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ummy tuck (also known as abdominoplasty) is the cosmetic surgery consisting of the removal of excess skin and abdominal fat and the correction of muscle flaccidity. This situation of excess skin and relaxation of the abdominal wall usually occurs in patients who have had weight gain and subsequent loss or in women who have had several pregnancies. The abdominoplasty achieves a flatter, firmer abdomen and a narrower waist.

Surgical procedure

The intervention is performed under general anaesthesia, making an incision above the pubic hair that extends towards the hips. The skin of the abdomen is released and, if necessary, the abdominal muscles are tightened with sutures. The excess skin is pulled down and removed.

Postoperative

After the surgery, the patient will wear a special belt, reinforced with a bandage, according to each individual case. The scars around the navel and in the lower abdomen will improve with time. However, in some cases, it is necessary to perform a scar revision with local anaesthesia.

Complications

Possible (although rare) complications include loss of vitality (necrosis) of the skin above the pubis that may require longer postoperative treatment. Likewise, seromas and/or hematomas may appear that require evacuation.

Who is the ideal candidate to undergo a tummy tuck?

The ideal candidates to undergo a tummy tuck are those women or men who have a relatively good silhouette but who are concerned about the accumulation of fat or excess skin on the abdomen and that does not improve despite diet or physical exercise.

This surgery is especially useful in women who have had several pregnancies, after which the skin and abdominal muscles have relaxed and have not recovered their initial tone.

Loss of skin elasticity in older people may also be better, a situation frequently associated with moderate obesity. Those patients who must lose a lot of weight should postpone the surgery, as well as the patients who intend to have future pregnancies since during the surgery the vertical muscles of the abdomen are tightened and they can relax again during it.

If there are previous scars on the abdomen, this surgery may be contraindicated or the scars may change position. In other cases, this surgery manages to eliminate them.