Does it Take Guts to Get a Tummy Tuck?

The fear factor of cosmetic surgery prevents many people from reaping the benefits. If you picture a large vacuum hose, open surgery and a long recovery, Dr. Alan Greenberg with North Texas Cosmetic Surgery wants to reassure you. Today’s tummy tucks are minimally invasive, in-office procedures that require far less recovery time and cost less than you’d expect.

Traditional versus Today’s Tummy Tuck

Dr. Greenberg often combines a tummy tuck (removing loose skin) with liposuction (removing excess fat) in a lipoabdominoplasty. This tumescent tummy tuck uses a new surgical method with three key benefits:

1. Patients experience faster recovery time thanks to tumescent (local) anesthesia. In the past, tummy tucks were performed under general anesthesia, and required surgical drains and electrocauterization, causing bruising and tenderness. Tumescent solutions, strategically injected in the surgical area, plump fat deposits for easier removal and help control blood loss.
2. There is a reduced risk of numbness associated with today’s tummy tucks because cosmetic surgeons use minimally invasive techniques to perform the procedure.
3. Local anesthesia enables patients to comfortably stand for a brief time during a tummy tuck enabling them to use the restroom on their own and avoiding the need for a urine bladder catheter.

You may need a tummy tuck if you’ve recently lost a great deal of weight, or after pregnancy has stretched out your abdomen. Dr. Greenberg, a skilled cosmetic surgeon, will remove fat and stretch loose skin, repair and tighten the muscle and fine-tune the belly button.

Men and women who are close to their ideal body weight, but have loose skin or a “pooch” resistant to diet and exercise may be good candidates for tummy tucks at North Texas Cosmetic Surgery. Contact Dr. Greenberg’s Frisco office to learn about tummy tuck recovery, risks and expected results. Visit the website for before-and-after photos.