Tummy Tuck near Fort Lauderdale, FL
Both men and women value having a toned, tight, sexy midsection. Genetics, pregnancy, extra weight and other factors can make it more difficult to achieve the flat, contoured tummy that is so desirable in the beach-loving lifestyle of Fort Lauderdale and Broward County. Dr. David J. Levens offers tummy tuck surgery to give you a defined, attractive abdomen.
What is a Tummy Tuck?
A flatter, tighter, more youthful abdomen, elimination or reduction of “stretch marks” and excess tummy skin resulting from childbirth or rapid weight loss, firming up of a sagging abdominal profile which resulted from longtime poor posture and/or age-related factors: These are some of the leading reasons patients cite for desiring a tummy tuck procedure in Florida.
Abdominoplasty achieves these goals by tightening the underlying muscle framework, and removing excess fat and loose skin – things that diet and exercise simply cannot do.
Pregnancy causes enlargement of the uterus with significant stretching of the tissues of the abdomen. After delivery, exercise can help recover the tone in the muscles themselves, but the fascial tissues (which interconnect the muscles) do not respond to exercise. Stretching or looseness of the lower abdominal tissues creates bulging, which no amount of abdominal crunches can correct.
Similarly, as fat is lost beneath the skin of the abdomen, especially after significant weight loss, the tissues may become much looser and may hang downward. No type of exercise will tone or tighten loose, hanging skin. However, it can be removed during abdominoplasty.
Even in individuals who are not overweight, localized deposits of fat can occur in areas of the abdomen, producing an undesirable bulge. If fat deposits are the only problem, liposuction alone may correct the problem. But, if stretched musculature or loose skin is present, abdominoplasty is necessary to achieve the best result.
Abdominoplasty reshapes the underlying framework of the abdomen to firm the abdominal wall, removes any excess fat deposits, removes some (and occasionally all) “stretch marks”, and eliminates excess loose skin to produce a flatter, more youthful abdomen. During your complimentary consultation, Dr. Levens will explain which components of an abdominoplasty will be necessary to achieve the best results for you and will describe the kinds of changes you can expect.
How Much Does a Tummy Tuck Cost?
The cost of Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) starts at $8,800.00. However, prices may vary due to specials and/or the facility used. An individual treatment plan will be developed during your consultation with Dr. Levens. After the appointment, we provide you with a total cost and explain our payment options, including cash, personal check, Visa®, MasterCard® and American Express®. If you are interested in financing your abdominoplasty, our patient coordinators will explain how to apply for CareCredit®, Alphaeon Credit, or Prosper® Healthcare Lending.
Benefits of a Tummy Tuck
Most of our patients pursue abdominoplasty to remove bulges of fat above and below their belly buttons, but the surgery also may help restore the underlying muscles. The surgery does result in a significant scar along the pelvic area, but men and women agree that the results are well worth the scar, which is easily hidden with your underwear and swimsuit.
You may not need a full tummy tuck to have a toned midsection. Read more about a mini tummy tuck at our Coral Springs practice.
Good Candidates for Abdominoplasty
Healthy men or women who are not excessively overweight but have significantly protruding abdomens are good candidates for this procedure. Women with “stretch marks” and/or sagging skin and muscles due to childbirth are good candidates, as are men or women who have excess skin, bulging, and/or stretched muscle tissue as a result of rapid weight loss, poor posture or the aging
Tummy Tuck Before and After Photos in Fort Lauderdale, FL
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What Happens During Tummy Tuck Surgery?
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. Levens 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).
All of your incisions will be carefully closed with sutures placed beneath the skin. Generally, you’ll be able to shower or bathe three to five days after surgery. We will ask you to wear an elastic garment (which we provide) for two weeks or more after surgery to minimize fluid collection and swelling, and to improve your comfort in the treated areas. Typically, small plastic drainage tubes are used to prevent accumulation of fluid under the skin. Dr. Levens will remove them easily at about one week in the after your surgery.
Special Considerations for a Tummy Tuck
- Body Weight: If you are significantly overweight, you’ll get a much better correction if you achieve an 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.
- Belly Button: In most cases, it is necessary to reposition or reshape your umbilicus (belly button).
- The extent of the procedure: How much your abdomen can be reshaped depends on several factors, including the condition of your tissues prior to surgery.
- Scarring: any incision will produce a scar. The nature of these scars will depend on several factors, including the extent of your specific procedure and your skin’s own healing characteristics. However, scars fade and can be covered, while a bulging abdomen is difficult to camouflage.
- Your body type: Abdominoplasty cannot change the underlying skeleton and is limited by how much the muscles can be tailored.
- Risks: Risks associated with abdominoplasty are generally very small, but risks common to all surgical procedures such as bleeding, infection and scar tissue formation occur in a very small percentage of cases. We will give you more detailed information about these and other rare risks in our written information, and encourage you to discuss any that concern you during your consultation.
Your Recovery after Tummy Tuck Surgery
Most patients have moderate discomfort the first 48 to 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. Dr. Levens 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 several weeks as swelling fades and the tissues become accustomed to their new position.
Abdominoplasty is usually an outpatient procedure. It is important that you be up and moving early after surgery to help prevent blood clot formation, a rare but potentially serious complication of abdominoplasty. The typical schedule of recovery is:
- Bruising and swelling for 7 to 21 days.
- Return to work and social activity within 10 to 14 days.
- Partake in strenuous activities within 6 to 8 weeks.
Dr. Levens will encourage you to return to normal activity as soon as you can, but to follow the limitations he will prescribe to enhance results and prevent damaging the reshaped areas.
Dr. Levens works with Contour MD to offer garments for patients to wear after plastic surgery in Coral Springs.
Learn More about Abdominoplasty
Dr. Levens will review every aspect of abdominoplasty with you during your complimentary consultation. Patient Coordinators Diana and Chris will discuss fees, financing plans, and scheduling, and answer any additional questions. There is absolutely no obligation to schedule a procedure. To arrange your consultation, please contact us today.
