A Patient Case Study: True Form Tummy Tuck™ vs. Standard Tummy Tuck Results
Posted February 02, 2012 in Tummy Tuck
These before and after photos of a revision tummy tuck patient clearly illustrate some of the most common pitfalls I see with tummy tuck results and the more natural-looking results produced by the True Form Tummy Tuck™ procedure. This woman came to me for revision surgery because she was unhappy with the tummy tuck results she had received from a prior tummy tuck procedure. To restore a more natural-looking, attractive appearance to her abdomen, I addressed the following issues:
High incision placement:
This patient’s first incision was placed too high, making it difficult to hide. In her revision procedure, I positioned the incision lower so it can be more easily concealed beneath the bikini line.
Uneven skin tone:
In the before photo, you see an uneven distribution of skin tension between the upper and lower abdomen, with most of the tightness consisting beneath the belly button, while the skin is noticeably looser above it. I removed excess fat and skin both above and below the navel to create a more consistent skin tone between these regions.
Lack of abdominal definition:
In addition to restoring a flat, smooth look to her abdomen, I subtly redefined the natural features that are present on an attractive abdomen to give her a feminine, softly-contoured look.
Imbalanced waist proportions:
Because the body is seen as a unified whole, the appearance of the waist and hips are important elements to consider in creating harmony between the abdomen’s newly restored look and the rest of the body. I incorporated liposuction and other contouring techniques to give her waist a slimmer, well-defined contour that complements her abdomen’s flat, smooth appearance.
Step-off at the incision line:
An odd-looking step-off results when there is an uneven tissue thickness between the areas above and below the incision line. To correct this, I removed excess tissue to create a smooth, natural looking transition where the tucked skin meets the pubic hairline.
Poor navel contour and position:
Just as the skin and muscles become looser as a result of pregnancy and moderate weight gain followed by weight loss, these experiences also leave the belly button more stretched out. I restored a firmer, shapelier inward contour to the navel and moved it slightly upwards to a more natural position on her abdomen.
This patient’s photos illustrate the attention to detail that is necessary to create natural looking tummy tuck results. The revision patients I see are understandably disheartened and frustrated after investing time and money in a cosmetic plastic surgery procedure that left them with disappointing aesthetic results rather than the attractive abdominal appearance they anticipated receiving. Thankfully, many of their concerns often can be improved through revisional surgery in which I incorporate the key elements of the True Form Tummy Tuck™ to restore the abdomen’s beauty.
