Tummy Tuck in Portland

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What is a Tummy Tuck

Flatten and Tone Your Abdomen

Also known as abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck can help you achieve a flatter, more toned stomach. The procedure itself targets loose, hanging skin on the abdomen — often caused by pregnancy, aging, or significant weight loss.

When the excess skin cannot be fixed through diet or exercise, a tummy tuck is often the only viable solution. The procedure itself will repair weakened abdominal muscles and tighten abdominal skin while removing any excess. When combined with liposuction, it can even reduce small pockets of stubborn tummy fat. The result of your Portland tummy tuck will be a slimmer, smoother abdomen with minimal visible scarring.

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What aesthetic issues does a Tummy Tuck address?

A tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, targets several aesthetic concerns that affect the abdomen, especially after weight fluctuations, pregnancy, or aging. This procedure nurtures self-worth and confidence by helping people achieve a flatter, more toned look, addressing the following:

  • Excess Skin: Loose, sagging skin around the midsection, especially after major weight loss or pregnancy.
  • Stubborn Fat:fat resistant to diet and exercise commonly found around the lower abdomen.
  • Weakened Abdominal Muscles: Separated or stretched abdominal muscles (diastasis recti) that create a bulging appearance.
  • Stretch Marks: Stretch marks, particularly below the belly button, may be reduced or removed with skin excision during the procedure.
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What areas of the body can be treated with a Tummy Tuck?

A tummy tuck can strengthen self-image, primarily focusing on the abdominal region and enhancing neighboring areas as well:

  • Upper and Lower Abdomen: The procedure flattens and firms the entire abdominal area, both above and below the belly button.
  • Waistline: By removing excess skin and fat, a tummy tuck can create a more defined, sculpted waist.
  • Lower Back (with extended tummy tuck): In some cases, the surgery can address excess skin and fat around the lower back and hips, providing a more comprehensive contouring effect.

Benefits of Tummy Tuck

With a tummy tuck Portland patients can expect the following benefits:

Flatter, Slimmer Abdomen

You can expect a flatter, slimmer abdomen after your tummy tuck surgery. The muscles beneath your abdominal skin will be tightened and strengthened, and any flabby excess skin will be removed. This will make your profile more attractive and will even make clothing fit better.

Removal of Excess Skin

The removal of excess skin on the abdomen can make many areas of life easier. Often, Portland tummy tuck patients say they love exercising and have far more mobility and stamina once they’ve had their excess abdominal skin removed. This can, in turn, spur on an even healthier lifestyle and motivate patients to continue exercising and eating right.

Improved Posture

Weakened abdominal muscles and cumbersome excess skin are often associated with lordosis (also called sway back). Through the tightening of the abdominal muscles during tummy tuck surgery, this and other posture issues are often rectified. Stronger core muscles will better support the spine and can even improve back pain.

Boosted Confidence

Lastly, getting rid of loose tummy skin and smoothing and tightening the abdominal muscles can greatly improve your confidence. It can make wearing clothes, going to the beach, and being intimate with your partner far more comfortable and relaxed.

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Board-Certified Portland Plastic Surgeon

Meet Dr. Aghayan

Board-certified plastic surgeon in Portland Dr. Aric Aghayan is proud to offer advanced cosmetic procedures and treatments for Portland area men and women at Après Plastic Surgery.

Trained in general and plastic surgery at Oregon Health & Science University, Dr. Aghayan also spent years serving as a medical officer in the Navy. With years of experience and training, Dr. Aghayan performs plastic surgery with an artistic eye and scientific precision so his patients get beautiful, natural-looking results.

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Surgery Preparation for Tummy Tuck

If you are interested in a tummy tuck Portland patients are encouraged to book a consultation appointment with Dr. Aghayan. At your appointment, the two of you will go over your medical history together, so remember to bring your medical records, including any current medications or supplements you are taking or treatment you are undergoing.

In some cases, Portland plastic surgeon, Dr. Aghayan, may want you to get some lab tests or medical evaluations. As the date of your surgery nears, he may also ask you to adjust your current medications or supplements, stop smoking, and stop drinking. All patients and procedures are different, so you will receive personalized surgery prep instructions from Dr. Aghayan.

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Tummy Tuck Procedure Details

At our practice in Portland tummy tucks are typically performed as outpatient procedures, which means you should be able to go home on the same day as your surgery. In general, all tummy tucks will follow the same pattern during surgery:

  • Administration of General Anesthesia – All tummy tuck surgeries are performed under general anesthesia.
  • Incisions – Dr. Aghayan will decide on the placement of the necessary incisions before surgery. For most full tummy tucks, the main incision is made just above the pubic hairline and below the navel. When an individual has severe hanging skin, they may benefit from an extended tummy tuck, which means a hip to hip scar will be necessary. Smaller incisions can be used for those with minimal skin laxity. If skin in the upper abdomen needs to be removed, a secondary incision may be made around the belly button.
  • Muscle Repair – The abdominal muscles are repaired and tightened.
  • Removal of excess skin – The abdominal skin is pulled down, and the excess is cut off. When necessary, a small incision is made in the appropriate location for the new placement of the belly button.
  • Closure of the incisions – Finally, the incisions will be carefully secured with skin adhesives, clips, tapes, or sutures.

Tummy Tuck Results

You can expect to see noticeable changes immediately after your tummy tuck surgery, but full results typically take around 6-12 weeks as swelling subsides. The final look will reveal a tighter, flatter abdomen with more defined contours around the waist. Patients often experience improved posture and greater core stability, especially if muscle repair is part of the procedure.

Results are considered long-lasting, particularly with a healthy lifestyle, although weight fluctuations and future pregnancies could affect the outcome.

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Tummy Tuck Recovery

Once your tummy tuck surgery is over, you will be closely monitored until you are discharged. It’s important to have someone you trust pick you up to take you home as driving will be impossible, and it will also be a challenge to walk and stand at first.

You will be given compression garments to wear and detailed post-operative instructions to follow. It is critical that you closely follow these instructions, as failure to do so may result in poor wound healing, poor scarring, undesired results, and even infection or further injury. The first few days after surgery will be the most difficult, so it’s important to take it easy and rest. Do not lift heavy objects or perform any strenuous activities. As you attend your postoperative appointments with Dr. Aghayan, he will let you know when you can resume normal activity. General daily activities should be able to recommence about two weeks after surgery. You can expect to start exercising around eight weeks post-op.

Tummy Tuck Aftercare

Proper aftercare is crucial to ensure smooth healing and long-lasting results from your tummy tuck. Be mindful of your body’s limitations, and follow these important steps:

  • Incision Care: Keep your incisions clean and dry, following Dr. Aghayan’s specific care instructions. Avoid submerging the area in water until you are cleared to do so.
  • Compression Garments: Wear your compression garment as instructed to minimize swelling, provide support, and promote optimal skin retraction.
  • Scar Prevention: Use silicone sheets or creams, as recommended, to reduce scar visibility. Protect the incision area from direct sunlight, as UV exposure can darken scars.
  • Rest and Gentle Movement: While rest is important, light walking is encouraged to aid circulation and prevent complications like blood clots. Avoid lifting anything heavy or engaging in strenuous activities until cleared by Dr. Aghayan.

Maintaining a stable weight and a healthy lifestyle will help preserve your results long-term.

Cost of Tummy Tuck in Oregon

The cost of a tummy tuck in Portland, Oregon can vary depending on several factors such as the surgeon’s experience, the geographic location, the type of anesthesia used, and the extent of the surgery required. On average, a tummy tuck in Portland, Oregon, can cost between $7,000 to $12,000. It is important to note that this cost may not include additional fees such as facility fees, anesthesia fees, and pre-operative testing. Additionally, the cost may be higher if the surgery requires extensive work or if there are any complications during the procedure.

Complementary Procedures

Breast reduction surgery is often combined with procedures such as:

LIPOSUCTION

Liposuction is the most common cosmetic procedure to be combined with a tummy tuck. This is largely because the procedure can be performed at the same time as a tummy tuck and targets the same area. Many patients who seek removal of excess skin on the abdomen are also concerned about small bits of fat located in a “pooch” in the lower abdomen. Liposuction can take care of this.

BODY CONTOURING

If excess skin is a problem on the abdomen, it can sometimes be an issue elsewhere in the body as well. This is often the case for patients who have recently undergone significant weight loss. Excess skin on the upper arms, back, thighs, and buttocks can also be reduced with the aid of body contouring procedures such as lower body lifts or thigh lifts.

MOMMY MAKEOVERS

Tummy tucks are usually one of the main procedures for mommy makeovers.

Mommy makeovers are compound cosmetic surgeries that involve several different procedures. Together, they can help a mom who is finished having children reclaim her pre-baby body. Because the skin on the stomach is stretched so significantly during pregnancy, it often hangs loose and sagging after birth. A mommy makeover tummy tuck can get rid of this excess skin give mom her confidence back.

Tummy Tuck Frequently Asked Questions

Like any surgery, a tummy tuck comes with some risks, including anesthesia complications, infection, poor wound healing, or scarring. However, these risks are rare, and most patients recover without issues.

There are three main types of tummy tucks: full, extended, and mini. If excess skin is a problem on both the upper and lower abdomen, a full tummy tuck will be necessary to produce the best results. An extended tummy tuck is best for those who would like to also address problems of excess skin on the upper thighs and hips. Finally, a mini tummy tuck can help best with what you might call a belly “pooch” — a small area of excess skin just below the belly button.

You should be at a healthy stable weight for your age, sex, and body type prior to surgery.

This isn’t a simple question to answer because the two procedures are entirely different. Even though they are often combined within body contouring procedures and mommy makeovers, they produce very different results. Liposuction aims to reduce small pockets of stubborn fat — usually located in the abdomen but sometimes located elsewhere like the upper arms, thighs, buttocks, and flanks. Tummy tucks, on the other hand, get rid of excess abdominal skin and strengthen weakened or separated abdominal muscles.

Tummy tucks can be performed on both adult men and women, and there really is no age limit. Any age can be the right age. With that said, women usually make up the majority of tummy tuck patients, and they tend to seek this procedure in their late 30s and early 40s when they reach a point in life where they do not plan to have more children.

You should not expect to lose weight with a tummy tuck as it is not a weight loss procedure. In fact, we would like you to be at a healthy, stable weight prior to your surgery. If you are interested in losing small amounts of fat on your abdomen, tummy tuck surgeries are often combined with liposuction.

Any type of invasive surgery involving incisions will necessarily result in some minimal scarring. Naturally, what tummy tuck scars you have after surgery will depend on where your incisions were made. Low horizontal scars along the pubic hair line will be lightly visible, but you can mitigate the appearance of this and other scars by following the postoperative instructions given to you by Dr. Aghayan closely. Furthermore, keep in mind that such a low horizontal scar will be invisible in most clothing, including underwear and bikini bottoms.

A tummy tuck itself does not remove fat from the belly. When combined with liposuction, however, you can reduce small pockets of belly fat. During the liposuction process, fat cells will be permanently removed, which means they will never return. However, this does not mean that you cannot regain weight in your belly after a tummy tuck-liposuction contouring procedure. If your weight is not managed properly through a healthy diet and regular exercise, it is still possible for the remaining fat cells in your abdomen to expand.

Tummy tuck patients have loose, hanging skin on their abdomens that they would like to get rid of. Before you can qualify for the surgery, however, it is important that you are in good overall physical health and that you have realistic expectations concerning the outcome of your procedure. Many candidates for tummy tuck surgery are moms who are done having children and would like to regain their pre-baby tummy. Many others are those who have recently achieved significant weight loss, either through diet and exercise or weight loss surgery. Of course, anyone may benefit from a tummy tuck. Sometimes, time and gravity are the simple culprits that cause loose abdominal skin in older adults.

Tummy tucks are performed under general anesthesia, so during your surgery, you will not feel pain. After your tummy tuck, it is common to experience some discomfort near the treated area. Pain will vary from patient to patient and will likely be worst in the first three days after surgery. Following a tummy tuck Portland patients should follow the postoperative instructions given to you by Dr. Aghayan in order to mitigate pain. Overall discomfort will reduce as time goes on and swelling and inflammation go down.

If you undergo a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) procedure, it is likely that you will have scars as a result. Tummy tuck scars are an inevitable part of the procedure, as the surgeon will make incisions in the abdominal area to remove excess skin and fat and tighten the underlying muscles. Tummy tuck scars after 5 years will depend on the extent of the surgery and the technique used by your surgeon. Typically, the scar will be located along the lower abdomen, above the pubic area, and may extend horizontally from hip to hip. In some cases, a second incision may be made around the belly button.

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Embrace Your Evolution

Enjoy the pinnacle of cosmetic surgery expertise with board-certified Portland Plastic Surgeon Dr. Aric Aghayan at Après Plastic Surgery. With a legacy of over 1600 successful body contouring procedures, Dr. Aghayan stands as the foremost specialist in advanced body contouring technology and treatment options. Take the next big step on your beauty journey by scheduling a comprehensive plastic surgery consultation with Dr. Aghayan today.

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