Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty)
Removes excess abdominal skin, repairs the separation of the rectus muscles and defines the waist with liposculpture. A low scar, hidden beneath your underwear.
- Duration
- 3 to 4 hours
- Anesthesia
- General
- Hospital stay
- One night
- Time off work
- 14 days
How it works
This is not a weight-loss surgery: it is for restoring the abdominal wall when skin and muscle no longer respond to diet or exercise.
In patients who have lost a great deal of weight, an extended abdominoplasty or a body lift is planned, depending on where the excess remains.
Is it for me?
- Loose skin and muscle separation after pregnancy.
- Significant weight loss with an abdominal "apron," in men and women.
- Small umbilical hernias, repaired during the same operation.
What you should know
How it is done, how to care for it, and what to expect.
General information so you arrive at your consultation with the right questions. Your plan is defined during the consultation.
Technique
- Low hip-to-hip incision planned beneath the underwear line.
- Plication of the rectus muscles to close the diastasis.
- Repositioning of the navel and liposculpture of the flanks.
Aftercare
- Compression garment for 6 weeks.
- Drains for 5 to 7 days.
- No abdominal exercises and no lifting more than 10 pounds (5 kg) for the first six weeks.
Results and how long they last
Flat abdomen from the first month; scar matures at one year.
Risks and how they are reduced
Seroma, delayed healing along the midline and blood clots, prevented with compression stockings, early walking and, when indicated, anticoagulants.
Step by step
Recovery path: Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty)
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Overnight hospital stay; compression garment; walk bent forward.
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Drains removed; relative rest.
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Back to desk work; no heavy lifting.
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Progressive exercise; scar maturing.
Approximate timelines. Your exact path depends on your case, the technique and how your body heals. Results vary.
Real cases
Results from Dr. Méndez's patients.
Real photographs shared with permission and faces covered, comparable with a before-and-after slider.
From the blog