Tummy Tuck
Tummy Tuck in NYC
A tummy tuck, also known as an abdominoplasty, is the surgical procedure for removal of excess skin or fatty deposits from the abdomen. Dr. Steinbrech specializes in tummy tuck procedures in NYC. A tummy tuck after pregnancy helps women regain their post-maternity stomachs to permanently restore firmness, tightness and remove any loose skin caused by weakened or separated muscles.
Diet and exercise alone are not necessarily always a cure all for our weight control and weight loss goals. Many individuals strive to achieve their target objectives through the standard and obvious methods and they often plateau. Some of our patient’s have expressed to us their frustration and that they’ have tried everything but their abdominal region is still not as in shape as they desire. The results are not reflecting the effort. New mothers may also find it difficult to fix physical changes as a result of their pregnancy. For those with stubborn belly fat or excess skin a tummy tuck is the procedure to opt for and explore. Abdominoplasty surgery aims to contour the middle and or lower abdominal region.
Even individuals of otherwise normal body weight and proportion can develop an abdomen that protrudes or is loose and sagging. The most common causes of this include:
- Aging
- Heredity
- Pregnancy
- Prior surgery
- Significant fluctuations in weight
During your consultation with Dr. Steinbrech, a board certified plastic surgeon in NYC, you will learn if abdominoplasty will meet your aesthetic needs and expectations. At this time, your health history will be assessed and your body will be evaluated.
Ideal NYC Candidate for a Tummy Tuck
The ideal candidates for a tummy tuck procedure in NYC should be in a good physical condition with fat or loose skin that has not responded well to diet and exercise. We can also help older, slightly obese people whose skin has lost some of its elasticity. Tummy tuck can resolve the issue of stretched skin and muscles usually stemming from post-pregnancy. Results from the tummy tuck procedure will likely diminish if women continue to bear children, so we advise patients who plan to become pregnant to delay the procedure until they have completed their child bearing years. We also encourage patients who intend to lose a lot of weight, to reach their final objective before undergoing the procedure. Skin in the abdominal area typically loosens after substantial weight loss.
In general, you may be a good tummy tuck candidate if:
- You are physically healthy and at a stable weight
- You have realistic expectations
- You are a non-smoker
- You are bothered by the appearance of your abdomen
Learn more about a tummy procedure and find out if you are an ideal candidate. Fill out the contact form to receive additional information.
Tummy Tuck Procedure
A skilled surgeon, such as Dr. Steinbrech, will make an initial incision from one hip to the other. This cut is made low near the bikini line; this way any resulting scarring will not be visible. Another incision is made around the navel or belly button, which is inevitably re-positioned at the end of the tummy tuck. The skin is then separated from the abdominal wall from the bikini line up to the ribs. Muscles are re-aligned and sutured together. Then, the excess fat is removed, sometimes with liposuction, and extra skin is pulled down. For NYC patient’s who have less abdominal fat, Dr. Steinbrech may suggest a mini tummy tuck. The process is essentially the same except the initial incision is only about six inches long and the belly button is not cut around. The tummy tuck will only take the surgeon about two hours to complete.
Post Surgery
It is absolutely necessary to rest after tummy tuck surgery. It is normal for the abdomen to be swollen and for the patient to feel discomfort. A binder will be worn for about two weeks after the tummy tuck to ease comfort and shelter the wounds for a swift bounce back. Patients who have routine workout regimes tend to have a speedier recovery time. Exercise will help the healing process by reducing swelling, lowering your chances of blood clots and toning the re-positioned muscles, but should be done minimally.
After a tummy tuck procedure you’ll love your new, firmer and flatter abs. Dr. Steinbrech leads a staff of the most cutting edge and supreme physicians in Manhattan.
For more information or to schedule an initial consultation for a tummy tuck procedure in NYC as part of the Mommy Makeover, please fill out the contact form to receive more information.
Before and After Photos of Tummy Tuck Patients in NYC
You may preview below some of Dr. Steinbrech’s NYC patients who underwent a tummy tuck procedure. View before and after photos and case studies of female patients for tummy tuck procedure as part of the mommy makeover.
Note: “Before and After” tummy tuck photos are of Dr. Steinbrech’s patients only.
Patient requested: “After the kids, I got some bad stretch marks! I want those gone.” “I am thrilled. Dr. Steinbrech surpassed my expectations.” |
Patient requested: “The baby factory is closed. Now I have to get my belly back to my pre-pregancy look I had before.”
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Patient requested: “Mother’s day is coming and my family is giving my this gift.” |
Patient requested: “Improve the contour; get rid of sagging skin, younger belly button.” “I got back what the pregnancies took away. I’m not afraid of the beach anymore.” |
View more before and after photos of tummy tucks of NYC patients
Potential Risks of Tummy Tuck
The decision to have plastic surgery is extremely personal, and you’ll have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications of tummy tuck surgery are acceptable. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure and any risks.
Tummy tuck risks include:
- Anesthesia risks
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Skin loss
- Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
- Skin discoloration and/or prolonged swelling
- Unfavorable scarring
- Recurrent looseness of skin
- Fatty tissue found deep in the skin might die (fat necrosis)
- Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications
These risks and others will be fully discussed prior to your consent. It’s important that you address all your questions directly with your plastic surgeon.
Tummy Tuck and Pregnancy
Many women often wonder when the best time to consult with a surgeon for a tummy tuck procedure. Women inquire before their child bearing years but our concerned if it is worth it until they have completed all their desired pregnancies. Others who have questioned if a tummy tuck procedure is right for them, feel they are ready after their first child, but are uncertain about future plans. It is important to understand all of the aspects of the treatment and how it will effect pre- and post pregnancy concerns. Though we advise patients to wait until after their tummy tuck to conceive, sometimes patients have a change of mind and this will not cause any dramatic reverse to the procedure.
Tummy Tuck Before Pregnancy
Pregnancy causes the skin to stretch and can cause stretch marks and could diminish some of the benefits that you will achieve from having a tummy tuck before pregnancy. It is typically optimal for you as a patient to have finished having children before you have a tummy tuck. There is always an increased probability that future pregnancies will diminish the long-term or permanent benefits and effects of a tummy tuck, it is still an acceptable, and often times, still appropriate technique or treatment option. This is basically a life-choice issue.
Be certain to consult at least 2 plastic surgeons who are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, are experienced in tummy tuck surgery and have an excellent reputation in your community for providing realistic expectations and successful results.
Pregnancy After Tummy Tuck
Having a baby after Tummy Tuck is perfectly safe and will not drastically undo any previous work. It is best to wait at least until you’re fully healed after your tummy tuck, a minimum of 4-6 months before attempting conception of another baby. In a tummy tuck, we are putting your body back together similar to what you were like before you were pregnant. Your muscle tension, your skin and your fat contours are adjusted. Once you are fully healed from your surgery, your body is just as able to accept a pregnancy as it was before your first pregnancy. However, if your belly area stretched after your first pregnancy, then you are likely to stretch again after your next pregnancy. Most surgeons recommend to have a tummy tuck after you are finished having children, however, in certain instances, such as starting to date again, or just not being happy with your post pregnancy body, then it makes sense to go ahead and have a tummy tuck. Although most surgeons do however recommend waiting until you are finished completely with your child bearing years.
Post Baby Plastic Surgery
For many women, having a child is one of the most fulfilling experiences of their lives. The birth of a new child can bring joy, not only to the mother, but to all those around her. Some women, however, feel self-conscious about the effects that pregnancy has on their bodies. The stretching of the skin on the abdomen, breasts, thighs, and other areas of the body during pregnancy can lead to sagging, stretch marks, and isolated deposits of fat. To counteract these changes, some women choose to have a “Mommy Makeover,” which is a combination of post-pregnancy plastic surgery, skin treatment, and cellulite removal. These procedures are primarily meant to address the unwanted physical effects of pregnancy that cannot be reversed through diet and exercise alone.
Mommy Makeovers are uniquely personalized treatment plans, and your doctor will help you select the procedures best suited to your case, based on your cosmetic goals, budget, health, and desired timeline. While none of the procedures are intended to be weight loss treatments, following your Mommy Makeover, you could enjoy a sleeker, younger looking figure that more closely resembles your pre-pregnancy body.
Post Baby Tummy Tuck
Stretch marks, stretched out muscles and flabby abdomens make tummy tucks tempting to many moms. “What happens with childbearing is that the ligament stretches and doesn’t come back,” says Dr. Rice. “You can do sit ups until the cows come home, but you’re still going to have a pot belly.”
What it is: Skin and fat are removed from the top of the pubic hairline to the top of the belly button and abdominal muscles are tightened. Everything from the belly button down is discarded, and everything above the belly button gets pulled down to the pubic hair line. (Any stretch marks that were below the belly button disappear, but any that were above the belly button reappear down around the public hairline.)
What to expect: Most tummy tucks are done under general anesthetic on an outpatient basis, although your surgeon may perform the procedure in a hospital rather than a clinic.
You can expect to be off work for at least a week, with no heavy lifting for at least two weeks. A full recovery usually takes about six weeks.
Special considerations: Permanent, non-dissolving stitches are used to put your abs back in position. Recent studies show that the muscle will stay in place even if you have another pregnancy, although the skin will stretch out again and you may need to return for a second procedure. Dr. Rice recommends waiting until you know you’re finished having children before undergoing a tummy tuck.
Tummy Tuck Scars
1. You should be able to wear a bikini within a couple of months of your procedure. But bring your swimsuit in to your surgeon. If you wear a low bikini you will want a low flatter incision. If you wear a high-thigh cut one piece, you may want it to curve up higher.
2. The belly button is the tell-tale sign of a bad tummy tuck. Make sure your surgeon spends extra time in this area to sculpt out the fat and tack down the skin to create a very pleasing “brazilian” navel not a “hole on a board”.
3. Make sure your surgeon has a lot of patient pictures to show you exactly where the incsion will lie and what it will look like.
4. Make sure your surgeon has all the tools to heal as quickly and as well as possible: little tension on closure, avoiding infection, and healing creams available.
5. Avoid sun exposure for a year. This doesn’t mean you can’t go to the beach, just cover the specific areas.
Cost of Tummy Tuck in NYC
An average tummy tuck price in the NYC area ranges from $8,500 – $14,000.00. A mini tummy tuck procedure in NYC costs $8,000.00, and liposuction of the abdomen can vary depending on size but is usually around $5,000.00 – $8,000.00 price range.
Tummy Tuck Consultations in NYC
Dr. Steinbrech looks forward to helping you understand everything about the Tummy Tuck procedure for his NYC patients. To get started, please request a consultation by filling out the contact form to receive more information. Dr. Steinbrech will go over, step by step techniques and treatment plans upon your assessment that will lead to your improved appearance and newly found confidence.
DR. DOUGLAS STEINBRECH
Douglas S. Steinbrech, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon. He is certified by the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons and a diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Learn More
