Tummy Tuck

Tummy tuck surgery is one of several popular plastic surgery procedures today. Among women whose tummies have excess skin, fat, or muscle weakness after pregnancy or weight gain, it can be life-changing. Many women can diet and exercise to help reduce their abdominal bulge, but it isn’t enough for many.

Once the skin and muscle layers have been stretched during pregnancy, the tissues often lose elasticity and may not return to their pre-pregnancy proportions. With advances in weight loss surgery, such as gastric bypass and banding, board-certified surgeon Randy Proffitt, MD, FACS, frequently addresses the effects of loose skin and weakened abdominal walls.

Remember that all patients are unique, so results vary depending on many factors.

What is a Tummy Tuck?

A tummy tuck is a cosmetic abdominal surgery that removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen. Crucially, it also tightens the underlying abdominal muscles that may have become stretched or separated due to pregnancy or significant weight fluctuations. The result is a flatter, more contoured stomach, often impossible to achieve through non-surgical means alone.

This graphic illustrates a common incision for a tummy tuck

Benefits of a Tummy Tuck

Choosing a tummy tuck offers numerous advantages beyond just cosmetic improvements:

• Improved Abdominal Contour and Muscle Tone: Repair of separated or weakened abdominal muscles helps create a tighter, toned appearance.
• Elimination of Excess Skin and Fat: Removes stubborn loose skin and pockets of fat that often resist diet and exercise.
• Enhanced Body Shape: Restores a natural, proportionate waistline for a balanced silhouette.
• Better Clothing Fit: Allows clothes to fit better and more comfortably.
• Increased Comfort: Many patients experience improved physical comfort in daily activities.

If excess fat and loose skin are primary concerns, consider combined approaches such as liposuction for optimal body contouring results.

Who Is a Good Tummy Tuck Candidate?

A good candidate for a tummy tuck is someone with excess skin and fat around the abdomen that has not responded to diet or exercise, often following pregnancy or significant weight loss. Ideal candidates have weakened or separated abdominal muscles that need tightening. 

It is important to be at or near a stable weight and in good overall health. Non-smokers and women who do not plan on future pregnancies tend to achieve the best and longest-lasting results. 

How is the surgery done?

Abdominoplasty is done either as an outpatient procedure or an overnight stay, depending on each patient’s health requirements. It is done under general anesthesia and takes from one to two hours, depending on the length of the incision.

After a transverse incision in the lower abdomen, the skin and fat are elevated off the muscle layer up to the ribs. It allows exposure to tighten the muscle layer with sutures. The belly button remains where it always has been. Then, the skin and fat are pulled tight, and the excess fat is removed. The belly button is brought out through its new location in the skin and sutured in place.

The remaining incision is closed with absorbable sutures beneath the skin, and one or two drains are placed before the wound is sealed. These drains help remove excess fluid and minimize swelling. Patients typically go home with both dressings and drains in place. After four to six days, Dr. Randy Proffitt removes the drains during a follow-up visit. For the next six weeks, the patient wears a snug-fitting girdle for support.

A mini tummy tuck is a variation where surgery is performed only below the belly button. Some women only have looseness of skin and muscle below the belly button and don’t need a full abdominoplasty. This incision is also shorter in length.

Planning Your Surgery

To prepare for your surgery, Randy Proffitt, MD, FACS Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, has several recommendations:

• If you smoke, you must completely stop smoking for at least six weeks before the surgery. Dr. Proffitt will prescribe a medication that may help you stop.
• You should avoid several medicines, herbal remedies, vitamins, and over-the-counter medicines at least two weeks before and one week after surgery. We will provide you with a list of drugs to avoid before your surgery.
• As with many abdominal surgeries, exercise, lifting more than ten pounds, and driving are not allowed for some time after surgery. You must plan on helping after your surgery and leave work if necessary.
• Usually, a tummy tuck can be performed as an outpatient surgery, but sometimes, it may be necessary to stay overnight. It depends on your overall health and the extent of surgery.
• An abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) is best suited for the patient who has completed her family planning.
• A tummy tuck is also best suited for patients at their desired weight. If you are planning to undergo significant weight loss, a tummy tuck should wait until your weight has plateaued.

Risks

Many risks associated with surgery can be lessened or avoided with careful planning. However, you can avoid certain medications before surgery and use appropriate antibiotics at the time of surgery to minimize the risk of excessive bleeding, infection, and poor healing. Compression leg pumps significantly reduce the risk of blood clots in leg veins. A blood thinner may be administered to patients at high risk of blood clots.

Patient compliance with Dr. Proffitt’s recommendations before and after surgery will diminish many risks.

Recovery

Most patients require 1-2 weeks of downtime for initial recovery. During this period, rest is paramount. You’ll need assistance with daily tasks and should avoid strenuous activities. Discomfort is normal after surgery. Appropriate pain medication will be prescribed to manage any pain effectively. Cold compresses and maintaining a slightly bent position can also help alleviate tightness. 

Swelling will gradually subside over several weeks to months. Most bruising resolves within 2 to 3 weeks. While significant improvement is visible early on, the final results become apparent after 6-12 months as your body fully heals and settles.

Your New Look

The scar from your surgery will be pink for one to two months and gradually fade, but never disappear entirely. It will also soften over time. Most of the swelling from your surgery should have resolved after six weeks, but in some patients, it may take up to six months.

When you’re ready to discuss tummy tuck surgery in Mobile, Alabama, with a board-certified plastic surgeon, call or email the office of Dr. Randy Proffitt. Use the online email form to get in touch or call 251-344-0322.

Insurance Coverage: Tummy Tuck vs Panniculectomy

Many patients considering a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) wonder about insurance coverage. Understanding the distinction between a full abdominoplasty and a panniculectomy greatly impacts what your insurance company may cover.

A full abdominoplasty, commonly known as a tummy tuck, is a comprehensive procedure involving the excision of redundant skin and fat from the anterior abdomen and the “plication,” or tightening, of the underlying abdominal muscle layer.

In contrast, a panniculectomy focuses solely on removing redundant skin and fat without addressing the muscle layer. This distinction is crucial because while a full tummy tuck is generally considered a cosmetic procedure, insurance companies may consider a panniculectomy medically necessary under specific circumstances.

Insurance companies typically do not cover or consider tightening the abdominal muscle layer medically necessary. Therefore, if a patient undergoing a panniculectomy covered by their medical insurance wishes to have the muscle layer tightened as part of a full tummy tuck, this muscle tightening component can be performed for an additional fee.

For patients who want to see if their insurance company will cover the panniculectomy portion of their procedure, it is their responsibility to obtain supporting documents from their primary care physician or gynecologist. Insurance companies will require the office notes from the treating physician’s office documenting that the patient has skin problems (rash or infection) underneath the overhanging abdominal skin, directly caused by the redundant skin.

Records also have to include treatment in the form of a prescription for antibacterial cream and/or pills, or antifungal cream and/or pills for this skin problem. Documents must also include a second visit, 3 to 6 months later, noting that the treatment has been ineffective.

Letters from the treating physician or a note written on a prescription pad saying the patient needs this procedure or that they consider it medically necessary are not acceptable. Only office records made at the time of the office visit are acceptable. Once our office receives these documents, Dr. Proffitt will dictate a letter and take photographs of the patient’s abdomen in the frontal and side views, as well as a photo of the skin rash/infection itself.

Occasionally, insurance companies only approve coverage if the overhanging skin and fat completely obscure the pubic area. Again, it is the patient’s responsibility to supply these documents before a letter requesting coverage for the panniculectomy component can be sent to the insurance company.

Below are links for two insurance company websites outlining their policy regarding coverage for abdominal panniculectomy.

• Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Alabama: “Management of Excessive Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue”
• United Healthcare

Tummy Tuck FAQs

How Much Does Tummy Tuck Cost?

The total of a tummy tuck cost is determined based on factors like your medical examinations, surgeon’s fees, hospital charges, post-surgery garments, and anesthesia. The exact techniques will also impact the cost and the total time needed to perform the surgery.

Why Choose Dr. Randy Proffitt

Dr. Randy Proffitt offers patients the distinct advantage of over 30 years of specialized expertise in cosmetic abdominal surgery, making him one of the most experienced plastic surgeons in the Gulf Coast area. As a double board-certified plastic surgeon, patients benefit from an unparalleled depth of surgical training.

This extensive background, combined with a commitment to personalized care and the latest state-of-the-art technological advancements, ensures patient safety, comfort, and the achievement of natural-looking results that enhance each patient’s unique body shape. Dr. Proffitt’s comprehensive understanding of body contouring allows for tailored solutions, including combining a tummy tuck with liposuction when appropriate.

Schedule a Consultation

If you have any questions about a tummy tuck in Gulf Coast in Mobile, Alabama, or would like to book a consultation with Dr. Randy Proffitt, please contact Randy Proffitt, MD, FACS, today. Our skilled team can help you get the sculpted body you have always desired.

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