How a Tummy Tuck Is Performed

A complete tummy tuck usually takes two to three hours, depending on the extent of work required by each tummy tuck Toronto / Mississauga patient. A mini-tummy tuck may take an hour or two.

Most commonly, the surgeon will make a long incision from hipbone to hipbone, just above the pubic area. A second incision is made to free the navel from surrounding tissue. With mini-tummy tuck, the incision is much shorter and the navel may not be moved.

Next, the plastic surgeon separates the skin from the abdominal wall all the way up to your ribs and lifts a large skin flap to reveal the vertical muscles in your abdomen. The surgeon then tightens these muscles by pulling them closer together and stitching them into their new position. This provides a firmer abdominal wall and narrows the waistline.

In a mini-tummy tuck, the skin is separated only between the incision line and the navel. This skin flap is stretched down, the excess is removed, and the flap is stitched back into place.

An incision just above the pubic area is used to remove excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen.

The skin flap is then stretched down and the extra skin is removed. A new hole is cut for your navel, which is then stitched in place. Finally, the incisions will be stitched, dressings will be applied, and a temporary tube may be inserted to drain fluid from the surgical site.

Abdominal skin is drawn down and excess is removed. With abdominoplasty, a new opening is cut for the navel.

Both incisions are stitched closed.