SurgiCare Arts and Aesthetics offers a wide range of aesthetic surgeries, including tummy tucks, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Our skilled cosmetic surgeons, board-certified Dr. Nilton D. Medina and triple board-certified Dr. Angelina Postoev, combine artistic talent with surgical expertise to address cosmetic concerns and remove excess skin from the abdominal area, undoing the effects of significant weight loss or pregnancy. With thousands of surgeries to their credit, you can trust your safety and the results of your tummy tuck in Atlanta to the skilled surgeons at SurgiCare Arts & Aesthetics.
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What Is A Tummy Tuck?
The abdominal area consists of a series of muscles that provide core support for the body. These muscles are covered with a layer of fat giving this area a smooth appearance. Firm, toned abdominal muscles and a flat belly are aesthetically pleasing and many strive to reach this goal through a healthy diet and exercise routine.
Aging, pregnancy, and weight fluctuations can leave behind damaged muscles and extra fat that hides the natural anatomy of the area. Tummy tuck surgery or abdominoplasty is recommended for patients who have tried to tone the tummy area but have handing skin, stubborn fat, or muscle separation that cannot be addressed with diet and exercise.
Procedure Steps
General anesthesia is used, so the patient is comfortably asleep during the procedure.
Dr. Angelia carefully creates the incisions needed for the type of tummy tuck you are having, placing them in the most discrete locations as possible.
The skin fold is lifted up, allowing access to the abdominal muscles, and Dr. Angelina will use liposuction to remove excess fat to create smoother, sleeker-looking results.
Next, she will perform any necessary muscle repairs. During pregnancy or significant weight fluctuations, the core muscles in your abdomen can be damaged, torn, or separated, causing a visible bulge. These can be sutured together to tighten and lift them up, which will improve your posture, alleviate back pain for some, and give your abdomen a smoother, flatter appearance.
In the next procedure step, she will remove any loose excess skin and pull the remaining skin tight, securing it with sutures to create a smoother, more toned-looking stomach. Sometimes, she is able to eliminate stretch marks under the navel during this step. In some cases, Dr. Angelina may reposition your belly button so it looks more natural.
After the incisions are carefully closed with sutures, surgical tape may be used to help stabilize the incision and ensure it does not separate during the initial healing period.
At the conclusion of the surgery, you will be dressed in a special compression garment that you will need to wear for several weeks to help keep the swelling and bruising to a minimum.
Benefits
Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck surgery offers both cosmetic benefits and medical benefits and is often the only option for correcting muscle damage and eliminating excess fat and loose skin in the midsection. The benefits of abdominoplasty include:
Improved Appearance
A tummy tuck dramatically changes the appearance of the abdominal area, boosts self-confidence, and creates a more aesthetically pleasing physique that helps clothing fit better.
Improved Posture & Decreased Back Pain
Abdominal muscles can become damaged due to pregnancy and their weakened state no longer provides adequate support to the spine which can result in back pain. During a tummy tuck, the surgeon repairs and tightens these muscles which not only alleviates back pain but improves posture.
Hernia Repair
Significant weight loss and pregnancy can cause abdominal muscles to separate and allow abdominal tissue or a section of the intestine to break through and form a ventral hernia (small sack-like bulge). Repairing the abdominal muscles during a tummy tuck will also correct the hernia.
Reduction of Stress Urinary Incontinence
SUI or stress urinary incontinence is caused by having too much pressure on your bladder and urethra and is a common aftereffect of pregnancy. It can cause someone to leak suddenly when they sneeze, laugh, cough, exercise, etc. Abdominoplasty has been known to help alleviate SUI in both women and men.
Recovery
To help make your recovery as smooth as possible, it is important that you stick to the postoperative instructions provided to you by Dr. Angelina.
You will most likely wake up in the recovery room with a surgical dressing covering your naval and incision lines. Depending on the type of tummy tuck you had, you may also have some surgical drains and instructions on how to care for them.
Before you are discharged to go home, you will be encouraged to take short, careful, intermittent walks around the room to avoid the complication of blood clots.
Dr. Angelina will provide you with a prescription for pain medication to help manage your discomfort for the first several days. Also, she may prescribe some antibiotics if you have surgical drains to mitigate the risk of infection.
Dr. Angelina will instruct you to wear a special compression garment for about six weeks on your abdomen to help support the incision and prevent excess fluid buildup. She will also provide recommendations on ways to position your body so you do not exert pressure on your incisions.
Be sure to attend all your follow-up appointments so Dr. Angelina can monitor your progress and quickly resolve any issues that arise.
Results
The results of your tummy tuck are influenced by the type of tummy tuck that was performed, the amount of correction needed, the skill and expertise of the surgeon, and how well you take care of yourself during recovery.
Most often, a tummy tuck will result in a significant improvement in the appearance of the abdomen, a smaller waist, and a slimmer, smoother-looking torso. Additionally, after their abdominal muscles are repaired during their tummy tuck, some individuals find improvements in their posture, core strength, and fewer instances of urinary incontinence.
Before And After Tummy Tuck
What Tummy Tuck Surgery Can Not Do
A tummy tuck is done to tighten loose skin and remove the stubborn excess fat that diet and exercise were unable to eliminate. Abdominoplasty surgery is not a weight-loss procedure and often the patient is required to be within 30% of their ideal weight before the surgeon will perform abdominoplasty.
While a tummy tuck is often successful in hiding scars left from a C-section it cannot correct stretch marks. These may be improved if they are located on the excess skin that is to be removed.
Abdominoplasty can not guarantee a flat belly and tight abdominal muscles forever. The results can be permanent as long as the patient is diligent in avoiding significant fluctuations in their weight. Women who think they may wish to become pregnant in the future should wait to undergo a tummy tuck.
How Much Does A Tummy Tuck Cost In Atlanta?
A tummy tuck is a major surgical procedure that removes saggy, loose skin and repairs muscles in the abdominal area. Additionally, It is often combined with liposuction to create smoother, more natural-looking body contours.
The price of the procedure will depend on the type of abdominoplasty performed, the extent of the correction needed, the volume of liposuction required, and any extra procedures added. At SurgiCare Arts & Aesthetics, the cost of a tummy tuck in Atlanta will start at approximately $9,700, and a mini tummy tuck will start at $5,900.
SurgiCare Arts & Aesthetics in Loganville
Testimonials
I love Dr. Angelina! I’ve been seeing her for a year now and love her bedside manners. She is incredibly easy to talk to and honest. You never feel rushed by her or the office staff. They are all so friendly and always willing to help answer any questions.
– Nabeeha
My surgery for a tummy tuck / lipo / fat transfer to the hips was successful with zero complications. My healing experience was above average for a person that has a medical history like mine. My TT scars are next to perfect within 3 weeks of surgery. This could have not been possible without someone like Dr. Angelina who places the patients health above a $$$.
– Erick
6 weeks post-op abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) with lipoma removal. I am getting so excited day by day with my results.
– K. R.
Contact SurgiCare Arts & Aesthetics
Schedule a personal consultation and discover the treatments that best meet your needs.
Schedule A ConsultationFAQs
If you are considering undergoing a tummy tuck as part of a mommy makeover or as a stand-alone procedure, you may have some questions as to what to expect. We have compiled information regarding some of the most frequently asked questions about the procedure that we hope you will find helpful.
How long does a tummy tuck take?
Typically, a tummy tuck procedure should take between one and two hours if there are no extenuating circumstances. However, more involved abdominoplasty operations can take up to four hours, depending on the amount of extra skin and fat present and the complexity of the correction needed.
Do you experience pain during a tummy tuck procedure?
The surgery is performed while you are under general anesthesia, so you will not feel any pain at all during the procedure. You can expect to experience discomfort for a few weeks after the surgery, which can be controlled with the medications provided to you by the cosmetic surgeon. Most patients rate their pain during the first week at about a 6 out of 10, which gradually decreases during the second week to about a 3 out of 10. Of course, everyone is different, and thresholds for pain can significantly vary.
How long does it take to recover from a tummy tuck?
Every patient will have their own recovery timeline after undergoing a tummy tuck, but on average, it takes around six weeks for most patients to return to their regular level of activity.
You will not be able to drive for at least 2 weeks after the surgery, and you will have activity restrictions such as no lifting, pushing, or pulling, etc. The first few weeks are normally the most challenging, so you should enlist help from a friend or family member to assist you with small children, pets, transportation, and routine household tasks during this time.
Many patients can return to work after a few weeks and return to their normal exercise program, engage in sexual activity, and resume activities such as swimming after six weeks, but it may take up to six months to fully recover.
How long will the results last after a tummy tuck?
Tummy tuck results are considered permanent; however, fluctuations in the patient’s weight can alter the initial appearance.
Additionally, during a tummy tuck, fat cells are removed from different locations using liposuction. These fat cells will not grow back, but the remaining fat cells will respond to weight gain and loss as normal. Sometimes, removing fat cells from a location where you typically tend to gain weight can cause fat distribution in unexpected areas if you experience subsequent weight gain.
Is it possible to get a tummy tuck covered by insurance?
A tummy tuck is most often considered cosmetic surgery and therefore not an expense that is covered by medical insurance.
In some rare cases, a significant amount of excess skin left over from multiple pregnancies or extreme weight loss can pose medical issues such as chronic rashes or infections. A panniculectomy that eliminates this excess skin may be covered by insurance if proven medically necessary; however, the insurance would not cover the additional repairs that are performed during a tummy tuck.
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