Tummy Tuck In Miami

A flatter stomach and a more youthful appearance.

A tummy tuck removes loose and excess skin, fat, and soft tissue from the stomach area and tightens the abdominal muscles, lifting the tummy and improving its contour. High lateral abdominoplasties also tighten the skin under the breast.

What Is a Tummy Tuck?

A tummy tuck, also called abdominoplasty, is a procedure to remove excess skin, fat, and soft tissue from the abdominal area. Tummy tucks can make patients feel more comfortable and have greater self-esteem. Schedule a consultation for a tummy tuck at Salas Plastic Surgery in Miami today.

If your tummy doesn’t look the way you want it to and no amount of diet or exercise seems able to solve the problem, you might be a good candidate for a tummy tuck.

The result of all types of tummy tuck is a flatter stomach and a more youthful appearance, and this means a boost in self-confidence for many people.

When to Consider a Tummy Tuck

Tummy tucks are great solutions to several problems, including the following:

Excess abdominal skin or abdominal muscle weakness as a result of aging and/or significant weight loss.
Stretch marks, loose skin, and/or abdominal muscle loss after pregnancy.
A protruding abdomen that is resistant to diet and exercise.
Damage to self-confidence due to a protruding abdomen, excess skin, or stretch marks.

The best candidates for tummy tucks are in good health before proceeding with surgery and have realistic expectations for the outcome. When a top plastic surgeon specializing in abdominoplasty assesses the candidate’s problems and state of health, they can decide whether tummy tuck surgery is the right decision.

Who Is A Good Candidate For A Tummy Tuck?

Ideal candidates for a tummy tuck are those who have excess skin and/or soft tissue of the abdomen and possibly loose abdominal muscles that may not be responsive to diet and exercise. While numerous options exist for abdominal contouring, Dr. Salas at Salas Plastic Surgery Miami will personally evaluate you to help find the best one for your needs.

The best way to know if you are a candidate is to come in for your private consultation to talk about your goals and expectations. Here at Salas Plastic Surgery Miami, it’s all about the details. We are sensitive to the fact that everyone has a unique situation, face, and body and will tailor your treatment to help you achieve your goals.

How a Tummy Tuck Works

During the tummy tuck procedure, Dr. Salas applies his surgical skill and artistic vision, along with years of training, to place the incision as close as possible to the bikini line, and then remove redundant skin and soft tissue as well as re-approximating the abdominal muscles if needed, in order to re-contour your abdomen to a more youthful and attractive shape. A tummy tuck is a surgical procedure.

Here’s how it works, step by step:

The patient is put under general anesthesia.
The surgeon marks the patient’s lower abdomen and the surrounding area, indicating the torso’s center point for symmetry and where the incisions should be made.
The incision sites are injected with lidocaine, a local anesthetic, and epinephrine to control bleeding.
The surgeon makes the first incision from one hip bone to the other above the pubic mound. This is sufficient for mini-abdominoplasty and most high lateral abdominoplasties, but full abdominoplasty and also requires an incision around the belly button.
Next, the surgeon repairs the abdominal muscles by loosening the abdominal wall and suturing the fascia of the abdominal muscles so they can be pulled tighter.
Then, the surgeon removes excess fat from the abdominal cavity, usually by liposuction.
Next, the skin on the patient’s abdomen is stretched past the pubic mound incision line and the excess skin is removed.
In a full abdominoplasty, the surgeon then removes the excess skin around the navel and sutures the remaining skin in place.
The initial incision is then glued, sutured, stapled, or closed with Steri-Strips.
In full abdominoplasties, drains are often inserted to prevent pressure build-up at the incisions.

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Preparing for Your Procedure

Before undergoing tummy tuck surgery, there are a few things surgeons will ask patients to do in preparation. There are also some additional preparations patients can make for themselves so they can be as comfortable as possible during their recovery:

Patients should stop smoking at least six weeks before the surgery to prevent complications and promote a speedy recovery.
Patients should stop taking anti-inflammatories and aspirin as these might increase bleeding during the surgery. Patients should also avoid some herbal remedies and vitamins.
Patients must meet any health or weight goals the surgeon sets as a prerequisite of performing the surgery.
The home should be readied for the patient’s return by doing the following:
- Arrange for child care if necessary.
- Make sure the fridge and pantry are stocked with easy-to-reach and easily preparable food.
- Ensure nothing the patient needs requires bending or climbing to access.
- Stock the freezer with bags of frozen peas to ice the tummy area.
- Clear the patient’s nightstand so that it can house medications, bottled water, crackers, Kleenex, and a digital thermometer.
- Make sure the patient has sufficient pillows to get comfortable during recovery.
- Don’t forget the entertainment. Have plenty of reading matter on hand and make sure the batteries in the TV remote are fully charged.

Aftercare and Recovery

If a patient’s surgery is performed on an inpatient basis, he or she will stay overnight in a surgical facility where recovery will be monitored and pain managed.

If the tummy tuck is performed as an outpatient procedure, the patient will return home the same day, but he or she will be prescribed a few days of bed rest. It is important to have the necessary support in place to achieve this.

Immediately after surgery, the patient will still be under the influence of the drugs used during the procedure. These will impair the ability to make important decisions or operate cars or other machinery, so it is essential patients receive a ride home from the hospital.

When patients can return to their normal activities depends on the severity of the surgery. Patients will be given full instructions before they leave the medical facility. These instructions will include important information about what symptoms to expect and what symptoms mean a medical professional should be informed.

What to Expect

Many patients feel dizzy or nauseous for a few hours as the anesthesia wears off.
Patients’ abdomens are normally very tender in the first few days after the operation, but medications can control this pain.
A dressing will cover the site of the incision to keep it clean and protect it from infection. Patients also wear compression garments to help control swelling and support the skin on the abdomen as it tightens.
Patients may have tubes draining fluids from the operation site. Tubes must be emptied a few times per day, and the amount of fluid must be recorded. These tubes stay in place for between 3 and 14 days, depending on the amount of drainage necessary.
Traditional sutures are generally removed after 1 or 2 weeks. Dissolvable sutures do not need to be removed.
Common side-effects that should not alarm patients include numbness and puffiness around the incision, redness, and bruising. These symptoms will gradually disappear as the body heals and adjusts.

Recovery Time

Recovery from tummy tuck surgery typically takes 6 or more months. Discomfort in the first few days is the worst, though, after which patients gradually start feeling better.

A few weeks following the surgery, as the pain recedes sufficiently, patients can start working on becoming more mobile.

Here are some key points about the recovery period:

Patients should strictly follow their surgeon’s instructions for the entire recovery period. If they experience shortness of breath, a fluctuating heartbeat, or chest pains, then the surgeon should immediately be called. Other signs that something may be wrong include a high fever, disorientation, nausea, or vomiting. Worsening pain, swelling, bleeding, or increased drainage are all signs that should be shared with a medical professional.
Immediately after surgery, patients must take it very easy. The surgeon will advise patients on how much bed rest is necessary.
The day after surgery, patients should begin walking very slowly. Walking helps patients avoid swelling and blood clots in their legs.
During the first 2 days post-surgery, patients suffer the most discomfort. The surgeon will prescribe pain medications to deal with this, and they must be taken according to a schedule.
The surgeon will explain certain dos and don’ts that will aid recovery. For example, patients should avoid anti-inflammatories as they can cause bleeding. Smoking should also be avoided as it can cause bleeding and coughing that might break the patient’s stitches. Because patients will be taking pain medication, alcohol is forbidden.
For the first 2 days following surgery, at a minimum, patients must have help getting around the house and taking their medications.
After the first 2 days, patients will continue to need help around the house. Bending, stretching, or picking things up can cause serious complications and compromise the final result of the surgery, so these movements should be avoided.
About 5 days after surgery, patients will have an appointment to visit their surgeon so that he or she can check on progress. If the patient has tubes, they will often be removed at this visit.
Patients should be able to return to work after about 2 weeks unless the job is physically taxing.

Common Questions About the Tummy Tuck

What will my Tummy Tuck incisions and scars be like?

In a full tummy tuck, incisions are generally made in the bikini line, so they can be hidden by underwear or swimwear. The length and shape of the incision depend on the amount of excess skin and fat that will be removed, the type of abdominoplasty, and the patient’s preferences.

The incision for a full abdominoplasty usually runs from hip bone to hip bone and maybe in a V-cut or U-cut shape. For a full tummy tuck, surgeons may also make an incision around the patient’s navel.

Because in a high lateral tension abdominoplasty the excess flesh under the breasts is also removed, the scars are generally longer and sometimes higher than they are for full and mini tummy tucks.

In a mini tummy tuck, the surgeon will make the incision smaller and lower. It can normally be hidden low in the pubic area. The length of the incision depends on the amount of skin to be removed. As all of the skin and fat comes from below the navel (umbilicus), no incisions are necessary for that area.

Does insurance cover a Tummy Tuck?

Because a tummy tuck is considered plastic surgery, insurance companies do not cover the costs of the procedure.

How long will the results last?

Normal aging naturally loosens the skin but not dramatically, so unless the patient experiences significant weight gain or pregnancy, the results of a tummy tuck can last a lifetime.

Who are the best candidates for a Tummy Tuck?

Several things make patients good candidates. These include:

Being a non-smoker. Because smoking makes surgery more dangerous and prolongs the healing process, smokers must quit a minimum of 6 weeks before tummy tuck surgery.
Maintaining a stable, regular weight. Slim people who have excess flesh they can’t get rid of are good candidates for a tummy tuck. Very overweight people are not.
Being in good health overall is important to successfully undergo this procedure.
Having no plans for more children. Pregnancy can separate the muscles that are repaired during a tummy tuck, spoiling the results.
Not having had previous abdominal surgery. This is because scarring, whether internal or external, can complicate abdominoplasty and lessen its effectiveness.

Is a Non-Surgical Tummy Tuck possible?

A tummy tuck is a surgical procedure, but there are several nonsurgical alternatives:

Liposuction. This is minimally invasive and only requires the administration of a local anesthetic. This procedure works best on patients with elastic skin and good tone in their abdominal muscles.
CoolSculpting. In this non-invasive procedure, excess fat cells are frozen, killed, and eliminated by the patient’s body. Patients with elastic skin and strong abdominal muscles get good results from this procedure.
Radiofrequency treatment. This non-surgical skin-tightening procedure can be used on its own or in conjunction with liposuction or CoolSculpting, producing excellent results.

Schedule a Tummy Tuck Consultation in Miami

Award-winning plastic surgeon Dr. Rafael Emerick Salas performs all of the surgeries at Salas Plastic Surgery in Miami. Dr. Salas is famous for his “Mommy Makeovers,” which combine tummy tucks with breast lifts and their augmentation or reduction.

At Salas Plastic Surgery, we understand that every patient is different, with a unique body and individual issues. The best way to find out if you are a good candidate for a tummy tuck is to schedule a private consultation with Dr. Salas so you can discuss your goals and expectations.

Call Dr. Salas Plastic Surgery in Miami at 305-928-7757 today to schedule your tummy tuck consultation.