss or pregnancy if they occur in an area where skin will be removed. A tummy tuck is often paired with breast augmentation for a dramatically enhanced body contour.

Reasons to Get a Tummy Tuck

A tummy tuck procedure from one of our accredited surgeons at Cosmetic Surgery Associates will give you:

• Defined midsection and better posture.

• Heightened self-esteem and self-confidence.

• Youthful appearance.

• Shape and contour that diet and exercise cannot provide.

• Regain ideal body proportions.

• Comfortability in anything you wear, including bikinis.

• Improved C-section scars or stretch marks.

This surgical procedure is reserved for patients who have not been successful in reducing a protruding abdomen or tighten abdominal skin through diet or exercise. In some cases, the abdominal muscles stretch from weight gain or pregnancy to the point where only a surgical procedure can restore a flattened, defined abdominal wall.

A tummy tuck can be performed on its own, but often times it is paired with liposuction to remove additional fat. It can also be part of a mommy makeover, combining body and breast surgery to restore a mother’s pre-baby body.

Good Candidates For Tummy Tuck

Pregnancy, significant weight loss, aging, or genetics can lead to stretch marks, separated abdominal muscles, and excess skin. Abdominoplasty patients must be at a stable weight; if you are obese this procedure may not be appropriate for you. Tummy tuck patients should not plan on having any future pregnancies as this will reverse results. During your consultation examination, your surgeon will be able to determine whether you could benefit from liposuction as well, or just need liposuction instead of tummy tuck techniques. It is also important that you do not have any medical conditions that may lead to poor wound healing.

To find out if you are a candidate for a tummy tuck procedure, please feel free to schedule a consultation and one of our board-certified plastic surgeons will be able to determine your candidacy.

This procedure is popular among women who have undergone multiple pregnancies and now have leftover stretched-out skin. Those that have given birth or have lost a significant amount of weight usually have the appearance of a protruding abdomen. Unfortunately for some of these individuals, dieting and exercise cannot reduce this appearance.

If men have developed weak abdominal muscles and excess fat and skin, they can benefit from tummy tuck procedures as well. Abdominoplasty will help to shrink a person’s midsection, and by offering dramatic results, it can be life-altering for many people.

It is important to know that a tummy tuck procedure should not be sought out as an alternative to weight loss. to receive a tummy tuck you should be at, and bale to maintain your ideal weight, with a desire to address the abdominal area. A tummy tuck is meant as a contouring method for those who have tried working out the abdominal region but have not seen results. Continuous exercise and eating healthy after your procedure will help secure lasting, beautiful results.

What to Expect During the Consultation

During your private consultation at Cosmetic Surgery Associates with one of our accredited surgeons, you will explain any concerns you have with your abdomen and your desired results. Your surgeon will go over your medical history then perform a detailed examination and determine the ideal personalized technique that will provide you with your desired results. Once your candidacy is confirmed, your surgeon will go over personalized preparation and postoperative instructions to help ensure your aesthetic goals are achieved. Please share any questions or concerns you have about the procedure; your surgeon will be more than happy to answer them.

Preparing for your Tummy Tuck

We know that each patient’s desires are different, so at CSA we will provide you with an individualized preparation plan to help meet your individual goals.

If you are a smoker you will be required to stop a few weeks prior to surgery, as well as continuing to avoid smoking for an allotted amount of time post-surgery. Certain tests and examinations will need to be completed as well to ensure that you are in good health to undergo your procedure. Arrange for a family member or friend to drive you home after your surgery as you will be unable to drive yourself. You will need someone to stay overnight with you.

Rest is important for the healing process. Make sure you take at least a week off from work; this may vary depending on the individual surgical plan. Most people are able to return to a desk job within 1-2 weeks. Following all of your surgeon’s instructions will help ensure optimal results.

Each patient will receive personalized preparation instructions that will aid in providing them with optimal results. Generally, you will be asked to:

• Stop smoking 3 weeks before your procedure.

• Complete all assigned medical examinations prior to your procedure.

• Avoid aspirin and anti-inflammatory medications for a month prior to your procedure.

• Make sure to drink a lot of water leading up to your surgery. Hydration is key for a successful procedure and recovery.

• Schedule at least a week off from work.

• Arrange for someone to drive you home after surgery, someone to stay with you overnight, and someone to help watch your children if necessary.

• Make sure recovery items (ice packs, food, toiletries, etc.) are at counter level.

Procedure Techniques

A tummy tuck is a serious surgical procedure and should be handled with the utmost care and delicacy. Our doctors are dedicated to helping you achieve your ideal look and will do so with compassion and clarity. They are trusted by peers and patients alike, sharing a keen eye for aesthetic beauty.

There are several different techniques used for a tummy tuck. During your examination at your private consultation, one of our board-certified plastic surgeons will have assessed which technique will give you optimal results.

Abdominoplasties are performed under local or general anesthesia on an outpatient basis. The goal is the make the incision as low as possible along the pubic hairline so your tummy tuck scar can easily be hidden with jeans or a bikini. The procedure begins will your surgeon marking where the incision site will be on your lower abdomen, just below your bikini line. Depending on the technique used, the incision will either run from hip to hip and around the belly button or a smaller pubic incision generally about half that size. The skin is then loosened from the abdominal wall and surrounding tissue before the abdominal muscles are sutured together as appropriate. An incision will then be made (if necessary) in the redraped skin for the new positioning of the belly button. The incisions are then closed and drainage tubes are generally inserted to prevent fluid buildup.

Depending on the extent of your specific case, you will either require a:

Full Tummy Tuck

A full tummy tuck, sometimes called a complete abdominoplasty or complete tummy tuck, is a technique that tightens the abdominal muscles and removes excess skin and fat deposits from above and below the belly button. The belly button gets released from the surrounding skin, and a new circular incision is created for the belly button when the skin is redraped since the old positioning gets removed in the excision process. This presents the opportunity of creating a smaller, proportionate belly button.

Modified Tummy Tuck

A modified tummy tuck is reserved for patients who only wish to address either abdominal skin laxity or abdominal muscle weakness. This technique will tighten loose muscles in the abdomen and provide slight contouring; results are not as dramatic as a full tummy tuck.

Mini Tummy Tuck

A mini tummy tuck, or mini abdominoplasty, generally addresses lax skin and muscle tightening below the belly button but can be performed above the belly button as well. The excising and tightening of skin and muscles are not extensive enough to require the release of the belly button. A mini tummy tuck is reserved for those who are in fairly good shape and only need minimal correcting, and as a result, the incision will be shorter than that of a full tummy tuck. 

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Complementary Procedures

A tummy tuck provides beautifully contoured results on its own, but the result can be heightened by undergoing additional body contouring procedures.

Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation, another one of our very popular specialties, is a procedure that surgically inserts implants into the breasts to increase the size and volume of the bust. The combination of breast augmentation and tummy tuck is often performed as a mommy makeover procedure, restoring people’s pre-pregnancy bodies to be slim and defined. There are numerous options to choose from when considering breast augmentation, such as implant size, implant shape, placement of an implant, type of implant, etc. Your surgeon will gladly help you with each decision to make sure you receive your desired body enhancing results.

Breast Lift

Breast lift plus tummy tuck is another option for a mommy makeover. A breast lift surgically lifts the breasts to a more youthful elevation and also firms them. With age or breastfeeding, the breasts begin to lose volume and skin laxity causes the bust to sag. A breast lift removes lax, excess skin from the breast to elevate them to a higher position. Breast augmentation can be done in conjunction with your breast lift to create larger, lifted breasts.

Liposuction

Liposuction is very commonly performed in conjunction with a tummy tuck. While tummy tucks can remove some fat deposits, larger amounts of fat will require liposuction. Liposuction is a procedure that removes fat through suction from different areas of the body. 

What to Expect During Your Recovery

Tummy tuck recovery begins once the procedure is completed and you are brought to the recovery room. Friendly and attentive nursing staff are there to keep you as comfortable as possible as you slowly wake from the anesthesia.

Preventing clotting is important after surgeries and can further be avoided by walking regularly to encourage good blood flow. Drainage tubes are typically placed to catch any excess fluid from your procedure; your surgeon will advise you on how to care for them. They are generally removed at your first follow-up appointment.

You will go home in a compression garment to help the abdomen form to its new contour and fight against swelling; it should remain on until instructed otherwise. Please have someone drive you home since you will not be able to drive for at least a week. When sleeping, it is necessary to be propped up at a 45-degree angle with your legs slightly elevated. You should be able to return to normal daily activities and work between 1-2 weeks, and strenuous activities in 4-6 weeks. Some side effects of tummy tuck surgery may include swelling, bruising, redness; these will go away on their own with time.

Scheduling a Tummy Tuck Consultation

If you have been considering tummy tuck surgery, we strongly recommend setting up a personalized one-on-one consultation with one of our Maryland board-certified plastic surgeons. During the consultation, our surgeons will go over the procedure in more detail making sure to answer any questions you have, including tummy tuck cost and financing options. Our consultations are done at our Bethesda office. Our office is located just 2 miles away from North Bethesda and 5 miles away from Potomac & Rockville. Give us a call today!

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Cosmetic Surgery Associates

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Our Plastic Surgery Associates team includes Dr. Franklin Richards, Dr. A. Dean Jabs, and Dr. Keshav Magge. Each of our plastic surgeons is board-certified, and together they have over 60 years of combined experience. Drs. Richards, Jabs, and Magge are all highly qualified in procedures for the face, breast, and body, and pride themselves in providing excellent results through our state-of-the-art, Quad A certified operating centers

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