San Francisco Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

A Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) is designed to smooth and flatten the abdomen by excising excess skin and fat and tightening the fibrous wall that encases the underlying abdominal muscles. Liposuction is usually part of this procedure as it will accentuate the waist and add definition to the abdomen. Additionally, Dr. Delgado offers the option of a waist enhancement technique that tightens additional musculature (the external oblique fascia) around the waist. This procedure trims and sculpts the waistline and improves the shape of the upper buttocks as a bonus.

Most women seeking a Tummy Tuck have gone through pregnancies and have completed their childbearing. These women have found that diet and exercise, while very beneficial, fall short of restoring the abdominal tautness and contours they enjoyed prior to their pregnancies. A Tummy Tuck allows a woman to achieve a level of body sculpturing that cannot be achieved by any other means. An additional benefit is that some (but not all) stretch marks can be eliminated with the removal of the excess skin. The navel (belly button or umbilicus) is remodeled as a consequence of the skin tightening procedure and this is described in more detail later (see OPERATIVE TECHNIQUE below).

In viewing the before and after photos, you will notice the consistent results of flatter, sleeker abdominal profiles, with more emphasis of the waistlines.

As the majority of people seeking a Tummy Tuck are women whose bodies have been altered by their pregnancies, the term “Mommy Makeover” has been coined. A “Mommy Makeover” includes a tummy tuck, very often accompanied by a breast lift or breast augmentation, as well as liposuction of areas such as the inner and/or outer thighs, flanks and post iliac crests. In response to the popularity of the “Mommy Makeover,” we have created a separate section that showcases that group of procedures. Please review the “Mommy Makeover” section, especially for the before and after photos.

WHO IS A CANDIDATE?

A Tummy Tuck is appropriate for men and women who are in good health and have any combination of loose abdominal skin, excess abdominal fat, or lax abdominal musculature.

A patient may be a candidate for a Tummy Tuck if she has any of the following:

Excess or loose, hanging abdominal skin, either from weight loss or pregnancy.
An abdomen that protrudes unnaturally and out of proportion to the rest of the body.
An abdominal muscle compartment that has been weakened by pregnancy or aging.
Excess fat that is concentrated beneath the abdominal skin.

If a patient is planning to have more children, a standard Tummy Tuck, one that includes tightening of the abdominal muscle wall, should not be done. However, it is safe to have a Tummy Tuck that removes solely excess skin, such as can be present following a large weight loss. (See #2 under OTHER OPTIONS below.)

OTHER OPTIONS

1) Mini-Tummy Tuck (Mini-Abdominoplasty) : This technique requires a short incision at the pubic hairline and the navel (belly button or umbilicus) is not altered. Abdominal liposuction can be performed with a mini-tummy tuck. In addition, the fibrous component (aponeurosis) of the underlying abdominal musculature can be partially tightened below the umbilicus and slightly higher. This procedure is good for patients who have the following:

Minimal skin laxity.
Mild to moderate abdominal fat.
Mildly to moderately stretched abdominal muscle wall and/or abdominal muscle separation.

The best candidates for this procedure are women who have very toned bodies with relatively low body fat content.

2) Liposuction Alone : With firm skin and good muscle tone present, liposuction alone can be done with satisfactory results. This is a good choice for women who plan to become pregnant in the future.

Before Tummy Tuck Surgery