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Abdominoplasty, also known as a "tummy tuck", is a surgical procedure to remove excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen. The muscles of the abdominal wall are also tightened at the same time.
Candidates include men and women who are in relatively good shape but have a large fat deposit in the abdominal wall or have loose abdominal skin, such as women who had multiple pregnancies.
To perform an abdominoplasty, an incision is made from hipbone to hipbone, just above the pubic area. The surgeon then separates the skin from the abdominal wall up to the ribs. The muscles of the abdomen are tightened at this time. The lifted skin is then stretched down and the extra skin is removed. A new opening is also cut for the navel.
In some cases, a mini-abdominoplasty is indicated. A much smaller bikini incision is used and the muscles are tightened. The navel is not moved. Liposuction of the abdomen and small skin removal complete the procedure.
The Canadian Society of Plastic Surgeons -