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On This Page
- What Is A Tummy Tuck?
- Tummy Tuck Benefits
- Who Is A Good Candidate For A Tummy Tuck?
- Preparing For Your Tummy Tuck
- What Are The Steps Of A Tummy Tuck Procedure?
- What To Expect From Tummy Tuck Recovery
- What To Expect From A Tummy Tuck Consultation
- Tummy Tuck Options In Newport Beach
- Results Of Tummy Tuck Surgery
Anesthesia:
General
Duration:
3-4 Hours
Recovery:
3-4 Weeks
Results:
6+ Months
What is a Tummy Tuck?
A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a comprehensive cosmetic surgery that corrects loose abdominal skin, repairs stretched abdominal muscles, and contours the waist with liposuction. It is highly customizable to address a variety of aesthetic and medical needs, and is frequently used as part of a mommy makeover for women who experienced dramatic and disheartening changes to their midsection as a result of pregnancy and childbirth.
Tummy Tuck Benefits
For people who are frustrated, embarrassed, or ashamed of their bodies after extreme weight loss or pregnancy, an abdominoplasty can be a life-changing procedure, helping rejuvenate the body contour and repair separated abdominal muscles.
Many changes can occur to the abdomen with pregnancies or significant weight gain and loss. Notably, the skin gets stretched, leading to loose skin, stretch marks, or poor skin elasticity. Other conditions include stretched or even separated muscles from the abdominal wall (called diastasis rectus), which results in a stomach bulge that won’t go away with just diet and exercise.
While maintaining an active lifestyle and a healthy weight is important, usually no amount of exercise or weight loss can improve the quality of your skin or repair your stretched abdominal muscles. Fortunately, a tummy tuck surgery can remove excess skin, repair stretched muscles, and contour the waist and abdomen with liposuction.
Who is a Good Candidate for a Tummy Tuck?
The best candidates for this procedure are in good physical health and have clearance from their primary physician in order to have the surgery. In addition, patients should have realistic expectations for what an abdominoplasty can accomplish.
Dr. Tehrani encourage patients to be within 10-15 pounds of their ideal body weight before undergoing surgery, and can confirm their specific eligibility during a consultation appointment in Newport Beach, CA.
Preparing For Your Tummy Tuck
The first step in preparing for a tummy tuck is to set up a consultation appointment with Dr. Tehrani at our Orange County office location. An appointment with our Newport Beach plastic surgeons can confirm that you are in fact an ideal candidate for this surgery and gives them the chance to create an expert surgical plan for your specific concerns.
Once you have scheduled your abdominoplasty surgery date, you should start to prepare your body for the procedure. Dr. Tehrani may direct you to quit drinking and smoking at least six weeks prior to the operation and avoid these activities after the surgery as well. You should also minimize your caffeine intake prior to the surgery.
You will be told to stop eating and drinking at least 12 hours prior to the surgery in order to avoid complications with the anesthesia.
Certain medications and herbal supplements can thin the bloodstream and pose a risk for significant blood loss during the operation. Medications that should be avoided include ibuprofen and naproxen sodium. Patients should discuss all prescription medications with Dr. Tehrani during a tummy tuck consultation to ensure there are no harmful side effects during or after surgery.
What are the Steps of a Tummy Tuck Procedure?
To ensure your comfort and safety, our cosmetic surgeons perform tummy tucks under general anesthesia. Your surgery can range from four to six hours depending on the complexity of the case and the surgical plan. Dr. Tehrani may prescribe pain control measures, including a long-lasting local anesthetic into the abdominal muscles, to help with the tightness that patients may feel after surgery.
Once you are sedated, your cosmetic surgeon will carefully and gently contour your body with liposuction. Then, they will make the pre-determined incision and remove excess fat deposits and begin to repair stretched abdominal muscles with two layers of permanent sutures. If there is an umbilical hernia present, they can repair that as well.
During a traditional tummy tuck procedure, Dr. Tehrani will reshape your belly button and take great care to ensure that it has a natural shape with easily concealable scars. If your pubic region (mons pubis) is low or hanging, they can also lift this area with a procedure called a pubic lift.
At the Gallery of Cosmetic Surgery in Newport Beach, we have a specially formulated non-opioid injection called Exparel® that can provide pain relief for up to four days after your tummy tuck surgery. The beauty of this medication is that it can lead to less need for opioid or narcotic pain medication.
What to Expect from Tummy Tuck Recovery
For tummy tuck patients in Newport Beach, Dr. Tehrani recommend that you plan to take three weeks off work and two weeks off from driving. In addition, you will need someone at home with you full time for at least one week post-op. You can shower the day after the procedure while following your surgeon’s instructions.
It is common to feel tightness along the midline of your abdomen where Dr. Tehrani tighten the muscles. In the liposuction locations, you may feel some burning, stinging, numbness, tingling, or sharp/shooting pains. These sensations can be prominent during the first few weeks but will gradually lessen.
The first few weeks after surgery can be challenging, as patients will likely need help to get up, shower, and get dressed. However, you will be amazed at how good you feel even just two weeks into the healing process.
You can start light cardio (such as walking or using a stationary bike) at around two weeks if you feel up to it. You can resume more strenuous activity at around six weeks.
We will send you home wearing a compression garment that you will wear full-time for at least six weeks. Your surgeon will let you know when you can transition from the garment to normal clothing. Most patients wear compression full time for about two to three months and on an as-needed basis after that.
Maintaining Surgical Results
Recovery treatments, Q&As, and educational videos
Whether you’ve just had a procedure or are planning one, this is your go-to resource for safeguarding your investment. Discover practical recovery guidelines, watch step-by-step video tutorials, and get answers from our experienced surgeons. From day one post-op care to long-term maintenance tips, learn how to keep your results looking remarkable for years to come.
Extend Your TransformationWhat to Expect From a Tummy Tuck Consultation
During a consultation about abdominoplasty, Dr. Tehrani will listen to your concerns and goals and take your medical history, including current medications and previous surgeries.
They will also give you a physical examination, taking all this information into account in recommending a specific procedure to address your body contouring concerns.
Our surgeons recommend patients come prepared with both questions and pictures of previous patients that have achieved similar results to what they are hoping to accomplish. This ensures you and your surgeon are on the same page with expectations of any treatment that is scheduled or recommended.
Tummy Tuck Options in Newport Beach
The days of just aiming for a “flat tummy” through cosmetic surgery are over. The better, more realistic approach involves creating natural shadows, dips and valleys, and curves that mimic the natural shape of the human body.
Over the years, Dr. Tehrani have fine-tuned their techniques to give tummy tuck patients a beautifully contoured and natural belly button, a scar that is easy to hide, and curves and shadows that are feminine and natural, no matter which abdominoplasty procedure is used.
Mini Tummy Tuck
For people with loose skin predominantly below the belly button, a mini tummy tuck may be the best way to trim away excess skin and remove fat with liposuction. This is performed most often on people who are unhappy with a lower-abdomen “pooch,” or collection of extra fat in the lower abdominal area that is resistant to diet and exercise. By removing this excess fat, trimming away any skin redundancy, and in some cases, tightening lower abdominal muscles, Dr. Tehrani can achieve a firm, flat abdomen without an incision around the belly button.
The mini tummy tuck is not able to fully address muscle separation from the abdominal wall—in this case, a regular or full tummy tuck is better suited to address a larger area of the stomach.
Hybrid Tummy Tuck
A hybrid tummy tuck combines elements of both a traditional tummy tuck and liposuction to achieve comprehensive contouring of the abdominal area. This innovative procedure is ideal for individuals who need more extensive correction than a mini tummy tuck but want a less invasive option than a full tummy tuck.
The hybrid tummy tuck involves a strategic combination of skin removal, muscle tightening, and liposuction to remove excess fat deposits and achieve a flatter, more toned abdomen. By addressing excess skin and stubborn fat pockets, the hybrid tummy tuck provides a balanced approach to body contouring with minimized scarring and a relatively quick recovery time.
Traditional Tummy Tuck Surgery
The most commonly performed tummy tuck procedure, a traditional abdominoplasty involves an incision from hip to hip along the bikini line. There will also be an incision around the belly button, which will be reshaped and repositioned if necessary to have a natural appearance upon recovery. This plastic surgery procedure is capable of removing excess skin and fat from the belly and tightening stomach muscles on the front section of the abdomen. Patients with excess skin extending beyond the front of the hips, around toward the back, are usually better served by an extended tummy tuck.
Extended Tummy Tuck
Similar to a traditional abdominoplasty, an extended procedure increases the size of the incision in order to address loose, excess skin around the sides and even back of a patient when needed. This procedure is most often recommended in cases of extreme weight loss. Dr. Tehrani will tell you if this more invasive procedure is the best option for you during a consultation and examination of your problem areas.
Results of Tummy Tuck Surgery
The results of your specific tummy tuck procedure can vary from other patients, but all abdominoplasty patients enjoy a smaller waist and firmer abdomen that is naturally proportioned to the rest of your body. At first your results may seem disappointing, as swelling and bruising mask the final results that you’ll see after several weeks, so rest assured that over time your stomach and waistline will look better and better.
Many patients begin to appreciate their surgical results at about 6-8 weeks after surgery as a lot of the surgical swelling has gone down at that point. However, keep in mind that you will have some degree of swelling present for up to 12 months after surgery.
One of the biggest concerns that patients have is the scar. The length of your scar depends on your anatomy and the amount of loose skin that you have. Keep in mind, your tummy tuck incision is designed to be low and is easy to cover up with underwear or a bikini bottom. The incision is closed meticulously so that you end up with a beautiful scar that will fade over time.
Dr. Tehrani will also guide you on how to take care of your scars so that you can have the best possible outcome. This typically entails starting with scar cream or scar tape around 6 weeks after your surgery continuing for at least a year.
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Dr. Ali Tehrani is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon known for his advanced expertise in body sculpting and patient-focused care. As a leader in combining cutting-edge technologies like VASER, Renuvion, and BodyTite, Dr. Tehrani is dedicated to delivering natural, refined results. Schedule a consultation to discuss your goals and discover the treatment options best suited for you.
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