Tummy Tuck Surgery in Atlanta, GA
A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a body contouring procedure to flatten, firm, and smooth the abdomen by removing unwanted fat, tightening stretched skin, and, if needed, repairing separated and weakened abdominal muscles (a condition known as diastasis recti). A tummy tuck restores a toned-looking midsection, correcting changes caused by pregnancy, significant weight loss, or simply the aging process.
Mark Crispin, MD, at Crispin Plastic Surgery, performs tummy tuck surgery in Atlanta to help men and women achieve a younger, healthier look and renewed pride in their bodies. Dr. Crispin is a board-certified plastic surgeon who consistently delivers beautifully natural-looking results for his patients. He and his staff run a warm and welcoming practice where patients are listened to and valued for who they are.
To learn more about how tummy tuck surgery with Dr. Crispin might make you look and feel better, contact Crispin Plastic Surgery today to schedule a consultation in Atlanta.
What's the Difference Between Tummy Tucks and Liposuction
Why You Might Consider a Tummy Tuck with One of the Best Surgeons in Atlanta
With age, pockets of excess fat can build up in the abdomen and around the waist, fat that resists slimming with diet and exercise. The skin in the midsection can stretch and lose its resilience, becoming wrinkly or hanging loosely. Significant weight loss can accelerate these unwanted changes, making them even more noticeable. Pregnancy can cause the abdominal muscles to separate (diastasis recti), weakening them and adding to the belly’s bulge. A tummy tuck reverses these changes, restoring a flat, firm, toned-looking midsection.
A tummy tuck can:
- Tighten and smooth stretched and sagging skin on your abdomen
- Eliminate bulges of fat from your midsection
- Remove fat that is resistant to slimming with diet and exercise
- Reconnect separated abdominal muscles for a firmer, flatter belly
- Pull in your waist to enhance your body’s curves
- Transform a flabby midsection into one that’s toned and younger-looking
The changes made in a tummy tuck can make you look and feel younger, fitter, and more attractive, a transformation that can boost your self-esteem and self-confidence.
Am I a Candidate for a Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)?
Dr. Crispin can tell you if you are a good candidate for a tummy tuck as part of your consultation with him. You may be a good candidate if you:
- Are dissatisfied with the appearance of your abdomen because of stretched skin, excess fat, and/or bulging caused by separated abdominal muscles
- Are in generally good health
- Are not significantly overweight and have maintained a stable weight for several month
- Have realistic expectations for the results of the procedure
If you smoke, you must be able to quit for a period of several weeks before and after your surgery. Dr. Crispin recommends that women wait until they have finished having children before having a tummy tuck. Abdominal muscles that tightened and reconnected in a tummy tuck can stretch and separate in a future pregnancy.
Planning Your Tummy Tuck
Planning for your tummy tuck starts with your consultation with Dr. Crispin. He will ask questions to learn your medical history and understand your goals, perform an examination, and answer all the questions you may have. Based on his observations and what he learns from you, he will recommend an approach to treatment that will give you optimal results in the safest way. He will explain his surgical plan and what you can expect throughout the process.
Dr. Crispin’s goal in every cosmetic surgery is to create natural-looking results that are in harmony with the patient’s features, taking the surgical approach that promises the best outcomes and holds the lowest risk.
Dr. Crispin Discusses Tummy Tuck Options
Exceptional Results & Compassionate Care
For over 25 years, Dr. Crispin has been the top choice for plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures in the area. You’re provided with professional and compassionate care at the office, and it’s no wonder Dr. Crispin is named one of the Top Doctors in 2023 by Atlanta Magazine.
How Is Tummy Tuck Surgery Performed?
Tummy tuck surgery is performed under general anesthesia.
In a mini tummy tuck, an incision is made across the lower part of the abdomen, just above the pubic area, where the resulting scar is easily concealed below your bikini line. A mini tummy tuck corrects loose skin and weakened muscles below the belly button.
In a full tummy tuck, two incisions are made, one across the lower part of the abdomen, as in a mini tummy tuck, and a second around the belly button. A full tummy tuck tightens loose skin, removes excess fat, and repairs abdominal muscles both above and below the belly button.
Once the incisions have been made:
The abdominal muscles are pulled together, if they have separated and connected with internal sutures.
Excess fat is removed. In a full tummy tuck, liposuction may be used to reach fat deposits in the upper part of the abdomen and around the waistline.
Excess skin is removed so that the skin lies smoothly over the newly flattened abdomen.
In a full tummy tuck, the navel may be repositioned.
When all changes have been made, the incisions are closed and protected with a sterile dressing. A drainage tube is placed to minimize post-surgical swelling and promote healing. When the anesthesia has worn off and you are fully alert, you will be released to go home. You should arrange ahead of time to have a friend or family member drive you home and stay with you for at least the first night.
What to Expect After Your Tummy Tuck
Plan to rest at home for a week or two after your surgery. You can expect some discomfort in the days right after your surgery, which can be managed with pain medication. You’ll probably need help with household tasks for the first few days, especially if the surgery includes muscle reconnection, as you will be limited in your ability to bend and lift. The drainage tube and a compression garment will help to control post-operative swelling. The drainage tube will be removed after 3 to 5 days as part of a follow-up appointment.
Dr. Crispin and his staff will provide you with detailed instructions on:
- Self-care and wound care as you heal
- When to return follow-up appointments
- How to get answers to any questions or concerns
- When and how to resume normal activities
While you should be able to return to work after one to two weeks, many patients do not feel completely back to normal for up to two months. During this time, it is important that you follow all of Dr. Crispin’s postsurgical advice, wear your compression garments, and take any medications you may have been prescribed.
These steps will help ensure your comfort and improve the aesthetic results of your procedure. The final tummy tuck results can take several months. Be patient. This is an involved cosmetic surgery procedure, but it offers remarkable results. A tummy tuck can provide you with the defined body contours you have always wanted.
The results of a tummy tuck are long-lasting. You can extend the improvements by maintaining a stable weight and adopting healthy eating and physical activity habits.
Schedule Your Atlanta Tummy Tuck Consultation
Contact Crispin Plastic Surgery online or by calling (404) 257-0064 to schedule a consultation for a tummy tuck with Dr. Crispin. He will ask questions to understand your goals for treatment, examine you, and give his recommendations for the best and safest approach. Patients throughout the Atlanta area choose Dr. Crispin because of his caring approach, his surgical expertise, and his beautifully natural-looking results.
Atlanta Tummy Tuck - FAQs
- Good scarring
- Smaller waistline
- Natural umbilical incision
Come with a list of prepared questions you have about different options to address your specific concerns about your abdomen to help Dr. Crispin develop a specific plan to achieve your goals.
You should plan this procedure when it is most convenient to your personal and/or work schedule.
You should plan this procedure when it is most convenient to your personal and/or work schedule.
Be sure to research credentialing and experience, as well as make sure that your doctor answers all of your questions in detail and that you feel comfortable moving forward.
Arrive at the surgery center approx. 1.5 hours before your scheduled surgery time. You will meet with Dr. Crispin, who will review with you again the incision lines and will mark your abdomen with precise measurements to ensure symmetric scarring.
Liposuction removes fat only, without treating stretched skin or weakened muscles. Liposuction alone can be an excellent choice for slimming stubborn areas of excess fat, but only if the skin has the resilience to tighten naturally over the reduced contours. When stretched, loose skin is part of the problem, surgery to remove excess skin is needed for optimal results. A tummy tuck can also repair separated abdominal muscles (diastasis recti).
Yes. A tummy tuck can be combined with other surgical and non-surgical procedures for an even greater personal transformation. A mommy makeover is a combination of procedures to restore younger-looking and more attractive contours to the body. A mommy makeover often includes a tummy tuck, liposuction, and breast surgery, but can be customized to include the specific combination of procedures that you need.
This depends on the thickness of your abdomen skin flap. The more fat you have in the underlying tissue of your abdomen, the less likely you are to see the abdominal muscles.
Although we recommend being as close to a maintainable weight prior to surgery, this procedure often helps patients feel more confident in their clothing after removing the excess skin, therefore, encouraging them to exercise more frequently and often losing more weight.
Yes. Although it is important to note that you may NOT have liposuction to the abdomen at the same time as a tummy tuck.
Your belly button is attached to your abdominal wall and stays in place. Your new belly buttonhole is created in the skin flap after pulling the excess skin down and removing it.
Diastasis recti is the separation of the rectus abdominal muscles, which is common in women after pregnancy. It is the cause of that “post-baby belly pooch” that never goes away. A full tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, is used to tighten and repair this separation, restoring a flat and smooth abdomen
Yes, although it is important to remember this will stretch the skin and loosen the muscle repair if performed originally, therefore, reversing previous results.
On average, people take 10-14 days off work. You will need to keep a reduced activity level for a full month after surgery.
Ideally, you would wait 4 weeks before lifting more than 5lbs, although if done carefully, you may lift your children at roughly 2 weeks.
One month. You may not do abdominal exercises for 2 months.
No. You will not require muscle repair if you do not have muscle loosening or diastasis.
The only sutures that have to be removed after this procedure are the ones holding your drains in place.
Yes. All tummy tucks require drains that stay in place for an average of 5-7 days.
You will feel tight after surgery, and this is normal. Normal daily moving is fine, but you should avoid strenuous movement or exercise not to disrupt any internal suturing.
When correction of diastasis recti (muscle repair) is required as part of a tummy tuck, more discomfort can occur in the first days of recovery. Dr. Crispin, one of the top tummy tuck doctors in Atlanta, GA, can use EXPAREL long-acting anesthetic, injected directly into the muscle at the time of surgery, to provide more comfort to supplement oral pain medications.
75% of swelling resolves in the first 30 days, although it takes 4-6 months for all swelling to subside.
Seroma or recurrence of fluid after drains are removed, caused by patients increasing their activity too quickly after drain removal.