Adam N. Summers, M.D.
Maryland Plastic Surgery
Cosmetic Surgery & Medical Spa

Tummy-Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

Maryland Tummy Tuck Surgeon - Dr. Summers
Baltimore, Annapolis

At the Maryland Plastic Surgery Center, Dr. Adam Summers offers Annapolis and Baltimore tummy tuck patients the opportunity to achieve a flatter, smoother abdomen and trimmer waistline. Dr. Summers is exclusively sought out by many tummy tuck patients from Annapolis, Baltimore and the region because he has become known for achieving wonderful results with minimal downtime. In fact, most of his patients find that they are able to walk immediately without assistance and that their pain is controlled with ibuprofen alone after 2 days. He combines his surgical expertise and extensive medical training to perform this procedure for Maryland abdominoplasty patients from across the state. Below, Dr. Summers describes the tummy tuck procedure.

Tummy Tuck Introduction:

Sometimes simply dieting and exercising are not enough to take care of waistline problems.  In such cases, Dr. Summers has helped many Baltimore tummy tuck patients remove excess skin and fatty deposits from their abdomen and reposition their abdomen muscles for a tighter formation. If you are considering a tummytuck (or abdominoplasty) procedure, Baltimore and Annapolis abdominoplasty patients have found that Dr. Summers' techniques consistently help patients achieve their goal of a flatter and tighter stomach.  The abdominoplasty procedure can also repair a condition known as a "diastasis recti", where there is a separation between the vertical abdominal muscles (this typically occurs following pregnancy).

Many factors affect the contour of your abdomen. Childbirth can stretch abdominal muscles to an extent that is uncorrectable with exercise. Excess fat deposits may produce undesirable bulges or fullness, and loose skin following childbirth or weight loss may result in an unattractive abdomen.

In women, pregnancy causes significant stretching of the tissues of the abdomen. After delivery, you may be able to exercise to recover the tone in the muscles themselves, but the fascial tissues (the layer of tissue which interconnects the muscles), does not respond to this effort. Stretching or looseness of the lower abdominal tissues creates bulging, which you cannot correct with exercise.

As fat is lost beneath the skin of your abdomen, especially after significant weight loss, the tissues may become much looser and may actually hang downward. Skin also does not respond to any type of exercise; however, excess loose skin can be removed during tummy tuck in Maryland.

Even in individuals who are not overweight, localized deposits of fat can occur in areas of the abdomen, producing an undesirable contour. If fat deposits are the only contour problem, they may be correctable with liposuction alone. However, if stretched musculature or loose skin is present, an abdominoplasty is necessary to achieve the best result.

An abdominoplasty can achieve the following: it reshapes the underlying framework of the abdomen to firm the abdominal wall, removes excess fat deposits that may be present, eliminates excess loose skin to produce a flatter, more youthful abdomen, and removes some (and occasionally all) "stretch marks".

During your consultation at the Maryland Plastic Surgery Center, Dr. Summers will ask you about the areas of your abdomen that concern you. He will specifically explain which components of an abdominoplasty will be necessary to achieve the best contour, and describe the type of changes you may hopefully achieve.

Tummy Tuck Goals:

How much your abdomen can be reshaped depends on several factors. The quality of your tissues is very important, and is a factor over which we have little control.

If you are significantly overweight, you'll get a much better correction if you achieve a more ideal body weight before your abdominoplasty. There is a limit to the amount of fat and skin that can be safely removed during the procedure.

To reshape the underlying musculofascial framework and remove excess skin, incisions are necessary. Incisions are placed low on the abdomen, and their length depends on the amount of correction you require. In most cases, it is necessary to reposition or reshape your umbilicus (belly button). Dr. Summers will discuss the specifics of the incisions during your consultation in Baltimore.

Any incision will produce a scar. The quality of these scars depends on several factors -- most importantly your own specific healing characteristics. You should think of scars as a worthwhile trade-off for significant improvement in the shape of your abdomen.

An abdominoplasty cannot change the underlying skeleton and is limited by how much the muscles can be tailored. Limitations are present. Risks associated with abdominoplasty are generally very small. We want to provide you the best information so that you'll be well informed in making your decision. At his elegantly appointed tummy tuck Maryland office, Dr. Summers will discuss any specific limitations during your consultation.

The Procedure

Incisions for abdominoplasty are placed low on your abdomen to allow them to be concealed. The length of the incision depends on the degree of looseness in your skin and how much will need to be removed. Dr. Summers will discuss your unique situation with you.

The skin and fat are first lifted off the underlying musculature of the abdomen. If the fascia (the tissue that interconnects the muscles) is stretched, he will tighten it by placing multiple rows of sutures. In essence, the underlying framework of the abdomen is reshaped. The skin and fat are then pulled downward, and the excess is removed. Due to the amount of skin that generally must be removed, it is usually necessary to make an incision around the umbilicus (belly button).

Tummy tuck Maryland patients who have a "pouch" or loose skin below the belly-button, but with otherwise good abdominal contour and skin quality, may be good candidates for a mini tummy-tuck.  In this procedure, a smaller incision is made above the pubic line and excess skin is removed and the lower abdomen is tightened.  There are no incisions around the belly-button and upper abdominal tightening is not performed. A mini tummy-tuck may be safely combined with more aggressive liposuction of the abdomen, if needed.

All of your incisions will be carefully closed with sutures placed beneath the skin, so there is no chance of having "railroad track" marks -- this encourages the formation of very fine-line scars.  To minimize fluid collection and swelling, and to improve your comfort in the treated areas, you will wear an elastic garment (which we provide) for three weeks (or more) after surgery.  Typically, the procedure takes 3 hours to perform.

Tummy Tuck Recovery:

Following abdominoplasty procedures, most Maryland tummy tuck patients have moderate discomfort the first 48-72 hours, decreasing rapidly thereafter. The degree of discomfort depends largely on the extent of surgery required to reshape your abdomen and your personal pain tolerance. We will prescribe medication to keep you as comfortable as possible. Your abdomen will feel tighter as the result of the procedure. The feeling of tightness will decrease over 1-3 weeks as swelling abates and the tissues become accustomed to their new position.

It's important to be up and about the day following your procedure. How much activity we recommend depends upon the specific procedure required to reshape your abdomen.

  • Bruising and swelling resolve: 7-21 days
  • Return to work, social activity: 5-14 days
  • Aerobic or strenuous activity: 3-6 weeks

We encourage you to be active, but to adhere to the limitations we prescribe. To assure the best result and to prevent damaging the reshaped areas, we will tailor your activity accordingly.

It may take up to a year for the body to completely adapt to the new abdominal configuration.  With proper diet and exercise the striking results of the surgery will be long lasting.

 

Baltimore, Maryland tummy tuck patients may also benefit from liposuction, a procedure that can help remove fatty deposits that are unresponsive to dieting and exercise. Baltimore liposuction patients enjoy a slimmer figure and a more sculpted physique. To learn about how Dr. Summers has helped Annapolis and Baltimore, Maryland liposuction patients achieve a tighter figure, please visit our liposuction page. Other body contouring procedures Dr. Summers might perform in conjunction with tummy tuck include body lift and breast augmentation in Maryland. Please explore the respective pages to learn more about these treatments.


Frequently Asked Questions About Tummy Tuck in Maryland:

Click on a question below to see the answer.

Q: Can I have several procedures performed simultaneously?

Q: What happens during my consultations?

Q: How long will it take to recover from my surgery?

Q: Will my insurance cover the surgery?

Q: What kind of anesthesia will be used?

Q: Who are the best candidates for an abdominoplasty (tummy-tuck)?

Q: Should I have liposuction with my abdominoplasty (tummy-tuck)?

Q: How long will the results of my abdominoplasty (tummy-tuck) last?

Q: What are the risks of an abdominoplasty (tummy-tuck)?

Q: How long will it take to recover from the surgery?

Q: What will my scar look like?

Q: When can I exercise again after surgery?

Q: What should I expect after surgery?

Q: What is a mini-tummy tuck?

Q: How is a "full" tummy-tuck performed?

Q: Where is my surgery performed?

Q: What should I do before surgery?