ABDOMINOPLASTY (“Tummy Tuck”)
Dr. Berlet has been in practice as a New Jersey plastic surgeon for over 20 years in Essex County, Bergen County, and the surrounding areas and has developed a large clientele from around the country and abroad.
Abdominoplasty (“Tummy Tuck”) New Jersey
ABDOMINOPLASTY – TUMMY TUCK (NEW JERSEY)
Abdominoplasty often known as a tummy tuck is a very popular procedure throughout the world. Tummy tucks will flatten and reshape the abdomen by removing skin, fat, and creating an internal girdle by tightening the muscles. Dr. Berlet has been performing abdominoplasty for 20 years and has tweaked the procedure to result in excellent cosmetic results. It is one of the highest satisfaction operations that we perform as the patients have regained something they thought they would never get back or have gained something they never had.
WHO IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR THE TUMMY TUCK?
The typical patient who comes in for a tummy tuck has had multiple children, has developed some significant laxity of their abdomen with loss of the muscle tone, and stretch marks. Typically, the best patient is those who are healthy, who have had children, who have been unable to regain the tone of their midsection due to attenuation of the muscles and severe stretching of the skin. If the patient is planning on having more children, it is recommended that they hold off until they have completed all their pregnancies as they will lose the result if they have any more pregnancies. If the patient has lost a significant amount of weight and has significant excess skin around their midsection, they may be a candidate for either an extended abdominoplasty, body lift, or with possibly not tightening the muscles which would result in a significantly easier recovery.
TUMMY TUCK PROCEDURE
Typically, there are two (2) things that make a tummy tuck standout as an outstanding job. Those two things are a low placed scar that can be hidden in a bikini or with the scars below the bikini line, and secondly, a natural-looking umbilicus. These two things are very important to Dr. Berlet who has spent years optimizing both closure techniques through advancements and suture technology as well as his own techniques for recreating a natural umbilicus. The advantage of tightening the muscles is that once the patient has lost tone due to attenuation of the rectus muscles separating, the consequences not just to the rectus muscles but also to the oblique muscles that attach to the rectus muscles. This occurs because they have no resistance point, so they lose there tone as well. By correcting the diastasis or separation of the rectus muscles, this acts as a resistance board for the obliques which continue to tone up for years to come after the abdominoplasty.
RECOVERING
The tummy tuck is one of the more uncomfortable procedures that we perform. It is typically done as an outpatient procedure with the patient going home the same day. They will usually go home with drains in place as well as a Foley catheter for their first night at home. The more extensive pain is usually resolved by the second day and patients are usually walking upright by one week and driving by two weeks. The risks of abdominoplasty are rare, although they include infection, blood clots, possible wound healing depending on patients underlying health. Any of these may require further surgery or treatment.
MINI ABDOMINOPLASTY or MINI TUMMY TUCK
A mini abdominoplasty or mini tummy tuck is an option for a very exclusive crowd. It usually is performed as a result of separation of the muscles with some poor lower skin tone. However, they would require to have excellent skin tone above the umbilicus. This minimizes candidates for this procedure. This will be discussed thoroughly at your consultation whether or not you are a candidate.
Click here to view our gallery of before and after abdominoplasty images.
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