Tummy Tuck and Thigh & Body Lift/Arm Lift

Many factors can affect the contour of your abdomen. Childbirth can stretch abdominal muscles and tissues to an extent uncorrectable with exercise. Excess fat deposits that produce undesirable bulges or fullness and loose skin, following pregnancy or weight loss, can result in an unattractive appearing abdomen.

Abdominoplasty, known as a “tummy tuck”, is a procedure which improves the contour of the abdomen by reshaping the underlying muscle framework to create an internal girdle and removing excess fat and loose, redundant skin. It involves an incision that is strategically placed in the pubic area to minimize visible scarring. The length of the incision depends on the amount of correction that is required. In some cases, it is necessary to reposition or reshape the umbilicus or belly button to contour the entire abdominal wall muscle and tighten the upper abdomen skin looseness. If there is minimal skin excess, a modified tummy tuck may be recommended that involves a shorter scar with less extensive muscle repair.

Most patients experience mild to moderate discomfort for 2-3 days following the surgery that is treated with pain medication. A drain is usually used for 5-7 days after the surgery to remove any fluid that normally will develop in the area of the surgery. Swelling diminishes over the first 2-4 weeks and continues to improve for several months. A compression garment is used after the surgery for about 4 weeks. A sense of tightness and hardening of abdominal areas may be present for a few weeks until the swelling resolves and your tissues get accustomed to their new shape. Exercise may be resumed at 6 weeks.

Excessive skin laxity in the upper arms and the thighs may also require excisional procedures in addition to liposuction. The changes that occur in skin elasticity due to aging, sun exposure, and weight fluctuation produce contour problems that will not respond to any type of exercise effort. In some patients, liposuction alone may worsen the appearance because the skin remains loose and sagging. The scars that result from excisional contouring procedures such as an arm lift (brachioplasty) or a thigh lift are a necessary part of the process of re-shaping the body. Dr. Forley uses techniques of scar design and placement as well as post-surgical scar management to minimize scar visibility.

Bariatric operations for treating obesity have created a group of patients with specialized needs and problems following large weight loss. Operations specifically designed to meet the needs of patients following weight loss address the residual looseness and sagging of the breasts, arms, abdomen, flanks, hips, buttocks, and thighs. Dr. Forley will assess the outcome of the weight loss on the various parts of your body and propose a sequence of staged operations to accomplish the desired cosmetic outcome. It is best to maintain a stable weight for at least 4-6 months prior to undertaking surgical procedures.