Extended Tummy Tuck Technique: What to Expect
When patients come to the office of Dr. Gloria de Olarte in Pasadena, they can expect in-depth patient education and expert surgical technique as well. Dr. de Olarte believes in advanced surgeries which are performed with care, a particularly important concern for procedures such as tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), a surgery that removes stretchmarks and loose skin, to tighten the muscles and improving overall body contour.
A variation on the traditional tummy tuck is known as the Extended Tummy Tuck. Let's take a moment to go over the basics of the extended tummy tuck right now.
About Extended Tummy Tuck Surgery
The extended tummy tuck is a surgery performed on people that will like more of a body sculpting surgery. The extended tummy tuck will target the lower abdominal area and the sides of the abdomen, removing loose skin and tightening the remaining skin in order to achieve ideal body contour.
How an Extended Tummy Tuck Differs from a Traditional Tummy Tuck
The primary difference between the Extended Tummy Tuck, performed by Dr. de Olarte and the traditional tummy tuck is that Dr. de Olarte tightens the center muscles, in addition, Dr. de Olarte also tightens the waist line muscles. This re-creates the waist line that most women lose during pregnancy. Dr. de Olarte removes the extra fat from the lower sides of the abdomen and hip area to make curvier figure.
Ideal Candidates for Extended Tummy Tuck Surgery
The ideal candidate is someone who wants to regain their pre-pregnancy figure or wants a more flattering curvy figure. This surgery is also good for people who have experienced major weight loss after being morbidly obese, either as a result of bariatric surgery or through other means. They should be in good health overall in order to tolerate a major surgery.
The Surgical Procedure and Technique
An extended tummy tuck is performed with a patient under general anesthetic in order to be able to tighten the abdominal and waist muscles.
The length of the incisions made for an extended tummy tuck surgery depends on how long is the lower abdominal roll, when a patient is sitting. The longer the abdominal roll is, the longer the patient’s incision will be.:
• An incision that spans from the left hipbone to the right hipbone. The incision is low on the abdomen, it will aligned with the bikini bottom that the patients choose to wear on the day of surgery, so that Dr. de Olarte can mark where they would prefer the scar to be. Usually the scar is in the pubis, below the c-section scar and follows the lines of the bikini bottom.
• One very smaller circular incision around the belly button
Through these incisions, Dr. de Olarte will adjust the underlying structures of the abdominal area, removing excess skin, and also removing any excess fat. Once this is completed, the remaining skin is pulled tighter in order to improve overall appearance and contour of the lower abdominal area.
Recovery from Extended Tummy Tuck Surgery
Full post-operative instructions will be provided during the consultation process. Patients can expect soreness, discomfort, and swelling in the first few days after surgery. Patients should be able to return to work (depending on their occupational duties) after two to three weeks.
The scars of an Extended Tummy Tuck surgery will occur are concealed by many undergarments and bathing suits. Keep in mind that the scars will generally fade with time.
Schedule a Consultation with a Plastic Surgeon
To learn more about your different options for advanced body contouring, be sure to contact Dr. de Olarte’s cosmetic plastic surgery center today. Dr. Gloria de Olarte and the entire team here look forward to discussing your options for body contouring and sculpting.