Scottsdale Mini Abdominoplasty

Pregnancy or weight gain in women can cause the abdominal muscles to stretch apart, the skin to lose elasticity, and unwanted fat to accumulate. These all result in stretch marks and self-consciousness. In many cases, these changes in the body cannot be reversed by diet, exercise, or natural healing over time. The abdominal muscles have become too weak from stress and the skin has been stretched to the point where it cannot retract itself.

An abdominoplasty—commonly called a “tummy tuck”—is a procedure that tightens the abdominal muscles and removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen, correcting the visual side effects of pregnancy and weight gain in women.

Mini vs. Full Abdominoplasty

A mini abdominoplasty is an abbreviated form of the full abdominoplasty surgery. It is performed when the laxity of the skin is limited to below the navel and minimal skin removal is necessary. The scar from a mini tummy tuck is shorter than a full tummy tuck, no longer than a typical cesarean section scar. A mini tummy tuck retains the patient's original navel, while a full tummy tuck requires maximum skin removal and the creation of a new navel.

A mini tummy tuck is highly effective in tightening the abdominal muscles to create a feminine, contoured and fit muscular structure. It corrects stretch marks and loose skin, as well as reduces stubborn fat from weight gain or pregnancies. The Procedure
Dr. Shapiro's mini abdominoplasty surgery fully corrects abdominal separation and brings the muscles back to a youthful, athletic position for a lovely waistline and flat tummy. An incision is made just above the pubic hairline. The skin and fat are then lifted away from the muscle up until the navel. The abdominal muscles are then sutured together, bringing them back into an athletic alignment. The lifted skin is then stretched down toward the incision, where extra skin and fat is removed, and the wound is then closed. This stretching removes stretch marks, excess fat, and effectively lifts the inner thighs and pubic area for a more attractive lower body.

Recovery
Recovering from an abdominoplasty surgery used to be a trying and painful ordeal; however, in the past four years, Dr. Shapiro has begun using a post-operative pain pump, in his Scottsdale area office, to help patients maintain their discomfort during recovery. The pump is far more effective in delivering relief than traditional oral pain killers and makes for a much more comfortable recovery period. The pump is used during the first week after surgery, which is the most critical period of recovery for most aesthetic surgeries. Drains and pain pump catheters are removed 7-10 days after surgery with patients returning to work within 2-3 weeks after surgery.
The c-section scar is a common scar is completely socially acceptable and is in no way a sign of plastic surgery. During your consultation with Dr. Shapiro, a Scottsdale surgeon, he will place the incision with your preferred bathing suit in mind, allowing all scars to be concealed and your confidence restored.