Tummy tuck plastic surgery procedure will involve several steps. The steps may vary to some extent according to the type of surgical technique chosen and the degree of correction to be performed. Board certified plastic surgeons Dr. Burton Sundin and Dr. Reps Sundin provide tummy tuck to patients in Northern Virginia, Washington DC, Vienna, McLean, Loudoun, Ashburn, Tysons Corner, Reston, Arlington, Chevy Chase, Richmond, Fredricksburg, and surrounding locations.
Incision Placement
Following anesthesia, the surgeon will begin the tummy tuck plastic surgery procedure by placing incisions in discreet locations. The number and length of the incisions can vary according to the specific technique used. Different tummy tuck approaches may be used to treat different types of cosmetic issues.
A partial abdominoplasty, for instance, may only involve a single, small incision made beneath the navel. On the other hand, circumferential tummy tuck surgery will require an incision around the entire waist line, including the back.
Sculpting of the Navel
In many cases, the tummy tuck procedure will involve repositioning of the navel. This is essential to make the tightened abdomen appear more natural. The original navel will be detached and placed in a more appropriate location, or instead of the reattaching the old navel, a new navel may be artificially sculpted. Only an experienced plastic surgeon should perform this artistic surgical procedure of navel sculpting.
Muscle Tightening
Abdominal muscles may become lax due to aging. The surgeon can tighten the underlying sagging abdominal muscles during the tummy tuck procedure. The abdominal skin will be separated from the abdominal walls through the incisions. The surgeon will then pull the abdominal muscles closer together and stitch them into a position to provide them a more toned appearance. The waistline can appear narrower with abdominal muscle tightening.
Removal of Excess Skin
Once the abdominal muscles have been tightened, the surgeon will stretch the skin downward to make it smooth and tight. Excess skin will be trimmed away at this point. Liposuction may sometimes be used to remove excess fat tissue before the skin is pulled taut. Dr. Sundin receives patients from Northern Virginia, Washington DC, Vienna, McLean, Loudoun, Ashburn, Tysons Corner, Reston, Arlington, Chevy Chase, Richmond, Fredricksburg, and nearby areas for tummy tuck surgery.
Stretch Mark Reduction
While tummy tuck surgery is not specifically designed to remove stretch marks, it is often possible to improve their appearance, depending on the incision location. Stretch marks located beneath the navel can usually be removed along with the excess skin. Even the remaining stretch marks can sometimes appear less pronounced following tummy tuck surgery.
Closing the Incisions
Once the tummy tuck procedure is completed, the surgeon will suture the skin together with surgical stitches. This will enable wound closure naturally over time. At this point, a surgical drain is usually inserted at the incision site to collect excess fluid and expedite the healing process. The surgical drain may be removed around the same time as the stitches removal after the tummy tuck surgery, or a few days prior to that.
For more information on the surgical and non-surgical procedures and treatments by Board Certified Cosmetic Plastic Surgeons Dr. Reps Sundin and Dr. Burton Sundin please visit
Serving Northern Virginia, Washington DC, Vienna, McLean, Fairfax, Loudoun County, Ashburn, Tysons Corner, Reston, Arlington, Fredricksburg, Chevy Chase, Potomac, Maryland Richmond, VA and surrounding communities.
