Tummy Tuck

Kansas City Plastic Surgeon serving Overland Park, Leawood & Nearby Areas of Kansas & Missouri

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The stomach, also known as the abdomen, is one of the most difficult areas of your body to lose weight and tighten muscles. Women who have had children, or those who’ve recently lost a large amount of weight often struggle with loose abdominal muscles, stubborn pockets of fat, and excess skin. A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) procedure can address all of those concerns at once.

Our plastic surgeon has developed a surgical plan and technique that helps each patient achieve their individual goals for their body shape.

If you’re interested in sculpting your figure with a tummy tuck, please contact Dr. Levi Young in Leawood today at 913-341-2188 to schedule your consultation. Advanced Cosmetic Surgery serves patients in the greater Kansas City area including Leawood, Kansas.

Dr. Young emphasizes patient education and will discuss all aspects of the tummy tuck procedure with you during your thorough consultation. Our patients come with many questions.Some of the details you as a patient should know include:

What Is an Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)?

The tummy tuck is a surgical procedure which aims to sculpt your figure into a thinner, firmer shape. The process involves restoring abdominal muscles that have separated from the abdominal wall or weakened over time due to bodily changes such as childbirth and massive weight loss. Loose, excess skin tissue is removed from the abdomen during the tummy tuck surgery to create a slimmer figure with a flatter abdomen.

Dr. Young sets himself apart from other plastic surgeons as he also utilizes liposuction during a tummy tuck to give you the best results possible. While some fat is removed during the traditional procedure, Dr. Young wants to give you a figure you’re proud to show off, which often requires liposuction to get rid of residual or stubborn areas of fat.

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Tummy Tuck Following Pregnancy & Weight Loss

stretch marks on woman's stomach

Many, if not most, of our tummy tuck patients are opting for cosmetic surgery to address lax skin and loose muscles left over from pregnancy. The abdominal wall is weakened and separated due to childbirth. Some of this may get better over time, but many moms struggle with the appearance of their stomach. Exercise and diet can help you get rid of unwanted fat, but can’t address loose muscles and excess skin. A tummy tuck is a great way to correct these problems, but you need to be sure you’re done having children as another pregnancy could reverse some, or all, of your results.

Men and women who have lost massive amounts of weight struggle with similar issues. They’re left with loose skin in their abdomen and many other areas of their body, which prevents them from enjoying the results they’ve worked diligently to achieve. A tummy tuck, sometimes referred to as weight loss surgery, gets rid of all the extra skin, leaving you with stunning results that showcase your hard work. Similar to the pregnancy clause, you’ll need to be at or near your goal weight and have proven you can keep the pounds off for six months or longer.

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Candidates for a Tummy Tuck

Tummy tuck candidates must be at least 18 years old and in good health. It’s important to be at or near your ideal weight, and women who’ve recently given birth will need to wait 6-9 months before considering an invasive cosmetic procedure, especially tummy tuck surgery. Your abdominal wall and muscles need time to recover from the stress pregnancy and childbirth put on your body.

Qualifying aspects for tummy tuck candidates include the following:

  • You have excess fat and loose skin in your upper and lower abdomen and waist
  • You’re at or near your goal weight
  • You’re at least 18 years old
  • You’re in excellent health with no medical conditions that can complicate the procedure and your results such as heart, lung, or kidney problems
  • You’re done having children and breastfeeding
  • You have the time needed to recover fully; you’ll need at least two weeks off of work
  • Your children don’t require being picked up, or you have help at home for the kids
  • You have realistic expectations for the results we can achieve with an abdominoplasty

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The Tummy Tuck Procedure

Infographic Explains Dr. Levi Young's Tummy Tuck Technique

Dr. Young performs tummy tuck surgery differently than most plastic surgeons. His technique involves extensive muscle repositioning and liposuction in several areas. The goal is to give you an hourglass figure or a flatter, thinner shape, which means your tummy tuck procedure must be customized to fit your specific goals.

Our board-certified plastic surgeon performs tummy tuck surgery in three main stages:

  1. Liposuction: Dr. Young starts with a few small incisions in the stomach and lower back then uses tumescent liposuction to remove fat from the flanks (love handles) and hips to accentuate your waistline and an hourglass figure.
  2. Muscle Repositioning & Tightening: He makes the traditional incision in the lower abdomen along the underwear line and tightens your abdominal muscles. Your abdominal wall is like an internal corset, and the goal is to strengthen and reshape the wall, which has usually been stressed out by pregnancy. By bringing those muscle edges down the center of the back toward the midline, Dr. Young is able to flatten the inside of your abdominal wall.
  3. Excess Skin Removal: Another small incision is made at or just above where your belly button sits. The loose or sagging skin left from weight loss or pregnancy is excised.

Dr. Young uses liposuction in addition to the traditional tummy tuck procedure because he has the whole picture in mind. His artistic eye transforms your entire torso, not just the excess skin in the front. Bringing up the waistline with the help of liposuction tends to give our patients the best results possible.

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Mini Abdominoplasty Candidates

There are two types of tummy tucks: the full abdominoplasty and the mini abdominoplasty. Dr. Young spends 20-30 minutes with you during your initial consultation to discuss your goals and the areas of your stomach you struggle with the most. That helps us determine if a tummy tuck is right for you, and which variation will give you the best body shape.

Most women are better candidates for a full tummy tuck because more skin and fat is removed. The full procedure addresses both the upper and lower abdomen, but a select few may benefit from the mini tummy tuck.

Mini tummy tuck candidates should meet these criteria:

  • You don’t have a lot of lax skin or loose abdominal muscles
  • Your main concern is your lower abdomen where many men and women develop a “pooch.”
  • You’re least 18 years old
  • You’re in good health and don’t have any medical conditions that can potentially cause complications or hinder results
  • You’re at or near your goal weight
  • You’re done having children and no longer breastfeeding.
  • You have the time required to recover

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The Mini Tummy Tuck Procedure

woman with slight lower belly 'pooch'

The mini abdominoplasty is performed the same as the full tummy tuck, but focuses on the lower abdomen. There’s no need for an incision around the belly button, so Dr. Young can make a narrower incision below the belly button area. The mini procedure still involves liposuction of the love handles and hips, but a lot more liposuction is performed on the front half of the abdomen. There’s less lax skin to be removed, so the focus can be on addressing the “pooch” many women develop after childbirth.

Excess skin is still removed during the mini tummy tuck, but much less than the full abdominoplasty surgery, and it’s only excised from the lower area of your stomach.

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Abdominoplasty Recovery Time

A tummy tuck is one of the more uncomfortable cosmetic surgeries to recover from due to the work we do on your abdominal wall. You’ll have tightness or tension in your abdomen during recovery. You’ll need at least two weeks away from work and help with small children at home. You will also need to limit your mobility for six weeks.

Dr. Young will see you for several follow-up appointments to make sure you’re healing as expected and are happy with your tummy tuck results. You’ll come in one week, two weeks, six weeks, six months, and one year after your abdominoplasty.

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Tummy Tuck Scars

Many men and women worry about the scars from an abdominoplasty surgery. The full tummy tuck involves a wide incision between the hips, which can often be concealed with underwear and swimwear in the summer. If you’ve had a cesarean birth in the past, that hipline incision can help reduce or cover the visibility of your current scar. The other scar our patients worry about is the incision around the belly button.

The belly button incision is another part of the tummy tuck procedure that sets Dr. Young apart from other plastic surgeons. He tries to minimize the visibility of the belly button scar as much as possible. To do that, he shortens the belly button so the scar tissue is pulled down into the curvature of your belly button so it’s hidden inside the hole.

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Why Choose Our Plastic Surgeon in Leawood?

Dr. Young has always been an artist. His paintings and other works can be found throughout our Advanced Cosmetic Surgery office. He brings that artistry into the surgical realm, using attention to detail and keeping your whole “look” in mind, Dr. Young sculpts your body into a creative work of beauty.

Advanced Cosmetic Surgery provides a welcoming environment where patients can ask and learn about each detail involved in the tummy tuck procedure—before, during, and after. Dr. Young is ABPS board-certified and has been voted one of the top doctors in the Kansas City area and won awards for excellent patient satisfaction for several years running.

A great review for Kansas City plastic surgeon Dr. Levi Young

Schedule Your Tummy Tuck Consultation

At Advanced Cosmetic Surgery, our professional staff are dedicated to helping you achieve your dream beauty and aesthetic goals. With state-of-the-art technology and equipment, we strive to provide premium care and service, and provide you with the best results possible.

If you’re interested in a full or mini tummy tuck, please contact Dr. Levi J. Young in Leawood today! Call 913-341-2188 to schedule your consultation or click here to send us an Appointment Request Form. Advanced Cosmetic Surgery serves clients in Leawood and the greater Kansas City, Kansas area.

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