Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)

What is Abdominoplasty?

Tummy Tuck, also called Abdominoplasty, is one of the most popular procedures I do because it gets rid of loose, hanging skin and folds, excess fat, tightens muscles and contours your body to a more youthful look.

Abdominoplasty does the following:

• Tummy Tuck helps restore a flatter, smoother stomach
• Abdominoplasty removes excess skin and fatty tissue
• Tummy Tuck tightens and lifts relaxed muscles
• Can remove damaged skin due to weight shifts and/or pregnancy
• Repositions remaining skin to a more youthful position
• Tummy Tuck corrects muscles separated from the abdominal wall
• Repositioned muscles achieve a firmer, younger-looking abdomen
• Tummy Tuck can restore a pre-pregnancy look, feel and function
• Can give you Fab Abs long term if you commit to maintenance

Good Candidates for Abdominoplasty

Health and youthfulness are conveyed in today’s world by a flatter abdomen, tighter skin, and a contoured waistline. We all realize that aging, lifestyle, genetics and weight fluctuation are common challenges today. And yet we all would like to keep a flatter abdomen as we age. Often, in spite of diligent dieting and rigorous exercise, loose skin and muscle laxity resist our best efforts. It happens at various ages and stages in life and some people struggle with it all their lives.

A tummy tuck can help address these issues.

Do you have one or more of the following concerns?

• Large fat deposits and loose skin that resists diet and exercise
• Loss of skin elasticity from pregnancy/weight fluctuation
• You still look pregnant and other people think you are
• Lost abdominal muscle tone is causing postural changes
• Pooched lower abs due to significant weight loss
• You look and feel much older due to stretch marks and wrinkles
• You’ve always struggled with abs weight in spite of diet and exercise, training, coaching, etc.
• You are in otherwise good health with realistic expectations

If you answered yes to one or more of these concerns, you could be an ideal candidate for Dr. Rudderman’s Tummy Tuck surgery.

Some patients may have relatively good skin and mostly excess fatty volume. These patients may be a candidate for liposuction alone or in combination with a mini-abdominoplasty. This operation has a shorter downtime of 4-5 days and maybe the best option for a working mom or male professional who desires improvement with minimal downtime. Those patients, particularly women with one or more pregnancy may have developed laxity of the abdominal wall due to the separation of the midline muscles and abdominoplasty can both remove excess skin and fat and at the same time repair the abdominal wall. This does not guarantee a flat belly buy can dramatically improve the contour and put your anatomy in a normal position to be able to continue to improve your appearance with exercise and health maintenance.  Some men may be candidates for abdominoplasty after significant weight loss if their remaining weight and soft tissue are outside their abdominal muscular wall.

And there are some women that are in generally great health that may desire an abdominoplasty operation not to remove excess skin or fat but to repair the muscle separation (call a diastasis repair). We have patients that range from personal trainers to yoga instructors who work out 8 hours a day 6 days a week and still require a surgical procedure to restore their abdominal wall integrity after childbirth. The separation of the rectus muscles (abdominal wall muscles) can occur regardless of weight gain and in the best of health moms due simply to genetics. It is common to see moms with an umbilical hernia with a belly more rounded than expected based on their height weight and physical activity level. These women are often impacted by a muscle separation resulting in the round abdomen and the weakness that allows for the development of a hernia.

The Abdominoplasty Surgery

Surgery for abdominoplasty can range from 1-2 ½ hours. If a mini. Abdominoplasty is done, you would go home the day of surgery. If a full abdominoplasty is done, you would stay overnight and go home the next morning. Remaining overnight allows us to provide the best in management of discomfort and safety.

Patients that have abdominoplasty without muscle repair are often taking acetaminophen within 1-3 days. Patients with muscle repair usually describe the discomfort as similar to the spasm you might have after an extensive ab crunch workout. You would as well have drains that are in place for 5-10 days and most can return to work in 2 weeks, and exercise in 4-6 weeks depending on the muscle repair.

View our Abdominoplasty Photo Gallery

THE TUMMY TUCK CONSULTATION

Dr. Rudderman believes the consultation is critical for you and him. During your consultation, he will listen carefully to your concerns and goals, do a thorough evaluation of your health, lifestyle, family history and more, and then design a treatment plan specifically suited to you. You will be well educated with all your questions answered. This is done in an embracing, relaxing environment. From the consultation evolves…trust, respect, mutual understanding, and a personalized treatment plan.

These treatments are not an emergency, and plenty of time will be allowed to have a full conversation to consider options. Additional visits can be provided until you feel confident that you are making the best decision for yourself in health, safety, and outcome.

Dr. Rudderman has done hundreds of body surgeries and can project your likely outcomes. The consultation results in a sense of trust, respect, mutual understanding, and a personalized treatment plan.

Like his many other patients, after your first consultation with Dr. Rudderman, you will realize there truly is a difference in the way surgeons approach their profession. For Dr. Rudderman, that difference means understanding your goals and providing a level of service that places safety and comfort alongside predictable and pleasing outcomes.

Contact us at 678.566.7200 to meet with Dr. Rudderman in our Alpharetta or Midtown Atlanta offices.

Written and reviewed by:

This article was written by Dr. Randy Rudderman, who is board certified by the American Board of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (1994). He practices medicine at his offices in Alpharetta and Atlanta.
Learn more about Dr. Rudderman, his medical training, and credentials.