Abdominoplasty, also known as the tummy tuck, is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures in the United States. Ideal for patients with excessive skin and tissue in the abdominal region. Additionally, a tummy tuck addresses the separated abdominal wall muscles (diastasis recti) that can develop after weight fluctuations and pregnancy.

In addition to reviewing the benefits of the procedure and the expected recovery time with your surgeon, it will be important to understand the incision scar that will remain after surgery if you are considering a tummy tuck.

Types of abdominoplasty incisions
Commonly, the incisions for a tummy tuck extend from hip bone to hip bone and also include a small incision around the belly button. This permits your surgeon to remove all tissue below and just above the navel. Additionally, any stretch marks in that area will be eliminated. The belly button is brought out through a new incision, but its original location on the abdominal wall is maintained. If liposuction is part of your procedure, these additional incisions are typically made in the area of tissue to be removed and are very small.

The mini tummy tuck is ideal for patients with minimal excess skin or limited roundness just below the belly button. This can be accomplished with a shorter incision, typically the same or slightly longer than a standard C-section scar. Typically, the incision and recovery time for a mini tummy tuck are shorter than for a conventional abdominoplasty.

Patients with excessive skin due to multiple pregnancies or significant weight loss may be recommended an extended incision. Patients who have successfully lost more than 100 pounds through gastric bypass or diet and exercise may have horizontal and vertical laxity and excess tissue. Sometimes, the procedure is referred to as a fleur-de-lis tummy tuck. In addition to the standard incision for a tummy tuck, a vertical incision is made from the lower breastbone to the pubic bone. The ultimate scar will resemble a large inverted T.

Taking care of your incision to reduce scarring
Regardless of the planned incision for your tummy tuck, it is essential to review your plastic surgeon’s aftercare instructions to ensure the best possible scar formation. The majority of surgeons use surgical glue, steri strips, or paper tape during surgery. After two weeks, they may switch you to a scar cream, and some will use laser therapy to optimize scar remodeling after surgery.

For the first few months following surgery, it will be essential to keep your incision out of direct sunlight and to use sunscreen to ensure that your scar heals to its fullest potential. A full year will be required for the scar to completely fade.