Tummy Tuck Miami

A Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) that is performed with or without a breast lift (Mastopexy or Bennelli) has become one of the most popular surgeries performed by myself and for very good reasons. When properly done, there is no surgery, which can alter the post pregnancy body more other than perhaps breast augmentation / breast lift. Every anatomical change cannot only be corrected but even brought back to a better than before pregnancy state. A True Mommy Makeover!

There are several changes that occur to the female body during the pregnancy. The most visible change is the stretching of the skin with the possibility of developing stretch marks. There is also a fat redistribution with the fat being centered in the hips and abdomen area. There is also a significant muscle separation creating an out pouching of the abdomen. All of these are addressed by the modern abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck).

The first issue to be addressed is a skin stretching. The skin from the supra pubic area to the level of the umbilicus is usually removed and the upper skin is stretched down to the lower portion, which also results in a lifting/tightening of the external genitalia. Sometimes stretch marks are streak and developed. Depending upon their position most can be removed or at least brought to a much lower location. When healed, the scar should be thin and located in a low enough position so that a bikini would completely cover it. I have seen abdominoplasty scars, which seem to go very high as the incision goes outward. This is a worse situation possible when it comes to hiding the scar and makes it impossible to lower or otherwise hide.

The next problem, which is addressed, is the fat layer. The lower abdominal fat is addressed by excision along with the overlying skin in one piece. There is additional shaping performed in the hips and back using lipo sculpting. I prefer to use the power-assisted techniques to remove these fat deposits to create a narrow waist. Recently, ultrasonic or smart lipo gained some popularity but I have seen some very irregular and poor results using this technique.

The last issue is the muscle stretching or separation. This is what creates the out pouching of the stomach and probably the most important part of the operation. The muscles are tightened using multiple permanent stitches to retighten the abdominal musculature. This is also the portion of the surgery, which creates the most pain. The advent of the pain pump, which I have been using for the last year, has completely changed this, no longer the patient is in severe pain after the surgery. The entire recovery period has been shortened by these great machines.

There are risks involved with this surgery. The greatest risk is the development of blood clots in the legs. These can travel to the lungs and can be fatal. I try to limit this risk by using compression devices on the legs during and after the surgery to keep the circulation going as well as encouraging patients to take frequent walks around the house. I also recommend the use of a recliner to keep the legs elevated and facilitate with getting up and down. The pain pump has also helped in this respect because the patients are able to ambulate much more and much quicker. I have performed 2000 tummy tucks myself and have never experienced this particular complication but it is important to inform the patient of its risk. There can also be poor scarring or infections as a result of the surgery. Often times, this is due to over tightening of the skin or poor blood supply to the healing areas. In general, my patients are extremely happy with their outcome. Scars usually heal well. Occasionally, poor scarring is the result of the genetic predisposition or an underlying disease process such as diabetes or smoking. All of these and other risks should be discussed with your surgeon prior the operation.

To learn more please contact our office.

Dr. Leonard M. Hochstein, M.D., P.A.
Miami, Florida Board Certified Plastic Surgeon