Tummy Tucks for Flabby Bellies

Abdominoplasty is a simple, safe and effective surgical procedure that can dramatically improve the appearance of your belly. Equally satisfying for patients and surgeons, Abdominoplasties (Tummy Tucks) have been around for decades. The Tummy Tuck Before and After Pictures on this page illustrate what is possible for patients desiring abdominal rejuvenation.

How Does a Tummy Tuck Work?

Tummy Tucks are used to treat flabby bellies because the three components:

• Loose skin
• Excess fat
• Lax abdominal muscles

are all addressed with a well planned Abdominoplasty.

Muscle laxity and disproportionate fat combine to form this flabby belly. After her Tummy Tuck however, this tummy has really tightened up.

The patient above has children, and as much as she loves her children, she does not love the appearance of her postpartum belly. She came to my Walnut Creek Plastic Surgery office complaining of a bulging belly that did not look good in form-fitting clothes, and she was uncomfortable and embarrassed to show her belly at all.

After her Tummy Tuck, her abdomen is flatter. The excess skin and fat was removed and the abdominal wall muscles have been tightened. In addition, most of her stretch marks were also removed. She now confidently wears what she likes and feels more comfortable in and out of clothing.

Skinny Mommy Big Belly

Our next patient has worked hard to return to her pre-pregnancy weight. She is happy with her progress, but has two stubborn problems that she cannot solve: 1) Her belly will not flatten any further and 2) Her buttocks have flattened too much. The combination of Abdominoplasty, Liposuction and Brazilian Buttocks Lift was used to take her back to her pre-pregnancy shape.

This patient had abdominal wall laxity after childbirth. The skin and muscles were tightened (Abdominoplasty) while the fat was removed from the abdomen and back and transferred to her buttocks (BBL)

The Abdominoplasty Before and After Pictures above show what is possible when a Tummy Tuck is combined with Liposuction and a Brazilian Buttocks Lift or BBL. The abdomen was flattened by the Tummy Tuck. The lower back and flanks have been sculptured with Liposculpture, and the fat that was removed was used for Buttocks Augmentation in the form of fat grafts to the buttocks.

Correcting Muscle Laxity with Abdominoplasty

Abdominoplasty literally means belly changing. Below is another patient who has maintained her weight through her pregnancy, but she is left with severe muscle laxity giving her the appearance of continued pregnancy. In this case, a smaller amount of fat and skin laxity is present, but the muscle laxity extends all the way up to the ribs.

It is tempting to try a Mini Tummy Tuck in this case; however, the upper abdomen would have remained full and the skin laxity above the belly button would not have been corrected. The best treatment is a Full Tummy Tuck. We will talk more about Mini Tummy Tucks next week, and on the September episode of Body Beautiful airing on KRON. More details to come.

You might think this tummy could get by with a mini tummy tuck; however, the abdominal muscles were loose all the way up to the ribs and the skin was too lax for a mini. A full abdominoplasty was performed just a few weeks prior to the after picture.

The patient above had her abdominal wall muscles tightened from her ribs to her pubic bone. This created a flat foundation on which to build the sculpted abdomen seen in the after photo. The skin was loose above and below the belly button. A large amount of excess skin was removed, along with the pouch of fat clinging to the backside of the lower abdominal skin. The result of this Full Tummy Tuck is a flat tummy and a happy, confident patient.

Abdominoplasty Consultations

If you are considering Abdominoplasty consult with an experienced, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. Whether you need a little Liposuction or a full Tummy Tuck, for the best results find a plastic surgeon specializing in cosmetic plastic surgery. In the San Francisco Bay Area, call (925) 943-6353 and schedule your private consultation appointment.