Tummy Tuck | Mini Tummy Tuck

During your consultation, Dr. MaDan will review your health history, including GI distress like constipation, diarrhea, and acid reflux; and your prior surgical history (C-section or weight loss surgery, for example). Ideal candidates for tummy tucks will have completed their family and be at a healthy, stable weight with a BMI of 30 or less.

Dr. MaDan will review your history of childbearing and discuss whether your family is complete, or if you desire more children. She will discuss the areas that bother you and listen to your goals and desired outcomes. She will also review your current weight and weight loss plans. It is important to be at a stable weight at the time of surgery to ensure long-lasting results.

After meeting with you in person and building rapport, you will change into a robe so Dr. MaDan can examine your abdomen. She will examine any prior scars and assess your abdominal wall for diastasis, laxity, and hernia. You will then change back into your clothing and return to Dr. MaDan’s office to discuss the surgical details, including describing and illustrating the main steps of the surgical procedure, discussing risks/complications and reviewing before and after photos. Dr. MaDan will educate you on what to expect in the postoperative period, including risks, complications, pain, restrictions, and recovery. She will ensure all of your concerns and questions are answered.

Following the discussion of surgical details, Dr. MaDan will bring you to meet with her patient care coordinator, Maddie. Maddie will walk you through an itemized cost estimate and review possible surgery dates. Typically, a 20% deposit is required to secure your desired date. You will return for a pre-operative appointment about 2 weeks before your surgery date. 

At that appointment, we will review the specifics of your arrival time at the surgery center, and prescriptions and permission forms will be completed. We will review the surgical plan and recovery course, then take pre-operative photos to follow your transformation.

On the day of your tummy tuck procedure, you will likely be nervous and excited. You will have had nothing to eat or drink after midnight before your surgery. Typically, you will arrive 1 to 2 hours before your surgery time. You will take medication for nausea and anxiety before your arrival. When you check in, you may be asked to present identification. You will be taken to the pre-operative area to change into a surgical gown. All jewelry and metal piercings should be removed. An IV will be placed and a urine pregnancy test will be performed. A urine nicotine test may be performed. You will meet your entire surgical team including the anesthesiologist, nurse anesthetist, circulating nurse, and pre-operative and recovery nurses. You will see Dr. MaDan before your surgery to review the surgical plan and surgical markings on your abdomen. At this time, Dr. MaDan will answer any additional questions or concerns.

Dr. MaDan will accompany you to the operating room where she will be with you the entire time. You will be put to sleep by the anesthesiologist and a tube will be placed to help you breathe. The surgical procedure usually takes around 2 hours. All of your incisions will be closed with absorbable sutures and covered with steri-strips. You will be dressed in a compression garment before you wake up. The breathing tube will be removed, and you will be taken to the recovery area to wake up. 

Most patients need 30 to 45 minutes of recovery. It is normal for your throat to feel slightly dry or sore. After you are awake, you will receive assistance in putting your clothes on and will be taken to your transportation in a wheelchair. The nursing staff will review post-operative instructions with your caretaker. Upon your arrival at home, you will need assistance with mobility for the first 24 hours after your surgery. It is normal to feel sleepy and groggy for the first 24 hours. Your caretaker will help you keep your medications on schedule. Dr. MaDan will always contact you on the night of your surgery to check in with you. Our office phone number connects with Dr. MaDan’s cell phone after hours for emergent questions or concerns.

Dr. MaDan sets herself apart from other plastic surgeons by offering a drainless tummy tuck. She places multiple internal stitches called progressive tension sutures. These stitches eliminate space within the wound for fluid to collect. They also maximize the amount of tissue that can be removed and minimize tension on the scar. If your surgeon does not take the time to place these internal stitches, then a drainage tube is required.

If a drain is placed, there are specific output measures that must be met before a drain can be removed. Typically, the output should be less than 30 mL total in 24 hours for 2 consecutive days. This usually occurs within the first week after surgery.

In certain cases, muscle repair may not be indicated or desired. The patient may not have diastasis recti or separation of the abdominal muscles. The patient may be looking for skin removal with the easiest possible recovery. Dr. MaDan believes the best cosmetic outcomes usually require abdominal muscle tightening to create the flattest, tightest contour. The majority of Dr. MaDan’s tummy tuck and mommy makeover patients undergo abdominal wall tightening (rectus plication).

Seeing someone’s “abs” or “six-pack” is usually due to a low body fat percentile. Dr. MaDan is fond of saying, “Abs are made in the kitchen.” She performs liposuction as part of the tummy tuck to give a more toned, athletic look to the abdominal wall.

Do not expect the number on the scale to change significantly after a tummy tuck. This procedure is for body contouring rather than weight loss. The tissue that is removed does account for some weight, but it’s never as much as you’d think—typically it weighs less than 2 lbs. Dr. MaDan recommends being within 5 to 10 % of your goal weight at the time of your surgery. Ideal tummy tuck candidates have a BMI of 30 or less. Significant weight loss after your tummy tuck can negatively affect your cosmetic outcome leaving you with undesirable, hanging skin.

Dr. MaDan typically uses all absorbable stitches in tummy tuck surgeries. She avoids all skin glues, like Dermabond, and uses steri-strips to protect the incisions. At your first post-op appointment, Dr. MaDan will remove your steri-strips and educate you on her medical-grade scar therapy regimen.

A great tummy tuck always has three characteristics: 

• a tight, hooded, athletic-looking belly button
•  low, symmetrical, straight scar placement 
• a smooth contour on both sides of the incision—no shelves, no extra skin or bulging fat, and no dog ears.

The swelling after an abdominoplasty can be significant. It will typically peak 48 to 72 hours after your procedure and improve on every subsequent day. You will wake up in your compression garment after surgery. This garment is instrumental in minimizing swelling and supporting the tissues as they heal. It should be worn at all times except when showering for the first 6 weeks after surgery. Swelling may initially mask the shape of your belly button. The shape will improve as swelling decreases and a soft, silicone shaper may be used to speed up this process. The majority of swelling will have resolved 3 months after your procedure. Minor, residual swelling may be present after certain activities but should be completely resolved 12 months after your surgery.

Lymphatic massage can greatly decrease postoperative swelling and improve lymphatic drainage. It is ideal to find a skilled lymphatic massage therapist in your area with post-surgical experience. Usually your first session is recommended 3 to 5 days after surgery. 

You will have an initial recovery of 2 weeks off from any intense activities or heavy lifting, as this time is critical to minimize the risk of complications like bleeding or hematoma. Most patients will feel 98% back to themselves 2 to 3 weeks post-surgery. After your initial downtime, you will have lifting restrictions limited to 10 lbs for the first month after surgery. After the first month, lifting restrictions increase to 30 lbs. Your recovery compression garments should be worn at all times for a minimum of 6 weeks.

The most common major complications after a tummy tuck are bleeding (hematoma) and fluid collection (seroma). The risk of bleeding is most significant in the first 2 weeks after your procedure. Dr. MaDan will never leave the operating room if something is bleeding. However, non-compliance with restrictions, such as heavy lifting or strenuous exercise, can cause a blood vessel to open up and start bleeding. This can be a life-threatening medical emergency requiring emergent surgery and hospitalization.

Fluid collection can occur with non-compliance in wearing the compression garment for 6 weeks post-procedure. A fluid collection may require surgical drainage to avoid infection. More common minor complications include wound breakdown or delayed wound healing in a small part of the abdominoplasty incision.

Liposuction can be performed at the same time as abdominoplasty. However, there are limitations to the amount of liposuction that can be safely performed at the same time.

Typically, you can resume light activities like walking 2 weeks after tummy tuck surgery. It is essential to let your body heal and recover after your procedure. Do not expect to return to high-impact, intense activities immediately after your procedure. It is important to allow your body the time it needs to recover and gradually return to normal activities.

We can teach you to make modifications to assist you during your tummy tuck recovery. However, it is ideal to have help at home for the first 2 weeks of recovery, especially if you have young children. Lifting restrictions are limited to 10 lbs or less for the first month after surgery.

Dr. MaDan believes the majority of the pain from a tummy tuck results from abdominal muscle tightening. You will quickly realize how much your core is used for every daily action and activity. We provide muscle spasm medications that will alleviate some of the tight feelings after surgery. Your compression garment will also provide essential support to the abdominal wall as it heals. Techniques like holding a pillow against your abdomen while coughing, sneezing, or laughing can provide additional support. It is also important to listen to your body and not overdo it during your recovery.

Yes. From a functional standpoint, pregnancy after a tummy tuck is possible. An abdominoplasty does not alter your ability to conceive or become pregnant. However, Dr. MaDan recommends delaying your tummy tuck until you are certain you have completed your family. Abdominoplasty is a significant investment and should be deferred until your family has been completed. The physical changes associated with pregnancy would likely reverse the surgical changes made during a tummy tuck, resulting in recurrent diastasis, abdominal wall laxity, and excess skin.

While you will not experience any pain during the surgical procedure, you will experience pain during the recovery after your tummy tuck. The majority of the pain can be attributed to muscle plication. Pain is treated with our multimodal oral regimen to address pain, muscle spasms, and inflammation. Most patients need oral medications for 5 to 7 days after the procedure.

Yes, your belly button will remain the same. A new opening will be made for it in the tighter, flatter abdomen. Dr. MaDan will place specific contouring sutures to create the tight, hooded athletic appearing belly button. During the healing process, the swelling around the belly button will slowly decrease. A soft silicone shaper will be provided to reinforce the ideal belly button contour and appearance.

In certain cases, a new belly button has to be made using the surrounding abdominal tissue. A “neo-umbilicus” can have a very natural appearance. The contouring sutures are essential in creating a natural, athletic shape for the belly button. The belly button will go through many changes secondary to swelling and healing. A soft silicone shaper is often used to help reinforce the desired appearance.

Optimization before an abdominoplasty entirely depends on your baseline. The ideal tummy tuck candidate has completed their family, is in good health, and has a BMI of 30 or less. Medical conditions like obesity or diabetes may exclude you from being a tummy tuck candidate. Certain risk factors like nicotine use can be optimized (abstaining from all nicotine for at least 6 weeks before and after your procedure) to make you a better surgical candidate.

A tummy tuck is performed as an outpatient procedure under general anesthesia. The procedure typically takes approximately 2 hours. It can be combined with other procedures like liposuction or breast surgery to consolidate your recovery period.

Choose a tummy tuck surgeon who understands your goals, prioritizes your safety, and has good results/outcomes. It’s important to feel comfortable with your surgeon as this is a journey you will embark on together. Your surgeon should be forthcoming about risks, complications, hospital admitting privileges and be open to discussing complication management. A tummy tuck is a significant investment in yourself, and your surgeon should ensure your safety and optimal results. Your surgeon should identify factors that may affect your outcome and safety and develop a plan for optimization before scheduling surgery.