Tummy Tuck Gallery Plastic Surgery in Austin | Patient 15

Patient Details

This is a 34 year old, 135 pound mother of three interested in abdominal improvements. She is seen here after a full tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) with fascial plication and scars around her belly button and hip to hip along the lower part of her abdomen. You can clearly see a flattening of the abdominal contour and a more muscular appearance to her abdomen. She had a small wound at the lower scar in the midline that healed by itself after surgery. It occurred because of a C section scar that she had in the mid to upper part of her pubic hair. She is seen here about one year after her abdominoplasty.

Lessons to take home:

1. In the right patient, an abdominoplasty is a very powerful procedure to flatten the abdomen and tighten the skin. This comes at the expense of the associated scars. Scars are only a big deal if you are not someone who needs a tummy tuck. For those who do, it’s a small price to pay for a huge difference.
2. Combining liposuction and an abdominoplasty is possible when the amount of liposuction is modest. It takes an experienced surgeon to know what “modest” is.
3. Abdominoplasty is associated with DVT or deep vein thrombosis (clots in the legs that can be deadly). If you have a history of clots in your legs, I would not suggest an abdominoplasty procedure.
4. Scars from previous procedures on the abdomen can affect the outcome from an abdominoplasty. These scars must be taken into consideration when planning for a safe procedure without undue risk.
5. If you are overweight, I would not recommend an abdominoplasty. It puts you at risk for complications and the outcome can often look “weird” as your abdomen is smaller (and looks like a barrel) and the rest of you is larger. The appearance is unnatural.
6. The scars take about two years to soften and look their best.
7. Make sure that you tell your surgeon about any abdominal hernias that you may have.
8. Long term compression garments worn over the lower scar for six or more months after your procedure helps the scar and flattens your lower abdomen.