Abdominoplasty in New York

Written by Dr. Jacobs

Did you know that when real people rate plastic surgery procedures, abdominoplasty invariably ranks among the top five in terms of satisfaction? It’s true for patients everywhere, not just here in New York, tummy tuck surgery is most often reviewed in glowing terms. People who talk about the frustrations of tucking a flap of skin and fat into their jeans or carrying around a spare tire are thrilled with their new, flat, silhouette after surgery.

See How Liposuction Complements a Tummy Tuck

The reason is the dramatic nature of the difference between a pre- and post-op body. Whereas muscles, skin, and fat initially flex to accommodate life changes, such as pregnancy or weight gain, they don’t often snap back later. When your muscles have lost tone, your skin is permanently stretched and you have fat pockets that just won’t budge, abdominoplasty with supporting liposuction is the way back to the body you used to know.

In our practice in New York, tummy tuck patients are most often women who have experienced multiple pregnancies. But men and women who have undergone weight loss or simply suffer the effects of time and unfortunate genetics can benefit too. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Elliot Jacobs and find out more.

Our Abdominoplasty Philosophy

To achieve a fit, youthful torso, it’s not enough to simply remove, tighten and suture. Our approach to tummy tuck surgery is to address the entire abdominal area and “sculpt” features as needed to create a pleasing look.

For instance, pregnancy may have changed the orientation of your navel from vertical to horizontal. Dr. Jacobs can re-create a vertically oriented, more youthful looking navel. He can also use his liposuction skills and delicate touch to develop that subtle groove extending upward from the navel, the valley between abdominal muscles. Finally, if your mons pubis – the fleshy pad above your pubic bone – has sagged, Dr. Jacobs can elevate it.

During his many years as a board certified plastic surgeon in New York, Dr. Jacobs has performed abdominoplasty and liposuction for thousands of patients. He is experienced in working with men and women, bodybuilders and other athletes, young people and seniors. His artistic sensibilities are especially evident in body contouring procedures.

Abdominoplasty Overview

The first step in abdominoplasty surgery is liposuction to remove fat bulges from high up on the torso to the flanks, love handles and belly as needed, creating a smooth, uniform layer of fat over the whole area. Then, Dr. Jacobs makes a horizontal incision just above the pubic area. He carefully loosens the skin, including the navel, from underlying layers of muscle and sutures lax muscles to tighten them up and flatten the abdomen.

Dr. Jacobs pulls the abdominal skin downward and reattaches the navel to the muscle wall in a slightly lower position. He pulls the mons pubis area upward and attaches it as well. Finally, excess skin is removed, including a C-section scar, if present, and the various layers of tissue are sutured together with dissolving stitches.

Most patients have tummy tuck surgery in our accredited surgical suite under “twilight sleep,” a form of anesthesia that is gentler than general anesthesia. Our experienced surgical team includes an M.D. anesthesiologist who will monitor you every step of the way.

After surgery, you may experience a few days of discomfort during which you can take the pain medication we’ll prescribe for you. You can anticipate some swelling and numbness of the skin for a time. While you will be encouraged to walk around the day after surgery and thereafter, you probably will not want to return to work for 10 to 14 days. You can start to work out again about 3 to 4 weeks post-op.

You will notice a smooth, flat abdomen beginning to emerge almost immediately after your procedure. Although the healing process will take up to six months to be final, initial swelling should dissipate in a week or a little longer. You’ll be shopping for a low cut bikini in no time! Take a look at some of Dr. Jacobs’ before and after tummy tuck photos and see the kind of results you might expect.

Abdominoplasty FAQ

Should I wait to have surgery until I’m finished having kids?

Since pregnancy can undo the results of surgery, we often advise women who may have more children to wait to schedule abdominoplasty. You can benefit from liposuction in the meantime, however.

Can I combine a tummy tuck with another procedure?

For most patients, a tummy tuck can be performed along with another procedure. Women quite often combine abdominoplasty with breast surgery for a classic mommy makeover.

Can you clarify the various abdominoplasty terms?

There are indeed a variety of approaches to cosmetic abdominal surgery and some confusing terms. In fact, the very procedure Dr. Jacobs performs for patients in New York is a mini tummy tuck in the view of many cosmetic surgeons! Some weight loss patients who don’t need the muscle-tightening component of an abdominoplasty have a procedure called a panniculectomy that removes skin and fat only. But instead of trying to sort through all the possibilities, spend time choosing an experienced plastic surgeon who will know just what you need.