Abdominoplasty: Surgery for a Smoother Stomach
Over time, many people find that weight fluctuations and the effects of age cause the abdominal skin and muscles to stretch, creating a protruding abdomen that is difficult or impossible to correct with diet and exercise. Fortunately, Dr. Martin O'Toole offers a range of attractive options to patients who want tighter, smoother stomachs. Available to patients at our practice serving Pasadena and Beverly Hills, abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck surgery, can be customized to satisfy the unique needs of different people.
Candidates for Abdominoplasty
The best candidates for abdominoplasty are healthy men and women close to their ideal body weights who are bothered by stubborn fat deposits or loose skin on the abdomen. Abdominoplasty is particularly popular among women after pregnancy, because childbearing tends to stretch the abdominal skin and muscles permanently. It is a good idea, however, for mothers to wait until they are finished having children before undergoing abdominoplasty, as another pregnancy could undo the benefits of surgery.
Patients who are planning to lose significant weight should also wait before undergoing abdominoplasty, as the procedure is most effective after weight loss. Those who have already lost large amounts of weight may be better candidates for extended abdominoplasty, which is a more thorough treatment. Abdominoplasty is also popular as a companion to other body-lifting procedures performed during post-bariatric plastic surgery.
The Abdominoplasty Procedure and Recovery
Patients who visit our practice for abdominoplasty from Pasadena, Beverly Hills, or elsewhere in the Los Angeles area enjoy access to state-of-the-art facilities and the latest techniques available. The entire process is designed with your comfort and convenience in mind. Because surgery includes tightening of the abdominal muscles, most patients prefer general anesthesia.
Once the anesthesia has taken effect, Dr. O'Toole makes incisions in locations that will be best concealed by the patient's clothes after abdominoplasty while allowing the most effective treatment possible. These incisions give Dr. O'Toole access to the abdominal muscles, which he tightens with sutures as necessary. Next, he separates the navel from the abdominal skin, trims away excess skin folds, and stretches the remaining skin down across the abdomen. Liposuction may also be appropriate to help remove excess fat. After creating a new hole for the navel, Dr. O'Toole stitches the abdominal skin back into place along the incision sites, leaving room for a surgical drain that will speed the healing process and reduce the likelihood of complications by draining excess fluids from the body. Dr. O'Toole will also place a pain pump to help lessen your pain for 3-5 days after your surgery.
Recovering from abdominoplasty takes several weeks. Most patients are able to go home the first night after surgery. Swelling and discomfort are common in the first days after surgery, but they can be controlled with medication. It is a good idea to rest in bed for a few days. As soon as possible, though, abdominoplasty patients should begin gentle exercise, such as light walking, to help speed the healing process and avoid complications such as blood clots, which may form in the legs.
Within about two weeks, most abdominoplasty patients are ready to return to work and other normal daily activities. Dr. O'Toole generally recommends that his patients wear a special compression garment even after returning to work in order to promote healing and control swelling. It is important to avoid strenuous exercise and heavy lifting for at least six weeks after surgery, at which point healing should be complete.
>>Read the Pasadena Cosmetic Surgery abdominoplasty newsletter
>>Watch a 3D animation of abdominoplasty
About Mini-Abdominoplasty
Mini-abdominoplasty is intended for patients whose needs are more limited but who would still benefit from undergoing surgery to remove excess fat and skin from the abdomen. In this less-invasive variation on conventional abdominoplasty, Dr. O'Toole does not relocate the navel. The incisions required are shorter because treatment is limited to the area below the navel. Mini-abdominoplasty typically takes about 90 minutes to perform, is frequently combined with liposuction, and patients usually return to work within a few days. Full recovery takes about a month.
>>Read the Pasadena Cosmetic Surgery mini-abdominoplasty newsletter
>>Watch a 3D animation of a mini-tummy tuck
Contact Dr. Martin O'Toole, Serving Pasadena and Beverly Hills
Patients from Beverly Hills, Pasadena, and elsewhere who choose to undergo abdominoplasty at our practice, though it takes time to recover and heal, are almost always thrilled with the results they achieve. To learn more about this popular procedure, please contact the practice of Dr. Martin O'Toole today.
Contact Dr. O'Toole, serving patients in Beverly Hills and Pasadena, to learn more about abdominoplasty and find out whether you are a candidate.
Pasadena Cosmetic Surgery
10 Congress Street, Suite 502
Pasadena, California 91105
Tel: 626-377-9420
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