Pregnancy, weight loss or age can stretch your belly. A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) pulls the abdominal wall tight and removes extra skin, leaving you with a tighter, shapelier contour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you use drains?
I use drains to help the skin remold back to the underlying belly wall.
When to the drains come out?
Typically, the drains may be removed when there is less than 30 cc of fluid expressed per day, which occurs usually after one to two weeks.
Would I have a scar around my belly button?
Whether you will have a scar around your belly button depends on how much extra skin you have. If there is a lot of extra loose tissue, the skin is re-draped around the belly button. The belly button is then brought out at its new location on the skin, thereby creating a scar around the belly button. If you have only a small amount of loose skin, then the belly button would only need to be floated down slightly, avoiding a scar around the belly button.
What is rectus diasthasis?
This is a condition where the rectus, or "six pack" muscle (a pair of vertically positioned belly muscles) has spread apart due to age or pregnancy. As a result, when you stand, your tummy contour bulges out. Your doctor will examine you to determine if this has occurred and is so, how wide the muscle has spread apart. Surgery to reposition the muscles using corsetting sutures help to bring the muscles together and tighten the belly wall. This procedure can rebalance your center of gravity.
