Tummy Tuck in Dover, OH

Get a Flatter Belly with Lipo-Abdominoplasty

There are several reasons a person’s belly may look loose—including excess skin from prior pregnancies or weight loss, stubborn fat, and unattractive c-section-type scars—which is why there are several surgical solutions that can come together under a single umbrella of a procedure: the tummy tuck. Ohio residents in Dover, Akron, New Philadelphia, Canton, and beyond can get a smoother, more athletic-looking abdomen at Fine Arts Skin & Laser, where Dr. David Hartman performs what he calls “Lipo-Abdominoplasty.”

As the name implies, the procedure includes liposuction to raise and free the loose skin in the least traumatic way, before it is trimmed and reset into a natural skin line below the swimwear line area, in most cases.

Each tummy tuck—including Dr. Hartman’s Lipo-Abdominoplasty—is customized to the patient, though all of them focus on re-contouring an abdomen marked by loose, sagging tissue. Common causes of this flabby look are pregnancies, previous section scars, or weight reduction—leaving behind stretched-out skin that is unable to conform to new, slimmer contours.

To that end, a tummy tuck can:

Reduce Fat

Even extremely committed dieters can be frustrated by fat cells that stubbornly refuse to change size. For patients who find that sit-ups build their abdominal muscles but fail to fully tame the bulge covering them, liposuction represents an effective solution. Dr. Hartman makes tiny incisions that allow him to access the unwanted fat so it can be suctioned out. If collected gently using the tumescent technique and then refined to remove everything but the targeted cells, this fat can be used for living-fat transfers, adding volume elsewhere on the body, such as beautification of breasts, face, or buttocks. If the fat transfer is not a factor, Dr. Hartman may use SmartLipo® Triplex® to first disrupt the fat cells with the laser before suctioning them out as part of a tummy tuck.

Remove Excess Skin

After making carefully placed incisions, strategically hidden by swimwear, Dr. Hartman frees the loose skin with the lipo sculpting cannulas, then re-drapes and trims the abdominal skin so that it lies smoother. For a visual reference, think of him pulling a sheet tight so that it is no longer wrinkled and bunched-up, hanging over the sides of the mattress. The excess skin is then trimmed away—which has the added potential benefit of also taking with it uneven scars, some stretch marks, or other blemishes.

Revise Scars

Dr. Hartman can revise unsightly abdominal scars from prior surgeries as necessary, making them less noticeable after a tummy tuck.

Anyone who wants to address a loose belly skin may be a candidate for this procedure. Ideal candidates should be in good general health and at a stable weight. Women who have experienced pregnancy often consider a tummy tuck due to the fact that their abdominal skin may not fully go back to its original shape on its own. For this reason, patients who have lost a significant amount of weight, either through lifestyle changes or weight-reduction surgery, are also good candidates for a tummy tuck.

Expect some initial bruising and swelling after the surgery, though these side effects will resolve as time goes by. The full timeline of recovery for a tummy tuck depends on which specific procedures are performed, though every lipo-abdominoplasty patient should plan on rest on a subsequent day, with only light activity for several days after surgery and on refraining from strenuous activity for several weeks.

The incision site should be properly cared for to ensure it heals well and the resulting scar is as unobtrusive as possible. The Fine Arts Skin & Laser team will provide detailed care instructions.

Women and men interested in a tummy tuck can discuss the cost with Dr. Hartman at an initial consultation when the various elements that make up the customized procedure can be determined. Patients who are interested in fat transfer for adding volume and sculpting other areas of the body, such as for breast augmentation or a Brazilian butt lift, can also discuss how these procedures can be combined in terms of pricing. Commonly chosen packages also include facial procedures, such as eyelid rejuvenation, brow lift, and facelift.