The abdominal area can protrude or sag with aging, obesity, or after pregnancy or weight loss. An abdominoplasty, also known as a ‘tummy tuck,’ is a surgery that removes excess skin and fat from the lower abdomen, while tightening both the skin of the upper abdomen and the abdominal muscles. The best candidates for this procedure are in good health, but have excess fat in the abdominal area, in combination with loose skin and/or weakened muscles.

Abdominoplasty is performed under a general anesthesia, for the patient’s comfort and safety. An incision is made above the pubic area in the "bikini line," extending outwards on each side towards the flanks (the incision can use a pre-existing transverse c-section scar, if present). Another small incision is made around the belly button (umbilicus), allowing improved tightening of the upper abdomen. The abdominal muscles are exposed and tightened, flattening the abdomen. If present, hernias or ‘rectus diastasis’ (often present following pregnancy) can be repaired. Next, the skin of the abdomen is stretched towards the lower abdominal incision. Excess skin and fat is removed, further flattening the abdomen, while improving striae (‘stretch marks’) and abdominal shape. Prior to closure, the belly button is properly positioned and reshaped. The surgery takes about two hours in most cases, and can oftenbe performed as an outpatient. A postoperative overnight stay can be arranged where appropriate and necessary. An abdominal binder is used for comfort and wound care for two weeks after surgery; drainage tubes are typically removed within five to seven days. Because abdominoplasty does involve more discomfort than many other plastic surgery procedures, patients may wish to consider staying in a cosmetic surgery aftercare facility for a few days, and should plan on taking two weeks off from their usual activities/work. Scars are an unavoidable consequence of abdominoplasty surgery, but can be hidden by undergarments or a bathing suit.

For those patients who have more minor degrees of abdominal/skin laxity, a ‘Mini-abdominoplasty’ may be used. This procedure involves a smaller incision below the bikini line, with no scar around the belly button. Recovery time is substantially lessened in comparison with ‘standard’ abdominoplasty.

Those patients who have undergone significant weight loss may benefit from other body contouring procedures. These include the ‘lower body lift’ or ‘belt lipectomy,’ brachioplasty (arm lift), medial thigh lift, panniculectomy (lower abdomen) and mastopexy (breast lift). While some of these procedures can be performed on an outpatient basis, the more extensive surgeries require a multiple day hospital stay.