The Art of the Tummy Tuck
If you’re interested in a tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, you already know that the procedure involves tightening muscles, removing skin and performing liposuction to banish fat pockets. But a true, full-service procedure may not stop there.
After practicing for 30 years in New York, tummy tuck surgery has evolved to be an art form for us. We can add in a few other techniques to extend the benefits of the procedure beyond what many plastic surgeons offer.
A variety of people choose to tune up the appearance of their abdomen. Candidates include:
- Moms who find that pregnancy has altered their formerly flat torso. Whether they refer to their belly as “floppy,” “drippy” or “oatmeal-like,” they realize they can’t repair the muscles and banish the extra skin needed to regain a slim physique.
- Weight loss patients who have essentially the same complaints as post-pregnancy moms, occasionally multiplied many times over. Some have to literally tuck skin into their pants.
- People whose genetic makeup gives them unusually lax muscles and/or skin. Again, while someone can lose weight on their own, there’s no changing tissues without help.
In the procedures we plan for our patients in New York, tummy tuck surgery starts with the typical muscle repair, liposuction as needed and removal of lax skin. But we don’t necessarily view surgery as finished at this point.
For instance, pregnancy or weight fluctuations may have changed the orientation of your navel from vertical to horizontal, contributing to an aged appearance for your belly. During your surgery, we can create a more youthful looking navel by modifying its position.
With the sagginess that’s prompting you to consider a tummy tuck, you may very well have noticed additional fleshiness around your pubic area. We can address this during your abdominoplasty, elevating the mons pubis back to where it used to be.
Finally, if desired, we can use our specially developed liposuction instruments to gently sculpt a subtle groove from the navel upward. This small valley between the muscles is one of the hallmarks of a toned, youthful abdomen.
Many cosmetic surgeons are drawn to the field for the chance to exercise their artistic sense as well as surgical training. If you’re considering a tummy tuck, you may want to look for a plastic surgeon with excellent technical skills and a background in the arts as well.
To learn more about us, read more online or call our office at 212-570-6080.
