Sometimes liposuction alone is not enough to improve the appearance of the abdomen. The tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, procedure is an option that many women (and a few men) choose when they wish to improve abdominal muscle tone and have excess skin and fat removed from that area.

In women, after childbirth, or after a weight gain/loss, the abdominal muscles may be malpositioned and the abdominal skin can be loose and sagging. No amount of exercise or dieting will change this appearance.

Liposuction can remove the fat, but does not address the importance of muscle repositioning or of excess skin removal.

By removing excess fat and excess skin and repositioning the abdominal muscles, an abdominoplasty can flatten the abdomen, reduce the waistline, and improve the overall shape of the abdominal area.

The Tummy Tuck is the cornerstone of any Mommy Makeover plastic surgery - other mommy makeover procedures may include a thigh lift, breast implants and breast lift, and laser liposuction of problem areas (ie., saddlebags). It depends upon each woman's body and goals.

The tummy tuck before and after images below are of a woman who desired a flatter, tighter stomach and the removal of loose skin.



The patient had had 2 children, and with exercise and diet, was very near her ideal weight. The after images show the how the newly tightened abdominal muscles change the shape in frontal and profile views. The 'pooch" is removed and the patient is happy with her results.



Here are before and after images of a second tummy tuck patient, showing improved shape, removal of excess skin and fat and a flatter profile due to abdominal muscle repositioning that is part of the tummy tuck procedure. This patient chose also to have breast surgery as part of her mommy makeover.

This patient had several children, and despite diet and exercise still looked pregnant. She was very frustrated. By having liposuction and an abdominoplasty, she had the excess fat permanently removed, the tummy muscles tightened, the waistline sculpted, and the extra skin removed. She had a flatter and tighter tummy, better shape and better proportion.

After pregnancy, this patient developed stretch marks and very crepey skin. She also developed love handles around the back of her waist. She underwent laser liposuction of her abdomen and the back of her waist as well as an abdominoplasty. She was able to get a more shapely waistline, and while all of her stretch marks could not be removed, they were greatly reduced. Her tummy is significantly flatter, giving her a better shape and better proportion.