Locations in Marietta (770)-425-0118 and Woodstock (678)-494-2380
Abdominoplasty

Tummy Tuck at Our Atlanta-area Offices

We recommend abdominoplasty, also known as the tummy tuck, to our Atlanta-area patients who want to remove excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen. Loss of skin elasticity due to age, pregnancy, weight gain, or weight loss often causes the abdomen to lose firmness, or even to stick out. More often than not, the problem of excess abdominal skin cannot be corrected through diet or exercise, and people are left feeling helpless about the condition of their bodies. Not only can this loose skin make a person feel unattractive, but it can also cause discomfort and chafing. The tummy tuck is ideal for Atlanta-area patients who want to tighten the abdominal muscles and reduce the appearance of a protruding abdomen. The tummy tuck can be performed in conjunction with liposuction, to firm and shape the abdominal area, giving patients a leaner, younger shape.

For those patients whose fat deposits are localized in the area below the navel, the mini-tummy tuck may be a preferable procedure. It is a less extensive procedure than the full-tummy tuck, and it can also be performed in conjunction with liposuction.

In more extreme cases, panniculectomy, a liposuction-assisted procedure in which drastic skin and fat removal is necessary. The panniculectomy can give the best results to those who have experienced weight gain or carry a significant amount of fat around the abdomen.

If you are interested in learning more about the tummy tuck offered in our Atlanta-area offices, and how it can work for you, contact us to schedule a consultation. Our surgeon will take age, weight, and condition of your skin into account to determine whether you are a good candidate, and whether the mini-tummy tuck, full-tummy tuck, or panniculectomy would be most advisable. Then, you and your surgeon can work together to decide the extent of your surgery, and what results you can expect from the procedure.

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The Tummy Tuck Procedure

During tummy tuck surgery at our Cobb County practice near Atlanta, your surgeon will make a preliminary incision from one hipbone to the other. For full abdominoplasty patients, the surgeon will make a second incision, extending up to the navel and disconnecting it from the surrounding tissue. Only the first incision is made in the mini-tummy tuck.

Working from the incision(s), the surgeon separates the skin from the abdominal wall and lifts up a skin flap to reveal the vertical muscles in the abdomen. Then, he pulls these muscles close together, creating a firm, taught abdominal wall and narrowing the waistline. The muscles are stitched into their new position, giving patients a permanently leaner abdomen.

Once the underlying structure has been tightened, the surgeon stretches the skin back over the abdominals and removes any excess skin or tissue, securing the skin with sutures.

Both full abdominoplasty and the mini-tummy tuck are performed at our Atlanta-area surgery center on an outpatient basis. Abdominoplasty typically takes two to five hours depending on the extent of the procedure. Partial abdominoplasty may take an hour or two.

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After Abdominoplasty Surgery

After the tummy tuck procedure, numbness, bruising, swelling, discomfort, and obvious scarring are not uncommon. Though most tummy tuck patients experience permanent scarring, scars will fade significantly over time, and all pain and discomfort should be gone after the first week. Tummy tuck patients can expect to be back at work within two weeks, but should wait three weeks to engage in any sort of vigorous activity.

If you have any questions or concerns about the tummy tuck procedure, contact our Atlanta offices today!

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A tummy tuck can rid your belly of excess skin or fat. Our Atlanta-area surgeons perform abdominoplasty procedures to give you a leaner, more streamlined, and more comfortable shape.

Marietta Location | 823 Campbell Hill St | Marietta, Georgia 30060 | (770) 425-0118

Woodstock Location | 2230 Towne Lake Pkwy | Bldg 700, Suite 130 | Woodstock, Georgia 30189

Marietta Plastic Surgery is associated with DocShop, an online patient resource providing information on the traditional abdominoplasty procedure and more.