What Is a Tummy Tuck Procedure?
A tummy tuck is surgery that removes excess fat and skin from the abdomen, or belly area. During the procedure, which doctors call abdominoplasty, the surgeon will also tighten muscles in the wall of your abdomen. The goal of a tummy tuck is to give you a flatter abdomen.
A tummy tuck is not the same as liposuction. But your doctor may recommend that you have liposuction along with a tummy tuck.
This is a major surgery, so if you're considering it, you should know the facts before you decide whether to go forward.
What Does a Tummy Tuck Do?
A tummy tuck can give you a smoother and flatter abdomen. You may have extra skin and fat around your abdomen for several reasons, including:
- You’re aging and it happened naturally.
- You had surgery that caused it.
- You have been pregnant.
- Your weight has changed a lot.
It’s important to know that the purpose of a tummy tuck is not to lose weight. But a tummy tuck can benefit your health in other ways. Some other reasons you may be interested in a tummy tuck include:
To relieve back pain. Losing a lot of weight or having a baby can weaken your stomach muscles, which can cause back pain. A tummy tuck can tighten up your stomach muscles and give your back more support.
To improve a common bladder problem. A tummy tuck can reduce symptoms of stress urinary incontinence. This common problem can cause you to leak urine if you sneeze, cough, laugh, or do anything else that puts pressure on your bladder or urethra (the tube pee travels through).
To fix a certain type of hernia. A hernia happens when one of your internal organs pushes through the tissue in your abdomen (or groin) and forms a visible bulge. Your doctor may recommend a tummy tuck if you have a ventral hernia, which happens when your intestines or ab muscles push through the wall of your abdomen. The procedure can address muscle weakness that’s causing the problem.
To have better posture. The procedure gives you tighter ab muscles, which support your spine so can you stand straight and tall.
Tummy tuck vs. liposuction
Both of these procedures can give you a flatter abdomen, but they achieve that goal in different ways. There are different types of tummy tucks, but in a typical procedure, the surgeon uses a scalpel to remove excess skin and fat. Then they stitch your skin back together so that it’s firm and taut. In a liposuction procedure, the surgeon makes a small cut in the abdomen. Then, they insert a tool called a cannula to break up fat deposits. The surgeon then removes the fat deposits using a special vacuum or syringe. Your surgeon may recommend both procedures.
Panniculectomy vs. tummy tuck
A panniculectomy is similar to a tummy tuck but has one significant difference. In both procedures, a surgeon removes excess skin and fat from your abdomen. But during a tummy tuck, the surgeon also tightens your abdominal muscles. That step is not usually done as part of a panniculectomy.
Who Are the Best Candidates for a Tummy Tuck?
A tummy tuck is a treatment option for people who are otherwise in good health but have excess skin and fat in the abdomen that they would like to get rid of. Candidates for a tummy tuck include people who:
- Want a smoother abdomen to improve their appearance
- Have had several pregnancies and may find the procedure useful for tightening their abdominal muscles and reducing skin
- Don’t plan to become pregnant
- Have lost a significant amount of weight, which has left loose skin hanging from their belly
- Plan to maintain a stable weight after the treatment
- Are nonsmokers or are smokers who are willing to quit for good
- Have realistic expectations about the procedure
Who Should Not Consider a Tummy Tuck?
If you plan to get pregnant, you may want to postpone a tummy tuck until you're done having children. During surgery, your vertical muscles are tightened, and future pregnancies can separate those muscles.
Are you planning to lose a lot of weight? Then a tummy tuck also is not for you. A tummy tuck should be a last resort after you've tried everything else. It should not be used as an alternative to weight loss.
You should also consider the appearance of scars after a tummy tuck. Ask your doctor about scar placement and length before you have this surgery.
Types of Tummy Tucks
No two bodies are alike, so doctors have developed different types of tummy tucks to suit the individual needs of people seeking this procedure.
Complete abdominoplasty. The surgeon will cut your abdomen from hip bone to hip bone and then contour the skin, tissue, and muscle as needed. The surgery will involve moving your belly button, and you may need drainage tubes under your skin for a few days.
Partial or mini abdominoplasty. Mini abdominoplasties are often done on people whose fat deposits are below the navel. During this procedure, the surgeon most likely will not move your belly button, and the procedure may only take up to two hours, depending on your case.
Extended tummy tuck. An extended tummy tuck is similar to a complete abdominoplasty, but it involves a larger horizontal cut that wraps around the hip bones to the lower back. Your doctor may use this procedure if you have lost a significant amount of weight and now have excess skin on your upper and lower abdomen, as well as in the back.
Fleur-de-lis tummy tuck. The fleur-de-lis tummy tuck is similar to the extended tummy tuck, but it also involves vertical cuts. This cut leaves a scar that’s visible above the waistline. (Some doctors compare the shape of the skin removed to the shape of an anchor.) But the tradeoff may be worth it to you in exchange for a flatter abdomen.
How to Prepare for Tummy Tuck Surgery
If you smoke, your doctor will ask that you quit smoking from at least two weeks before the surgery until two weeks after the surgery. It is not enough to just cut down on smoking. You must stop completely, since smoking makes complications more likely and slows healing.
Don't try a drastic diet before the surgery. Eat well-balanced, complete meals. A healthy diet may help you heal better.
Tell your doctor about everything you take, including prescription drugs, herbal medicines, and other supplements. Your surgeon may instruct you to stop taking certain medications for a time before and after the surgery.
Before getting the surgery, get your home ready. You'll need:
- Ice packs
- Loose, comfortable clothing that can be put on and taken off very easily
- Petroleum jelly
- A hand-held shower head and bathroom chair
You'll also need someone to drive you home after the tummy tuck. If you live alone, you'll want someone to stay with you for at least the first night. Make a plan for that.
How Is a Tummy Tuck Done?
Before your tummy tuck, your doctor will review your medical history and examine you. They will also talk to you about your expectations about the surgery, which will be scheduled for another day.
When you arrive for your tummy tuck, you will receive general anesthesia. This medicine puts you to sleep so that you don’t feel any pain during the procedure.
There are different types of tummy tucks, but during a typical procedure, the surgeon makes a cut from hip to hip between your belly button and pubic hair. (In some tummy tucks, other cuts are necessary.) The surgeon tightens your abdominal muscles to make them firmer. Next, the surgeon removes excess skin and fat. You may need drainage tubes inserted to remove excess fluid. Finally, the surgeon stitches your skin back together, taking care to move your belly button.
Some potential complications that can happen during and after a tummy tuck include damage to healthy abdominal tissue (smokers are more at risk), loss of sensation or numbness in the abdomen (which usually goes away eventually), and poor wound healing (a risk you can lessen by following your doctor’s care instructions).
A tummy tuck is usually an outpatient procedure, which means you can go home the same day. But you will need a family member, friend, or someone else to bring you home. If you live alone, you may want to ask someone to spend the first day at your home in case you need assistance.
Risks of a Tummy Tuck
You will have pain and swelling in the days after surgery. Your doctor will prescribe pain medicine and tell you how to best handle the pain. You may be sore for several weeks or months.
You may also have numbness, bruising, and tiredness during that time.
As with any surgery, there are risks. Though they're rare, complications can include infection, bleeding under the skin flap, or blood clots. You may be more likely to have complications if you have poor circulation, diabetes, or heart, lung, or liver disease.
You may not heal enough, which can cause more significant scarring or loss of skin. If you do heal poorly, you may require a second surgery.
A tummy tuck leaves scars. Though they may fade slightly, they will never disappear. Your surgeon may recommend certain creams or ointments to use after you've completely healed to help with scars.
Tummy Tuck Recovery
Whether you're having a partial or complete tummy tuck, the area that's operated on will be stitched and bandaged. You’re probably going to feel some discomfort, so talk to your doctor about what pain relievers you can use.
It's very important to follow all your surgeon's instructions on how to care for the bandage in the days after surgery. The bandage used will be a firm elastic band that promotes proper healing. Your surgeon will also instruct you on how to best position yourself while sitting or lying down to help ease pain.
You will have to severely limit strenuous activity for at least six weeks. For tummy tucks that involve significant amounts of skin and fat, you may need to take it easy for longer, up to 12 weeks. Strenuous activity, such as running and lifting heavy objects, are off-limits, You may need to take up to one month off work after the surgery to ensure proper recovery. Your doctor will advise you on what you need to do or not do.
Returning to daily life
Generally, most people love how they look after this procedure. That can take time, though. You may not feel like your normal self for months after the surgery.
Once you have recovered, eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise can help you maintain the results.
Tummy tuck scars
As you recover from a tummy tuck, scars will form on your skin where the surgeon made cuts. For the most common type of tummy tuck, the scars will fall below the bikini line. But some types of tummy tucks require more extensive cuts, so the scars may be visible above the waist.
As you heal after surgery, your doctor will give you instructions on how to care for the cuts while scars form. It’s important to follow those instructions and protect the healing cuts. Scars that form may eventually fade somewhat over the course of a year or so.
Tummy tuck belt
You may have seen “tummy tuck belts” advertised on TV or online. These corset-like garments promise “miracle slimming” effects if you just wear them for a few weeks. But there’s no proof that tummy tuck belts will help you get rid of excess skin and fat in the abdomen, so save your money.
How Much Does a Tummy Tuck Cost?
The average cost of a tummy tuck in the United States is $8,174, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. But keep in mind that the total cost could be higher, since you may also have to cover other expenses, such as the bill for anesthesia and use of the operating room.
Does insurance cover a tummy tuck?
Insurance companies generally don't cover cosmetic surgery that's done without a medical reason. Yours might be covered if you have a hernia that will be corrected through the procedure.
Before you decide whether to get a tummy tuck, contact your insurance company so you're clear on what's covered and what's not. If you think you can make a case that you need the procedure for medical reasons, your surgeon may be able to help you by writing a letter to your insurer.
Tummy Tuck Alternatives
There are other nonsurgical and surgical techniques that doctors can offer to remove loose skin and reshape your figure. Some of these techniques are known to work better than others. And any medical procedure carries risks, so be sure you have a detailed conversation with your doctor about potential results and complications before you choose one.
Liposuction: This treatment is one of the most popular choices for reducing body fat in the United States. In liposuction, a surgeon makes a small cut in the abdomen, then inserts a tool called a cannula to break up fat deposits, which are then removed from the body with a special vacuum. Complications are not common but can include infections and blood clots. Up to 9% of patients end up with irregular-shaped body contours, which require other procedures to fix. Liposuction is sometimes performed with a tummy tuck.
CoolSculpting and other forms of lipolysis: Several treatments use various noninvasive methods to break down fat cells, known as lipolysis. The most common is probably cryolipolysis, better known as CoolSculpting, which uses low temperature to destroy fat cells without harming the skin or other tissue. A 2023 study in The Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology found it to be safe and modestly effective but called for more research.
Other lipolysis approaches use lasers, ultrasound waves, radiofrequency waves, electromagnetic fields, and shots of special solutions to get rid of fat. A 2023 review in the journal Medicina found that these methods are relatively safe and painless, and some can be good for getting rid of fat.
Panniculectomy: This surgical procedure is similar to a tummy tuck, with one difference: Unlike in a tummy tuck, the surgeon does not tighten your abdominal muscles.
Belt lipectomy: Also known as a lower body lift, this procedure has some things in common with a tummy tuck. Both procedures remove loose skin around the abdomen and are often recommended to people who have lost a lot of weight. But a belt lipectomy also removes extra skin and fat from the buttocks, so it requires a cut that wraps around your entire waist (or belt line, which is where this procedure gets its name).
Takeaways
Having loose skin that hangs from your abdomen can make you feel dissatisfied with your appearance and can add to health problems, such as back pain. A tummy tuck can help remedy the problem, improve your self-esteem and confidence, and leave you feeling better overall. But deciding to have a tummy tuck is a big commitment, so be sure your doctor explains what’s involved and what to expect from this procedure.
Tummy Tuck FAQs
What are some minimally invasive tummy tuck options?
A tummy tuck requires large cuts and the removal of skin and fat, so it’s an invasive procedure. There are no minimally invasive tummy tuck options.
How long does it take to recover from a tummy tuck?
It typically takes at least six weeks to recover from a tummy tuck. But if you have a form of the procedure called an extended tummy tuck, which removes more tissue, your recovery could take twice as long.
What should I expect during a tummy tuck consultation?
During a tummy tuck consultation, your doctor will review your complete medical record, including asking about previous surgeries you have had. As part of your evaluation, your doctor will likely take photos of you. They will ask you to talk about your goals for the surgery, then discuss your treatment options. The surgeon will recommend a plan and give you an idea of what results to expect, as well as what complications are possible.
What is a reverse tummy tuck?
A tummy tuck removes loose skin and fat from the lower abdomen. A reverse tummy tuck is similar, but the surgeon removes loose skin from the upper abdomen instead.
