Tummy Tuck

A tummy tuck is a surgical procedure designed to realign the abdominal muscles after they have been spread apart. This muscular separation, called diastasis, is especially common in women who have had children or who have gained weight. The tummy tuck reverses the effects of diastasis, removes stretch marks, and restores a taut, flat tummy.

Dr. Shapiro's Scottsdale tummy tuck will restore a lovely waistline and erase any signs of pregnancy or weight gain, especially extra fat and skin in the lower abdomen and a rumpled looking waistline.

A tummy tuck will restore you to feeling beautiful, in and out of clothing.

Full Tummy tuck procedure
The tummy tuck is performed through an incision just above the pubic region, where a cesarean section scar is normally seen. The incision is made through the skin and fat layers until it reaches the fascia, a strong connective tissue that separates the muscle groups from the fat and skin.

The abdominal flap (the skin and fat above the fascia) is then lifted up to or above the naval so that the abdominal muscles can be anchored back into alignment. The surgical stitches used to reverse the muscular separation are placed in the fascia. Once the abdominal muscles have been re-aligned, the fat and skin from the belly button are pulled down to meet the incision site and sutured into place. Any excess tissue is removed completely and is gone forever. This stretching and removal of extra skin and fat effectively erases stretch marks for a beautiful, stretch mark-free tummy.

In a full tummy tuck (but not a mini tummy tuck) a new navel must be created. If the old navel was to be kept, it would be located somewhere near the pubic region. Remember, the belly button is nothing more than a scar. Dr. Shapiro, a Scottsdale tummy tuck surgeon, is an expert at placing the new navel in just the right place in comparison to your longer and tighter torso.

Tummy tuck with abdominal liposuction
Dr. Shapiro often combines his tummy tuck with abdominal liposuction to remove extra fat from the front of the abdomen, waistline and flanks, or “love handles”. Abdominal liposuction also helps the skin to retract and tighten over the abdominal wall. This added attention to the overall result produces a slender, contoured waistline that the tummy tuck by itself could not produce.

In his pre-surgical consultations, Dr. Shapiro, a Scottsdale tummy tuck specialist, works closely with you to ensure that scar placement is as inconspicuous as possible and can be conveniently hidden beneath a bikini or undergarments.

Results
The results of a tummy tuck are typically incredible, especially when combined with liposuction. The waistline is contoured, long and well-proportioned. The abdominal wall is tightened back into a flat, athletic looking tummy. Self-confidence is restored.

Even more so, the procedure and recovery are no longer the scary, nerve-wracking ordeal they used to be.

Recovery
Recovery from a tummy tuck has become much more bearable over the past few years with complications at an all-time minimum. Dr. Shapiro uses a pain pump that delivers pain relief instantly into the bloodstream for fast relief during recovery. Patients typically return to their normal routines within 2 to 3 weeks of surgery.