Tummy Tuck
North Raleigh Plastic Surgery
Welcome to North Raleigh Plastic Surgery. Our team of highly trained and compassionate healthcare professionals delivers excellent surgical results in a state-of-the-art medical facility.
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Both Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Jones are associated with ABMS and ABPS; all other credentials are associated with Dr. Ortiz.
North Raleigh Plastic Surgery
9104 Falls of Neuse Road #200
Raleigh, NC 27615
Phone: 919.532.2270
Monday–Friday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
North Raleigh Plastic Surgery
3319 Heritage Trade Dr. Suite 201
Wake Forest, NC 27587
Phone: 919.532.2270
Monday–Friday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
One of the frustrating results of losing a significant amount of weight, either after pregnancy, through lifestyle changes, or undergoing bariatric surgery or weight loss injections, is having loose abdominal skin that hangs over your waist. A tummy tuck removes excess skin and fat, creating a flatter, contoured abdomen. Women and men considering a tummy tuck travel to our practice near Raleigh from Durham, Greensboro, Cary, and throughout North Carolina to have one of our board-certified plastic surgeons perform their surgery.
Tummy Tuck
Before & After Photos
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What Is a Tummy Tuck?
A tummy tuck, also called abdominoplasty, is a body contouring procedure that improves your abdomen’s appearance by removing excess skin and fat while tightening the underlying muscles. It results in a more toned abdominal contour and helps you feel more confident in your appearance.
Benefits of Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck surgery offers both cosmetic and medical benefits, including the following:
Improved Abdominal Contour
One of the primary benefits of a tummy tuck is the improvement in abdominal contour. Removing excess skin and fat creates a smoother and firmer abdomen.
Tightening of Abdominal Muscles
Pregnancy or significant weight fluctuations can stretch or separate abdominal muscles, a condition called diastasis recti. During a tummy tuck, your surgeon tightens and repositions these muscles to restore core strength and stability.
Clothes Fit Better
Even though a tummy tuck isn’t a weight loss procedure, you may see a reduction in your dress or pants size. Excess abdominal skin and fat can make it challenging to find well-fitting clothing and may cause discomfort or self-consciousness. By eliminating this excess tissue, a tummy tuck allows you to enjoy a more comfortable fit in clothing and feel more confident in your appearance.
Improved Posture and Core Strength
Strengthening and tightening the abdominal muscles can improve your posture and increase core strength.
Reduced Back Pain and Urinary Incontinence
Even though abdominoplasty is a cosmetic procedure, it also improves 2 of the most common physical complaints women experience after labor and delivery—back pain and stress urinary incontinence. Tightening abdominal muscles during tummy tuck surgery often alleviates these concerns.
Boosted Confidence and Self-Esteem
Perhaps most importantly, a tummy tuck can profoundly affect your confidence. By addressing physical concerns and achieving a more aesthetically pleasing abdominal appearance, patients often experience significant improvement in their body image and overall quality of life.
Your Tummy Tuck Consultation
During your initial consultation with Dr. Ortiz or Dr. Jones, we discuss your goals and assess the degree of weakness of your abdominal wall muscles, excess skin, and subcutaneous fat around the abdominal wall. Your surgeon will also discuss the type of tummy tuck that is ideal for you and what kind of results you can expect.
Your Tummy Tuck Options
Whether you have excess abdominal skin because of aging, pregnancy, weight loss, or prior surgeries, a tummy tuck can help you achieve a flat, toned abdomen.
During a tummy tuck, your surgeon makes a horizontal incision just above the pubic area. If you’re undergoing a traditional tummy tuck, they also make a second incision around the belly button. After the surgeon removes the excess skin and repairs the abdominal muscles (if necessary), they’ll create a new, natural-looking opening for the belly button.
Mini Tummy Tuck
A mini tummy tuck may be appropriate if you have minimal excess skin and your concerns are limited to the area below the belly button. This procedure involves a shorter incision than a traditional tummy tuck.
Traditional (Full) Tummy Tuck
A regular tummy tuck is ideal for patients with significant excess skin and diastasis recti. Your surgeon makes an incision from hip to hip, keeping it as low as possible so swimwear and underwear can conceal the scar. This procedure usually involves reshaping the belly button opening.
Fleur de Lis Tummy Tuck
A fleur de lis tummy tuck is for patients who need excessive loose skin removed. This procedure involves making both horizontal and vertical incisions.
Tummy Tuck vs Liposuction
Many patients have questions about the difference between tummy tuck surgery and liposuction. While a tummy tuck removes excess skin and repairs the underlying muscles, liposuction only removes excess fat. Our surgeons often combine tummy tuck surgery with liposuction.
How Long Is Recovery After a Tummy Tuck?
You should plan to take 2 weeks off work (more if your job requires physical labor). During those 2 weeks, you’ll need plenty of rest and stay bent at the waistline when you walk around your house. After 2 weeks, you should be able to stand up straight and return to a desk job. You’ll have a surgical drain for the first week to remove fluid that accumulates in the space between the skin and muscle. We also have patients wear Spandex®-type compression garments for 6 weeks to reduce swelling and enhance the results.
Combining a Tummy Tuck With Other Procedures
Abdominoplasty is often the centerpiece of a mommy makeover procedure, which combines a tummy tuck and liposuction with cosmetic breast surgery to address the toll pregnancy and breastfeeding take on a woman’s body. Other procedures our surgeons may perform at the same time as a tummy tuck include:
Your surgeon will discuss your options during your consultation.
How Much Does a Tummy Tuck Cost in the Raleigh, NC, Area?
The cost of a tummy tuck depends on several factors, including the extent of the procedure and whether you combine it with other procedures. After meeting with one of our surgeons, we’ll provide a price estimate that you can review before scheduling your surgery. We can also discuss financing options.
The cost of a tummy tuck includes the surgeon’s fee, all pre-op and post-op appointments, anesthesia, surgical materials, and any post-op compression garments. Prescription pain medication is not covered in the cost of surgery.
Tummy Tuck FAQ
When is the best time to get a tummy tuck?
Typically, the best time to get a tummy tuck is when you have reached a stable weight and are in good health. You should schedule your procedure when you can take time off for proper recovery, which usually takes several weeks.
How long does a tummy tuck surgery take?
You should plan to be at the surgery center for at least 3 ½ hours. The surgery itself takes more than 2 hours, and the remaining time includes administering anesthesia and preparing you to return home.
What kind of anesthesia will be used for tummy tuck surgery?
Our licensed anesthetist administers IV sedation for tummy tucks.
Will the scars be noticeable?
Mini tummy tucks leave a scar of approximately 6 to 8 inches. The scar will be low on the abdomen and can be easily covered. A fleur de lis tummy tuck leaves the same scar as a mini tummy tuck with the addition of a vertical scar up the abdomen. A traditional tummy tuck involves a longer incision. In all cases, our surgeons make the incisions low enough to be concealed by bikini briefs.
Are there complications or risks associated with tummy tuck surgery?
All surgical procedures involve some risk of complications, including infection, bleeding, scarring, and adverse reactions to anesthesia. We discuss these risks with our patients and explain the steps we take to minimize risks as much as possible.
How many post-op appointments will I have following tummy tuck surgery?
After your tummy tuck, you will have a minimum of 3 appointments with Dr. Ortiz or Dr. Jones: one a week after the surgery, one 2 months after the surgery, and the final appointment 6 months after the surgery.
Get Started
Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Jones take pride in their personalized consultations with patients. They take the time to answer all questions and ensure patients make informed choices about their procedures. You can request a consultation using the online form or call us at 919.532.2270 to schedule an appointment.