Abdominoplasty

Abdominoplasty is plastic surgery a surgeon performs on the abdomen of a patient. Pregnancy or weight loss typically results in extra skin in the stomach area. The loose skin lacks elasticity, stretches out and cannot tighten up. Abdominoplasty procedures improve the contour or shape of the abdomen. A limited abdominoplasty or mini-abdominoplasty removes excess skin along the abdomen via a small incision at the bikini line. Abdominoplasties do not affect the belly button of a patient. In a standard abdominoplasty, the doctor first separates the abdominal skin from the muscular layer. To do so, a surgeon makes an oval incision around the belly button or umbilicus. The doctor tightens the muscles by corset-type sutures. The physician stretches the skin over the new abdominal shape and removes the excess loose skin. A surgeon creates a new hole to serve as the belly button. An abdominoplasty procedure therefore reshapes the abdominal region by tightening the muscles and removing the excess skin. Endoscopic abdominoplasty is a new technical advancement in abdominoplasty procedures. In an endoscopic abdominoplasty, Dr. Sayah makes small hidden incisions at the belly button and the pubic regions. Dr. Sayah then releases the skin from the muscles and tightens the muscles using corset sutures. He re-drapes the skin over the newly tightened abdomen without any skin excision. Not every patient is a qualified candidate for this particular abdominoplasty technique. Patients who have loose muscles caused by pregnancy or weight loss without much loose skin benefit from an endoscopic abdominoplasty because the scars are extremely minimal.