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Liposuction (Suction-Assisted
Lipectomy)
Liposuction is one of the most common cosmetic surgeries
performed. This procedure can be done virtually on any part
of the body. During a liposuction procedure, fat is removed
through a small flexible tube called a cannula. The most
common areas for liposuction are the abdomen, thighs, knees,
calves, ankles, hips, neck and face. Liposuction is very
safe when performed in the right environment.
Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)
When patients have loose muscle and skin following weight
loss, giving birth to a child or following abdominal
surgery, liposuction alone may not address these problems.
The loose skin and muscle must be modified and there are
several options available for this depending on the severity
of the problem.
A traditional tummy tuck is typically performed on patients
whose entire abdomen is loose with excess skin and muscle.
Surgery is performed by making an incision hip to hip. The
muscle is tightened, fat is liposuctioned and the excess
skin is removed. The belly button is also reshaped. This
procedure will yield the best aesthetic result.
A mini-tummy tuck can be performed on patients with loose
muscle and excess skin confined to below the belly button. A
mini-tummy tuck combines liposuction and tightening of the
muscle along with the removal of a small amount of skin. The
scar is much shorter than the traditional full tummy tuck.
The recovery time is much shorter with this procedure.
Mummy Tummy (Diastasis Recti)
During pregnancy, the growing uterus causes a natural
separation of the outermost abdominal muscles but this
separation does not always disappear after giving birth.
This condition, known as “mummy tummy,” is medically
referred to as diastasis recti.
Patients with mild to severe diastasis come to our practice
frequently. In severe cases the muscles are so weak that the
intestines are bulging through the belly like a hernia.
Surgery can be done to close this abdominal gap, but if
patients strengthen those muscles through exercise their
stomachs will be even smaller. For patients with mild to
moderate diastatis, exercise will help and surgery is not
needed. For severe cases, no amount of exercise will help to
close the gap and surgery is required.
Surgery for the diastatis is different from a tummy tuck. In
a diastasis operation, the two muscles are brought together
without stitching the muscles themselves. Instead, the
fascia (a cellophane-like covering that houses the muscles)
is stitched. Many insurance companies will cover diastasis
surgery because it is not considered a cosmetic procedure.
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