Tummy tuck surgery, also known as abdominoplasty, removes excess fat and skin and, in most cases, restores weakened or separated muscles creating an abdominal profile that is smoother and firmer.
A flat and well-toned abdomen is something many of us strive for through exercise and weight control. Sometimes these methods alone, cannot achieve our goals.
Even individuals of otherwise normal body weight and proportion can develop an abdomen that protrudes or is loose and sagging. The most common causes of this include:
- Aging
- Heredity
- Pregnancy
- Prior surgery
- Significant fluctuations in weight
This surgery is designed to tighten loose and flabby skin. Body contouring surgery changes the texture of the skin by stretching it thereby making the looseness and wrinkling less apparent. Body contouring surgery may be combined with liposuction. Liposuction is designed to improve fat bulges, not to tighten loose skin. In fact, liposuction alone can make the appearance of the skin worse in patients with poor skin elasticity. Â For some patients, BodyTite Radio Frequency Assisted liposuction (RFAL) may be recommended by your plastic surgeon.
Although the results of a tummy tuck are technically permanent, the positive outcome can be greatly diminished by significant fluctuations in your weight. For this reason, individuals who are planning substantial weight loss or women who may be considering future pregnancies would be advised to postpone a tummy tuck.
As with liposuction, body contouring surgery is not intended to correct obesity; patients should be at normal or near-normal weight before surgery. A tummy tuck is not a substitute for weight loss or an appropriate exercise program.
