Tummy Tuck Columbus OH

Anyone who has lost a significant amount of weight or women who have had several children often suffer from sagging abdominal skin, bulges, and stretch marks. Although exercise is great for the muscles, you can’t exercise away redundant skin or stretch marks. A tummy tuck can remove excess skin, eliminate many stretch marks, and reposition separated abdominal muscles.

Standard Tuck

The majority of patients who undergo abdominoplasty surgery are candidates for a standard tummy tuck. Excess skin on the lower abdomen from the pubic area to just above the umbilicus is removed as a long elliptical wedge of skin and fat. The remaining abdominal skin is elevated off of the underlying muscles, which are then tightened with sutures to help flatten the stomach. The belly button is kept in its place but is brought out through a new opening in the now tightened skin.

Mini-Tummy Tuck

Those who have less excess skin and a bulge that is mostly below the umbilicus may benefit more from a mini-tummy tuck than a full abdominoplasty. In a mini-tuck, a smaller segment of skin is removed from the lower abdomen and only the lower abdominal muscles are tightened. Liposuction is typically performed to remove excess abdominal fat with a mini-tuck, which is not generally done with a full tuck. A mini-abdominoplasty leaves a shorter, lower scar than a full tuck and usually, only one drain is used rather than two for a standard procedure.

Post-Bariatric Tucks

For those who have lost a tremendous amount of weight, either through diet and exercise or from a gastric bypass, the gastric sleeve procedure of lap band usually has more excess skin to be removed than can be done with a standard tummy tuck. A fleur-de-lis procedure also removes an inverted ‘V’ of skin from the upper abdomen to tighten the skin in a horizontal dimension in addition to a vertical dimension but leaves a vertical midline abdominal scar.

A circumferential tummy tuck or lower body lift is also performed on patients who have lost a significant amount of weight. It combines a standard tummy tuck with removing a considerable amount of skin on the hips and lower back, which can provide somewhat of an outer thigh lift and buttock lift.

Muscle Repair

In many cases, muscle repair is often the most important part of the surgery, especially in cases where there is a significant bulge and loose muscles. Most surgeons do a one-layer repair, which can tear out with coughing or straining. We hear from nurses at our surgery center that this happens to some patients on the operating room table as they wake up and nothing is done about it. Dr. McMahan performs a stout, two-layer muscle repair to prevent his patients from accidentally breaking the stitches.

Pain

The most painful part of a tummy tuck is muscle repair. To dramatically reduce pain, Dr. McMahan infiltrates the muscle with a combination of local anesthetics just before the end of the surgery. A lot of our patients wake-up very comfortably and this tumescent infiltration can significantly reduce the need for narcotics for several days after surgery.

How Much Does a Tummy Tuck Cost?

A tummy tuck is a cosmetic procedure that is fully customized to address the needs of each individual patient. The cost of the procedure depends on the degree of correction required, the technique used, and the overall complexity of the procedure. We will perform an examination of your abdominal area to develop your treatment plan and discuss the cost associated with it during your consultation.

Recovering From A Tummy Tuck

As with most invasive cosmetic procedures, patients who decide to undergo a tummy tuck will experience some bruising, swelling, and discomfort in the surgical area after the procedure. This is temporary and will subside as you heal. We will also prescribe medication to help you feel more comfortable during the recovery phase.

You will also have to take some time off work and refrain from participating in strenuous physical activities for about two weeks. We will advise you on what you can expect during your consultation.

Before and After

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After

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Good Candidates for a Tummy Tuck

Do you have stubborn fatty deposits in your abdominal area that do not respond well to diet or exercise? A tummy tuck may be the solution you’ve been looking for. Ideal candidates for a tummy tuck are in good physical health, have realistic expectations, and are within their ideal weight range but have stubborn fat keeping them from achieving their bodily goals. Dr. McMahan will perform an assessment of your body proportions and ask you questions about your medical history to help determine if a tummy tuck is a solution for you.

Contact Our Office

Dr. James McMahan proudly serves Columbus, OH, with innovative cosmetic services. If you’re interested in learning more about tummy tuck surgery, contact Advanced Aesthetic & Laser Surgery today. Our team will help guide you through the entire process and address any questions or concerns that you have along the way.

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