Tummy Tuck Surgery in San Francisco
Serving the Bay Area, San Mateo, San Bruno, Milbrae and Atherton
What is tummy tuck surgery?
Tummy tuck surgery, also known as abdominoplasty, removes excess fat and skin and restores weakened abdominal muscles, creating a midsection that is more firm.
A flat and toned midsection is something many of us strive for through diet and regular exercise. Unfortunately, sometimes these efforts are not enough to accomplish our goals.
Even people of normal body weight can develop an abdomen that protrudes or has loose and sagging skin. The most common causes of this include:
- Pregnancy
- Aging
- Significant fluctuations in weight
- Heredity
- Prior surgery
Abdominoplasty is a highly customized procedure. As such, an individual should have it done to fulfill their own desires, not to fulfill the desires of someone else or to try to fit any sort of ideal image.
Tummy tuck is a good option for you if:
- You are physically healthy and at a stable weight
- You have realistic expectations
- You do not smoke
Technically, tummy tuck results are permanent; however, the positive outcome can be diminished when a patient’s weight fluctuates. For this reason, individuals who are planning substantial weight loss or women who may be considering future pregnancies may be advised to postpone tummy tuck surgery in the Bay Area with plastic surgery San Francisco provider Dr. Frank Piro.
What a tummy tuck won't do:
Abdominoplasty is not a substitute for weight loss or a healthy exercise program. In addition, tummy tuck surgery cannot repair stretch marks, although the appearance of stretch marks can be improved somewhat if they are located on the areas of excess skin that will be removed and stretched back. This generally includes the treated areas below the belly button.
What to expect during your consultation with Bay Area tummy tuck surgeon Dr. Piro
The success of your tummy tuck procedure depends very much on your complete candidness during your consultation. Dr. Piro will ask a number of questions about your health, desires and lifestyle.
When visiting, be prepared to discuss:
- Why you want the surgery, your expectations and desired outcome
- Medical conditions, drug allergies and medical treatments
- Use of current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco and drugs
- Previous surgeries
Dr. Piro may also:
- Evaluate your general health status and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors
- Take photographs for your medical record
- Discuss your options and recommend a course of treatment
- Discuss likely outcomes of the tummy tuck and any risks or potential complications
Preparing for tummy tuck surgery in the Bay Area
Prior to surgery, you may be asked to:
- Get lab testing or a medical evaluation
- Take certain medications or adjust your current medications
- Stop smoking well in advance of surgery
- Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements, as they can increase bleeding
Special instructions you receive will cover:
- What to do on the day of surgery
- The use of anesthesia during your tummy tuck
- Post-operative care and follow-up
Tummy tuck risks and safety information
The decision to have tummy tuck surgery is extremely personal and you’ll have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential abdominoplasty complications are acceptable.
Your plastic surgeon and/or staff will explain in detail potential tummy tuck complications. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure you will undergo and any risks or potential complications.
Possible abdominoplasty risks include:
- Unfavorable scarring
- Bleeding (hematoma)
- Infection
- Fluid accumulation
- Poor wound healing
- Skin loss
- Blood clots
- Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
- Anesthesia risks
- Skin discoloration and/or prolonged swelling
- Death of fatty tissue deep in the skin (fat necrosis)
- Major wound separation
- Asymmetry
- Recurrent looseness of skin
- Pain, which may persist
- Deep vein thrombosis; cardiac and pulmonary complications
- Persistent swelling in the legs
- Nerve damage
- Possibility of revision surgery
- Suboptimal aesthetic result
You’ll need help
If your abdominoplasty is performed on an outpatient basis, be sure to arrange for someone to drive you to and from surgery and to stay with you for at least the first night following surgery.
Tummy tuck recovery
Following your surgery, dressings or bandages may be applied to your incisions, and you may be wrapped in an elastic bandage or a compression garment to minimize swelling and to support your abdomen as it heals.
A small, thin tube may be temporarily placed under the skin to drain any excess blood or fluid that may collect.
You will be given specific instructions to aid your recovery from tummy tuck surgery: The instructions will address how to care for the surgical site and drains, medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the potential for infection, specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in your general health, and when to follow up with your plastic surgeon.
Be sure to ask Dr. Piro specific questions about what to expect during your individual tummy tuck recovery period, such as:
- Where will I be taken after my surgery is complete?
- What medication will I be given or prescribed after surgery?
- Will I have dressings/bandages after surgery? When will they be removed?
- Are stitches removed? When?
- When can I resume normal activity and exercise?
- When do I return for follow-up care?
- Previous abdominal surgery may limit the potential results of a tummy tuck. In women who have undergone a cesarean section, the existing scars can often be incorporated into the new scar.
Mini-Abdominoplasty
Mini-abdominoplasty, or "mini-tummy tuck," works to smooth the part of the abdomen below the belly button. It is appropriate for people who have problems with this "poochy" area at the bottom of the abdomen. It does not directly address the rest of the abdomen, like a full tummy tuck does. There is less of a scar and the recovery time is quicker. The mini-tummy tuck provides excellent results for the right candidates. This procedure can be done on both men and women. more about abdominoplasty…
Dr. Piro performs tummy tuck surgery for patients throughout the Bay Area, including in San Francisco, San Mateo, Burlingame, Atherton, San Bruno and Milbrae. In addition to performing abdominoplasty, Dr. Piro also provides care for facelift and liposuction San Francisco patients.