Many people develop "pouches" in their stomach area after a few pregnancies, yo-yo dieting or just as a result of aging. There's a weakening of their muscular corset, and sometimes it's accompanied by skin laxity. No amount of exercise seems to resolve the problem.

Discomfort and Panic
"I feel as though my belly's acquired a life of its own," one woman told me. "I can't suck in my stomach any more, so I've stopped wearing certain pants and skirts." This was a slender, toned woman speaking. Her problem was confined to her abdominal muscles (she was a mother of four), but her wardrobe had to be completely revamped over her "pouch."

Belly Fat Can Add to the Problem
"Toward the end of the day, bending over is difficult," said another woman. She was only slightly overweight - about 5 pounds - but the fat deposits in her abdomen, combined with her muscle laxity, were creating major life problems.

"I can't wear form-fitting tops," she confessed. "After I eat I feel like a balloon. My esophagus feels squeezed. If I'm eating out I want to run home and throw my clothes off, that's how uncomfortable I am."

This is no way to live.

The Answer Is Simple
For these people, abdominoplasty (or "tummy tuck") is often the silver bullet that solves their accelerating problem.

This Is Not A Weight Loss Procedure
For others, tummy tuck is not appropriate. Example: obese patients who are planning to lose of weight. They should postpone getting a tummy tuck until after they've slimmed down.

Tummy tucks work best on patients who:

• Are not planning to become pregnant in the future
• Are not planning to lose a lot of weight - their weight is stabilized
• Have excess or loose, sagging abdominal skin
• Have weakened abdominal muscles that don't respond to exercise
• Are in good health
• Have realistic expectations

Do these conditions apply to you?

You Might Need Only a Mini-Tummy Tuck
If your skin laxity and muscle weaknesses are confined to the area below your navel, a mini-tummy tuck might be a good option for you. The scar will be shorter, and an incision around the navel is not required.

Or, I could combine a mini-tummy-tuck with liposuction.

A physical exam will tell me more about what would suit your unique needs. When you come in for your consultation, I'll go over all your options. I'll tell you what I see as the best solution for you.

How It's Done
The tummy tuck requires a horizontal incision across the lower abdomen (within or above the pubic area). The length of the incision varies depending on the amount of skin to be removed.

The vertical muscles in your abdomen will be pulled together and stitched in a new position close to where they were in your youth. Excess skin will be removed along the incision. In some cases an incision around the navel is made so that the excess skin above the navel is pulled downward and removed. The navel's position remains unchanged.

How Long Does It Take?
From 2-5 hours.

There Will Be a Scar
Keep in mind, the tummy tuck leaves a long scar across the bottom of your abdomen above the public area. If you can live with this, and you prefer it to your chronic problem with excess skin and a "pouch" belly, then you're a good candidate for tummy tuck.

The scar is placed where it will be hidden by panties or a swimsuit. Although it's considered permanent and visible, it should fade over time.

Recovery
Within the second week the drainage tubes put in to prevent fluids from accumulating will be removed. You will wear a support garment for four weeks after surgery. You should be able to return to work or school after that.

You'll have to avoid exercises that work the abdominal muscles for three months. Low impact exercise can be resumed within 2-3 weeks. High impact exercise may be resumed within 6-8 weeks.

Your Results
Abdominoplasty produces lasting results, as long as you can maintain your weight and do not become pregnant. As with all cosmetic procedures, the final result will be apparent after about one year.

Bonus
Stretch marks on the lower abdomen can often be removed during the procedure. However, it may not be possible to remove all of the stretch marks.

You May Be Ready
If you've had it with "Abs" classes that exhaust you without giving you results, clothing that develops midriff bumps, or a spare tire that ruins your profile, you may be ready for a tummy tuck.

It's a serious procedure, and it involves a fairly long recovery. But we've done it on dozens of satisfied patients who tell us the results justify the experience.

Why Live With Chronic Discomfort?
The great thing is that once the healing is over, you've gotten rid of a chronic and annoying problem forever.

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