Eugene Kim Plastic Surgery is a professional managed, state of the art plastic surgery practice serving patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, and Santa Monica, CA and other adjoining areas. Led by Dr. Eugene Kim, a dedicated and experienced plastic surgeon, the practice provides high quality care and personalized service to meet the unique needs and aesthetic goals of every patient. As a trained cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Kim understands that the procedure may have to be customized to match the needs of the patient in order to achieve most desirable results.
What is Tummy Tuck?
Dr. Eugene Kim provides a range of body contouring procedures, and one of the key procedures is tummy tuck. Many people suffer from excess fat deposits, sagging skin, and loose muscles around the abdominal area. It makes the body appearance uneven and unshapely. Sometimes the fat deposits may become stubborn, and no amount of exercise or dieting may help reduce these unwanted fats.
In such conditions, when diet and exercise do not help, and the person is unhappy with the uneven stomach contour, an experienced plastic surgeon such as Dr. Kim may advise tummy tuck surgery to his patients in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and other nearby areas. Abdominal fat may not only occur due to unhealthy eating or a sedentary lifestyle, but in many cases, it may also be caused due to genetic factors or following a pregnancy.
If the patient is healthy and fit for surgery, he or she may be a good candidate for this procedure to remove the unwanted fats and loose skin, and achieve a firmer, flatter and tighter abdomen. Tummy tuck is one of the popular cosmetic surgery procedures today, and an expert cosmetic surgeon can gently reshape and contour the abdominal area through tightening of loose muscles and removal of excess skin and fat.
Full and Partial Tummy Tuck
Some patients may not require a fully abdominoplasty, if the fat deposits around the waist are not very excessive. However, the advantage with a full abdominoplasty is that it can address the complete spectrum of stomach muscles and provide optimal aesthetic results. Mini abdominoplasty or partial tummy tuck will be more suited only where a patient needs localized tightening of muscles in specific pockets around the tummy.
Localized tightening of muscles may be required following a fluctuation in weight or to correct the aftermath of an earlier surgery. Full tummy tuck is usually required if the patient has acquired excessive fats throughout the tummy area following a pregnancy or due to aging or heredity factors. It is also important for patients to understand that a full or partial tummy tuck is not a substitute for weight loss.
Stretch marks following a pregnancy may be somewhat improved after this procedure, but tummy tuck is not designed to correct stretch marks. Balanced diet and regular exercise must be pursued after the patient has recovered from the surgery in order to maintain the results for a long period of time.
Good Candidates
In Dr. Kim’s experience as a cosmetic surgeon in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, and Santa Monica, CA and surrounding communities and cities, people having one or more of the following conditions may be marvelous candidates for a tummy tuck:
- Sagging or loose skin in the lower or upper stomach area.
- Excessive fat deposits or excess skin following a pregnancy, and having no immediate plans for another child.
- Protruding belly.
- Weak and separated abdominal muscles, which have become resistant to toning exercises.
- Excess skin following a major weight loss.
Procedure
Tummy tuck surgery may be performed under general anesthesia or IV sedation, depending on the circumstances of an individual case. The surgeon will usually discuss the options of anesthesia with the patient and take a decision beforehand. The procedure begins with the placement of a horizontal incision in the area between the pubic hairline and navel. The extent of fat and skin removal required will determine the length and shape of the incision.
The plastic surgeon will repair the weakened abdominal muscles through the incision and tighten them. Excess skin, tissue, and fat will be removed to provide the desired stomach contour. If there is excess loose skin in the upper stomach area, it may be necessary to make a second incision. Once the procedure is completed, the incisions will be closed with sutures or skin adhesives.
Tummy tuck will typically result in a firmer and flatter abdominal contour that is in proportion with the overall body size, shape, and weight. Bruising and swelling will subside over the next few weeks, and complete results will become visible as the healing occurs. Most patients can resume their regular activities within a week after the procedure.
Click here see more plastic surgery procedures and treatments performed by Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Eugene Kim on patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Santa Monica and surrounding areas or call 310-271-6996 to schedule a consultation.
