Tummy Tuck in Miami

• Firm and tight abdominal skin
• Flatter abdomen
• More youthful stomach and navel

For patients in Miami, tummy tucks are not an alternative to weight loss, but a way for patients to remove excess skin following a loss of weight. The procedure is commonly combined with liposuction (sometimes called lipo-abdominoplasty).

Who Should Consider a Tummy Tuck?

A tummy tuck (or abdominoplasty) is an ideal surgical procedure for individuals who have lost weight, but still struggle with excess skin around the midsection. This loss of weight may occur after bariatric surgery, weight loss through diet and exercise or pregnancy. In a tummy tuck, excess skin and fat are removed while the muscles of the abdominal wall are repaired.

A tummy tuck can be performed on individuals who are at a stable body weight and whose midsection will not shrink with regular diet and exercise. Prospective patients should also be non-smokers and should understand that if they become pregnant after undergoing a tummy tuck, the results of the surgery may be difficult to maintain.

The Surgical Process

The tummy tuck procedure can last between two and five hours. The doctor will first mark the areas for incision in a place where they can be concealed on the lower abdomen and then administer a general anesthetic. A horizontal line is made just under the stomach, above the pubic hairline, while another incision is made in the bikini line and the skin is pulled down and inward.

Abdominal muscles that have been stretched are repaired and tightened with sutures. The skin is then redraped and the incision is closed with a dissolvable suture.

Life Post-Tummy Tuck

After the tummy tuck, compression garments and gauze are applied and the patient may be advised to walk within 12-18 hours. If the doctor applies any fluid drains, they can be removed within 24 hours. Sutures are removed after one week, but the patient may wear the compression garment for up to six weeks.

Some possible side effects are associated with tummy tuck procedures and may include infection, bleeding, tissue loss, unacceptable scarring and haematoma and/or seroma formation.

To learn more about tummy tucks in Miami, contact Miami Beach plastic surgeon Dr. Rian Maercks.