Tummy Tuck for Men

Plastic Surgery Associates can perform a tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, to eliminate excess fat and skin from your abdomen and tighten your abdominal wall muscles. Many men choose this procedure to eliminate hanging abdominal skin caused from massive weight loss, loose abdominal muscles, and/or neglected hernias. It works best if you are in relatively good shape but have an accumulation of fat in your abdomen or loose abdominal skin that is unaffected by diet and exercise.

What does a tummy tuck involve?
There are two types of tummy tucks:

• Complete abdominoplasty. This usually takes two to five hours. The doctor makes an incision just above your pubic area from one hipbone to the other. Your abdominal muscles are pulled close and stitched together to tighten them and slim your waist, and your excess skin is removed.
• Partial abdominoplasty. Also known as a mini-tummy-tuck, this is a less complicated procedure that is commonly used if your fat deposits are in your lower abdomen only. It usually takes an hour or two, with the doctor making a much smaller incision and the procedure limited to a lesser area.

Most partial and complete abdominoplasties are performed on an outpatient basis. But if you need more extensive surgery, the doctors at Plastic Surgery Associates will perform the procedure at one of the local hospitals where they have privileges.

Other options
Tummy tucks can also be done in conjunction with liposuction, which removes unwanted fat deposits from all over the body but does not tighten loose skin. Check with your doctor to see which is the best option for you.

What should I expect after my tummy tuck?
Your abdomen may be swollen for a few days after surgery, and you may have slight pain or discomfort, which can be treated with medication. Surface stitches will be removed within a week and deeper sutures in two to three weeks.

You should be able to return to work two to four weeks after your surgery, but it may take a few months before you are completely back to normal. Your scars will never disappear completely, but they will diminish and lighten in color.

Abdominoplasty results are long-lasting for most people who have a balanced diet and exercise regularly.