When men and women lose a massive amount of weight, they are almost always left with excess skin around the abdomen. In most cases, no amount of additional training or toning can eliminate this unsightly fold of skin.

This can be extremely frustrating, particularly after surmounting the achievement of 50, 75, or 100 pounds of weight loss. One increasingly popular solution to removing that excess skin is a tummy tuck.

San Diego plastic surgeon Dr. Stuart Kincaid has performed numerous tummy tuck (“abdominoplasty”) operations and mini-tummy tucks for patients who have lost a massive amount of weight and want to look as great as they feel. But one question that often arises is whether it’s best to get a tummy tuck before or after the patient’s ideal weight has been reached. Many men and women set certain goals for themselves and come very close to meeting them. However, the last 15 to 30 pounds are often the most difficult to shed. Because many doctors recommend that patients reach a stable weight before having a tummy tuck in order to avoid the need for touch-up operations, these patients end up delaying the reward of a smoother, tighter stomach while they continue to work towards those last few pounds.

On the other hand, some doctors suggest that patients go ahead with the operation, especially if they’ve reached a plateau in their weight loss regimen. Those last couple of pounds can be removed via liposuction at the same time as the tummy tuck operation. Or, as is more common, the patient feels so reinvigorated after their tummy tuck that they resume their exercise routine with renewed confidence, which helps them meet their weight loss goals.

If you are within 15 to 30 pounds of your weight loss goals, you may wish to speak with a board certified plastic surgeon in order to explore your options. Depending on your circumstance, additional weight loss after your tummy tuck may not require a follow-up surgery. Talking to a plastic surgeon face to face will help you understand how a tummy tuck can play a role in your weight loss goals.

August 20th, 2008. A Martinez, California woman was sentenced to 9 months in prison for identity theft, using another woman’s stolen credit cards to subsidize payment for a Mommy Makeover, consisting of a Breast Lift, Liposuction and Tummy Tuck.

Londie Bowman, 32, is scheduled to surrender to Marin County sheriffs in October, according to her public defender and a spokesperson for the courts. Bowman, scheduled the procedure for February but only had about $12,000, a little over half of the cost for the group of procedures, but it wasn’t until after she had them when her theft caught up with her.

After her procedure, a complimentary get-well bouquet was sent from the plastic surgeon’s office, Plastic Surgery Specialists in Greenbrae to the victim of the identity theft, Maija Lamberts. When Ms. Lamberts started asking questions about why she received the bouquet, the details of the theft came to light. When Bowman contacted the plastic surgeon to inquire about a lingering itch near her navel, local authorities were able to intercept her on a return visit to the surgeon’s office.

By now, most anyone researching abdominoplasty (commonly known as a tummy tuck), knows what its purpose is and how it can benefit a patient looking to tone their mid-section. A new use for the mini-tummy tuck, however, is growing in popularity.

New mothers are using the mini-tummy-tuck after childbrith to tighten up their lower abdomens (the abdominal region most affected by pregnancy) and return their figure to their pre-pregnancy days.

With a mini-abdominoplasty, the incision is made below the waistline, and only about the size of a cessarian incission, so it is well hidden. A mini-tummy tuck differs most from a traditional tummy tuck in that there is no navel incision and only the loose skin is tightened, not the muscle.

Most plastic surgeons say however, that the majority of people who would require having a tummy tuck following weight loss or even childbirth, typically require a tradtional (full) tummy tuck. Many patients also require some amount of liposuction, accompanied with just about any tummy tuck procedure.

In the cases where new mothers do not require a full tummy tuck, the mini-abdominoplasty is a viable and beneficial option. The best way for you to know for sure is to consult a plastic surgeon, preferably certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and one who specializes in abdominal procedures.

When is a tummy tuck not the most effective means of toning and sculpting one’s midsection? Often, following some pregnancies or massive weight loss surgery such as Gastric Bypass, a traditional tummy tuck might not be the most effective or even the safest way to minimize excess skin and fat deposits in the lower abdomen.

This question is what led body contouring surgeons to develop a new type of body shaping surgery known as a Panniculectomy.

A Panniculectomy is very similar to a traditional abdominoplasty, but differs slightly in that muscle tissue is not tightened or removed, due to strain on the patient’s body. Instead, only excess and localized fat deposits are removed from the body. The Panniculectomy targets the excess skin and fat of the lower abdomen, between the navel and pubic bone: the area w/the largest accumulation of excess skin and leftover fat after massive weight loss surgery or pregnancy.

Commonly, after massive weight loss surgery, a fair amount of other health conditions will continue to affect a patient’s health, including back problems, ulcers and skin disorders, such as rashes and skin tissue depletion. These health concerns are what principally contributed to the development of this procedure.

Before having this procedure done, prospective patients (after having other fat-removal procedures) must stabilize their weight for one year, including sticking to a strict diet and exercise regiment. Only a trusted and highly qualified (board certified) plastic surgeon, who specializes in abdominal sculpting procedures should perform the Panniculectomy, given the unique patient circumstances that would necessitate such a procedure.

Its no secret that plastic surgery is expensive. Plastic surgery cost is one of the leading factors amongst prospective patients in determining if someone follows through with having a procedure performed.

Only a prospective patient can decide whats best for themselves and whether or not the cost justifies the procedure. In many cases, body contouring surgery procedures differs from other aesthetic surgical procedures, because a patient’s health plays a major role in determining if the procedure is necessary to maintain an acceptable level of health.

According to The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), which lists the national 2007 average cost of Abdominoplasty at $5,232, that while the tummy tuck procedure is typically not covered by most medical insurance plans, “In some instances, however, a patient may have a hernia and not just a spreading of the abdominal muscles. Insurance reimbursement may be available for that portion of the [tummy tuck] procedure that is not cosmetic.”

With that in mind, we here, at Tummy Tuck Info encourage all prospective patients to examine their own situation with a critical eye and weigh all the factors in deciding on any body contouring procedure.

While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to look good and feel good, know that having the procedure done for purely aesthetic purposes can be expensive. Shop around by scheduling consultations with as many tummy tuck specialists as possible. Weigh the pros and cons of having the procedure done, but never sacrifice personal safety, just to save a few bucks.

For pretty much as long as Plastic Surgery has been around, there have been procedures to help slim and tone the abdominal region of the body.

Tummy Tuck, being one of the oldest body contouring procedures, in recent history has frequently been supplanted by other, more modern procedures, such as liposuction, the mini (or partial) tummy tuck, and lower body lift. Nowadays, a lot of people don’t get Tummy Tucks, unless they’re dealing w/excessive, loose-hanging skin and weakened abdominal muscles. Until now…

Plastic surgeons have found that “Abdominoplasty” (the medical terminology for a tummy tuck) can be used for Stretch Mark Scar removal!

While this isn’t necessarily the safest and most cost effective means of stretch mark scar removal, it is an option and a permanent one at that! Additionally, this presents a new alternative to people who have tried the scar-minimizing creams and ointments to less-than-ideal results or only to discover an allergic reaction, or those who find the multiple Dermabrassion and chemical peel treatments to be too much of a hassle.

As always, no two patients are completely alike and for a lot of patients, surgery isn’t an option.

However, if Stretch Mark scar removal is something you need to look and feel your best, find a qualified (preferably board certified) plastic surgeon and start discussing your tummy tuck options today.

Here’s an informative video, explaining what a tummy tuck is and how it is performed. All too frequently, prospective plastic surgery patients, seeking some kind of body contouring surgery, are not always sure of what procedure(s) they should have performed.

In this video, Plano Texas plastic surgeon, Ronald Friedman, M.D., explains what prospective patients need to know about the tummy tuck procedure. (Unlike most medically-related videos, this one is completely safe to watch at work and easy on the stomach.)

While there are countless resources on the web for finding information, regarding tummy tuck surgery (and we here at Tummy Tuck Info, certainly encourage you to do your homework), there are some questions that just can’t be answered until you’re meeting with your doctor and discussing the circumstances of your individual situation. There are many FAQs out there relating to many surgical procedures, but no two patients or doctors are alike.

With that in mind, here are some questions you can ask your doctor, upon meeting for consultations about your tummy tuck procedure. As the old saying goes, the only stupid question is one that never gets asked…

Tummy Tuck questions, courtesy of PlasticSurgery.com.

1. I would like to reduce my bulging tummy. How do I know if I qualify for a full tummy tuck or a mini tummy tuck surgery?
2. How many abdominoplasty procedures have you performed?
3. Are you board certified? If so, by which board?
4. Many doctors recommend that a female patient delay surgery if she is going to become pregnant. Why is this?
5. Where will my surgery be performed?
6. What type of anesthesia is typically recommended for tummy tuck procedures?
7. Is this considered an outpatient or inpatient procedure?
8. Do you recommend performing liposuction along with the tummy tuck procedure?
9. How long should I expect to be off my feet before returning to work or resuming my workout activities?
10. Will my scar be noticeable?
11. How long must I wear a compression garment?
12. May I see the before and after photos of your previous patients who have had a tummy tuck procedure similar to mine?
13. What would happen if I gained or lost a large amount of weight after the procedure?

Los Angeles and Beverly Hills Area Tummy Tuck Procedures

After a woman has had a baby or gains tremendous weight, her stomach muscles often become stretched. That allows her tummy to sag into a pot belly. Most of the time, the tummy hangs over the beltline. But even the hardest exercises cannot return the stomach back to its normal shape. That’s when women in the Los Angeles and Bevelry Hills area go see a plastic surgeon about a tummy tuck, the surgical procedure to reduce a fatty stomach.

Los Angeles plastic surgeon Dr. Ivan Thomas offers a tummy tuck procedure known as the Beverly Hills Tummy Tuck. That procedure removes the woman’s pot belly and creates a flat stomach that is trimmer and more athletic than a standard tummy tuck. Dr. Thomas produces his special tummy tuck by taking longer and cross-stitching the stomach muscles back together. Additionally, he puts more stitches across the beltline and that pulls in the patient’s sides tighter. The operation also shrinks the patient’s waist in the front-to-back aspect and in the side-to-side dimension.

“Having a Beverly Hills Tummy Tuck is like wearing a tight girdle under your skin and squeezing the tummy in all directions,” says Dr. Thomas.

When looking for plastic surgery in Southern California, most people think of posh surgical suites in Beverly Hills or the world famous and prestigious medical facilities of schools like USC. The reality of the situation is that, while most of us would like to make a change in our appearance, usually in the form of a procedure like a tummy tuck, having your procedure done by a well-known “surgeon to the stars” just isn’t an option.

So what does one do? Give up? Visit some far off land, so your travel expenses eclipse the cost of your plastic surgery procedure? An easier solution could be to simply visit a plastic surgeon near but not in a major metropolitan area. For prospective patients in Southern California, simply making the trip down to a city like San Diego could be just the solution!

With all of the resources we have at our disposal nowadays, finding a plastic surgeon is as easy as turning on your computer. So why not look for someone like a San Diego Tummy Tuck specialist to have perform your plastic surgery procedure? You might be surprised by what options you have at your disposal!