Abdominoplasty Tummy Tuck Surgery

Serving San Francisco, San Jose, & Walnut Creek, California

A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is almost as popular as liposuction in the U.S., and in fact the two procedures are often performed together. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) placed it #5 in the top five cosmetic surgery procedures for 2006 (146,000 procedures).

For various reasons, the abdomen tends to enlarge as we age. This is particularly true of women, especially women who have borne children or been very overweight at some point. That extra bulk in the abdominal area stretches the skin and the muscle, and they may not tighten up again on their own.

A tummy tuck removes excess skin and fat and tightens the muscle, giving you a flatter abdomen. Dr. Weil will discuss the procedure with you beforehand and together you can determine whether liposuction would be a good idea as well.

To determine your candidacy for a tummy tuck, Dr. Weil will evaluate your general health and any health conditions that might affect your safe recovery. He will take some Before photos, to be paired with your After photos when it is all finished. An educated patient is always preferred by most cosmetic surgeons, and Dr. Weil will make sure you understand all your other options, as well as the risks and side effects of a tummy tuck. Please visit our frequently asked tummy tuck surgery questions page for more information.

He will give you printed instructions ahead of time, on how to care for yourself during your recovery period. He’ll also give you a pain medication prescription that you can fill ahead of time.

The procedure

Dr. Weil will discuss anesthesia with you beforehand. It could be general anesthesia or local. If it’s local, you would also have intravenous sedation.

The incision runs between the hip bones, below the bikini line, so the resulting scar will be invisible. In some cases a second incision is made around the navel, to move it upwards. Excess skin and fat are removed and Dr. Weil will suture the vertical abdominal muscle fibers together down the center of the abdomen. This makes a stronger abdominal wall to outline your new shape.

Incisions are closed with clips, sutures or special tape and the site is wrapped in bandages or dressings. You may also have a compression garment to wear temporarily. A thin draining tube is usually placed beneath the skin, to remove excess fluid, and your self-care instructions will explain how to care for it.

Recovery

You will have a series of follow-up appointments for Dr. Weil to monitor your progress, remove stitches and drains, check dressings etc. Be sure and keep those appointments, as they are crucial to a safe and speedy recovery. He will let you know when you can return to work. Each tummy tuck case is different, as different amounts of tissue are removed in each individual case. So recovery instructions may vary, and recovery time too. Please call Dr. Weil immediately if you notice anything unusual or unexpected, such as sudden pain or increased bleeding.

Your results will be dramatic and will give you an entirely new shape, more youthful-looking. A healthy diet and regular exercise will help you keep your new profile.

Please call or email our cosmetic surgeon if you would like to know more about tummy tucks or other body sculpting procedures we offer. We can schedule a complimentary abdominoplasty consultation for you to ask your abdominoplasty tummy tuck questions, meet the cosmetic surgery staff and Dr. Weil, and look around our pleasant facilities. We serve San Francisco, and the East and South Bay areas.

For questions about Financing options please see our cosmetic surgery finance page.

Randall B. Weil M.D., F.A.C.S

San Francisco Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

909 Hyde St., Ste. 602, San Francisco, CA 94109 | 415-781-2081