The abdominoplasty is a common procedure. Typically patients who are good candidates for abdominoplasty have excess skin in the lower abdomen and laxity of the lower abdominal muscles. In an abdominoplasty the lower abdominal skin is excised and the rectus abdominus muscles are tightened in the midline. When the rectus muscles are tightened in the midline the waist becomes narrower. It is common for patients to experience early satiety after an abdominoplasty which is the sensation of getting full more quickly. Patients tend to lose weight after an abdominoplasty which can be a positive change. When we perform abdominoplasty operations, the umbilicus or belly button remains attached to the abdominal wall and then is delivered via a new hole in the skin. We try to take out time to create the belly button opening so that there is limited scarring and a natural appearance to the belly button.
The photograph demonstrates before and after abdominoplasty for abdominal contouring.
