Tummy Tuck in Nashville, TN -Abdominoplasty
A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is surgery to smooth, flatten, and firm your abdomen.
Aging, weight changes, or pregnancy can leave your abdominal area looking stretched with loose skin, pockets of stubborn fat, and splayed abdominal muscles, which often persist even when you’re close to your ideal weight. Separated and weakened abdominal muscles can leave you with a bulging lower belly.
Tummy tuck surgery tightens loose abdominal skin, removes excess fat, and reconnects separated abdominal muscles to give you back your firm, flat belly and your youthful profile. It is one of the most popular and transformative plastic surgery procedures.
To learn more about tummy tuck surgery and how it might benefit you, contact Nashville Plastic Surgery today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Michael Cash. Dr. Cash has attained board certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He has the training and expertise to perform complex reconstructive surgery and customized cosmetic procedures with remarkably natural-looking results.
Why Choose Dr. Cash for Tummy Tuck Surgery?
Your choice of tummy tuck surgeon is the paramount decision you’ll make in the process. Ample experience with this procedure is crucial. Always choose a surgeon who is board-certified through the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), which is the only valid board certification for a plastic surgeon.
Choose a surgeon who listens and whose results demonstrate a flexible and customized approach. A skilled surgeon will tailor the details of each cosmetic procedure to your unique needs and desires. As one of the best tummy tuck surgeons in Nashville, Dr. Cash will spend time with you to understand the results you hope to achieve. He’ll explain what you should realistically expect, plus the risks and costs. He equips his patients with the knowledge they need to confidently make decisions, always treating everyone with respect and attention.
Am I a Good Candidate for a Tummy Tuck?
Dr. Cash can tell you if you are a good candidate for a tummy tuck in your consultation. You may be a good candidate for the procedure if you:
- Are unhappy with the appearance of your abdomen because of loose skin, pockets of stubborn fat, and/or bulging due to weakened abdominal muscles
- Are in generally good health
- Are not significantly overweight
- Do not smoke, or are willing to quit for several weeks before and after the procedure
Note that a tummy tuck is not a substitute for weight loss with healthy eating and exercise habits. For optimal and long-lasting results, wait to have a tummy tuck until you are at a healthy weight and your weight has remained stable for several months. Women are advised to wait until they are finished having children before having abdominoplasty surgery.
What Does Tummy Tuck Surgery Involve?
Tummy tuck surgery is performed while the patient is under general anesthesia.
- Dr. Cash will make an incision in a curve across the lower edge of the abdomen from hip bone to hip bone, just above the pubic area.
- A shorter incision may be used for a partial abdominoplasty or “mini tummy tuck,” which tightens loose skin in the area below the belly button.
- If needed, separated abdominal muscles are reconnected to firm and flatten the abdomen and pull in the waist.
- Excess fat is removed, often using liposuction.
- Excess skin is removed, and the remaining skin is pulled smooth and reattached.
- The navel may be repositioned upward to a natural and youthful-looking position through a small additional incision.
- When all changes have been made, Dr. Cash will close the incisions and apply a sterile dressing.
Tummy tuck surgery typically takes two to three hours, sometimes longer if extensive changes are being made.
When the anesthesia has worn off and you are fully alert, you can go home. You’ll need a friend or family member to drive you and stay with you, at least for the first night.
At Nashville Plastic Surgery, our mission is to treat you with the utmost respect, help you make an educated decision, and provide you with the finest medical services in a safe and professional environment.
Dr. Cash, our board-certified plastic surgeon, specializes in breast augmentation, tummy tuck, liposuction, and more. Schedule a consultation today to learn more!
Why Might I Consider the Best Tummy Tuck in Nashville?
You might choose to have a tummy tuck if you are unhappy with the appearance of your belly after weight loss, pregnancy, or the changes of aging. A tummy tuck can make you look younger and fitter, and that transformation can make you feel better about your body and yourself.
You might choose to have a tummy tuck if you are unhappy with the appearance of your belly after weight loss, pregnancy, or the changes of aging. A tummy tuck can:
- Removes excess skin that has stretched and remains loose or saggy
- Repairs and tightens separated abdominal muscles
- Removes pockets of abdominal fat that are resistant to weight-loss efforts
- Flattens and firms a bulgy abdomen and pulls in the waist for greater definition
Planning Your Tummy Tuck
Your tummy tuck procedure at Nashville Plastic Surgery starts with a consultation with Dr. Cash. He will examine you, ask questions to learn your medical history and understand your goals for the procedure, listen to your concerns, and answer your questions.
When he has a full understanding of your wishes, he will recommend a surgical approach that will give you the results you want with the least risk. He will describe what the procedure entails, its risks and cost, and what you can expect in recovery as you heal from the surgery.
Dr. Cash’s goal in every cosmetic procedure is to produce the most natural-looking results with the least discomfort and lowest level of risk for the patient.
What to Expect in Tummy Tuck Recovery
You’ll need some time for rest and recovery at home after your surgery. You should plan to take about two weeks off from work or longer if your job requires lifting or strenuous activity.
You should expect to experience some discomfort in the first few days, which you can manage with pain medication. You’ll find it difficult to stand fully upright or bend at the waist, for example, and may need help getting up from bed for the first two or three days. You may also experience some swelling and bruising in the treated area.
Dr. Cash will provide you with detailed instructions on how to take care of yourself as you recover, when to see him for follow-up appointments, and how to reach him with any concerns. You can resume light activities and some exercise after about two weeks, gradually building up to your typical activity level by about six weeks after surgery. Strenuous exercises that use your abdominal muscles, like sit-ups or weightlifting, may require a bit more time.
Schedule Your Nashville Tummy Tuck Consultation Today
Contact Nashville Plastic Surgery online or by calling (615) 454-2271 to schedule a consultation for a tummy tuck with Dr. Cash. He will examine you, ask questions to understand your goals for the procedure, and give his recommendations for the best and safest approach. Patients in metro Nashville and throughout middle Tennessee choose Dr. Cash as their cosmetic surgeon because of his ability to create stunning results and the caring attention he and his staff provide.
Tummy Tuck FAQs
Patients can visit our website for general information prior to their consultation. We encourage them to write down questions to go over during their consultation.
In general the information that will be helpful when deciding if you are a good candidate for a tummy tuck includes: how many pregnancies you have had, any weight gain/loss, are you at a goal weight and have you been there for approximately 6 months, do you plan on having children in the future, any abdominal operations you might have had, and any medications or supplements you might be taking.
After your consultation, you will receive a cosmetic quote. Once you have reviewed the quote and are ready to proceed you will work with the office staff to schedule. We will work with you to choose the best surgery date for your schedule.
A tummy tuck operation takes approximately 2-3 hours, depending what needs to be included in your operation. The length of time may change depending on the need for abdominal muscle repair or liposuction.
You should plan to arrive approximately 2 hours prior to your scheduled operation time. You will meet with Dr. Cash and the anesthesiologist the morning of the operation discuss the operation and any concerns you may have. The nursing staff will assist you in getting prepped for surgery. A typical tummy tuck procedure lasts about 2-3 hours and you will be under general anesthesia. Typically, you will then spend roughly an hour in recovery and then go home the same day. The pain medication called into your pharmacy prior to their surgery day so that you can pick it up before your operation.
Repairing the abdominal muscles or correcting a diastasis recti is a routine component of the full abdominoplasty. However, this is not mandatory for all patients. Some patients only have excess skin and do not require the repair of the abdominal muscles. We will discuss this at your consultation and a plan will be in place prior to the operation regarding repair of the muscle.
There will be an improvement in the contour of the abdomen on the front and the sides after an abdominoplasty. The six pack or abs showing after an abdominoplasty is dependent on the amount of soft tissue or fat over the abdominal muscles. However, the contour of the lateral aspect of the abs will be better defined, giving a more fit appearance.
You will be surprised to know how little the soft tissue removed from an abdominoplasty weighs. You should not expect a significant weight loss from the procedure alone. However we find that a tummy tuck can help people feel more comfortable exercising. It is important that all patients be at their ideal weight for at least 6 months prior to surgery. Significant weight loss after a tummy tuck can affect the cosmetic outcome leading to more excess skin.
It is certainly possible to address many areas of concern in the same operation. At your consultation we will discuss the areas that are of specific concern to you and we will come up with a safe operative plan that is specific to you. The length of the operation and the recovery must be considered when combining procedures so that you will recover in the quickest and safest manner possible.
The ability to become pregnant is not impacted by the operation, however, pregnancy may cause abdominal muscles to re-separate which is known as diastasis recti. Therefore, we recommend that the patient be finished having children before having a tummy tuck.
Yes, your belly button remains attached to your abdominal wall and it is pulled back through the skin that is pulled tight over the abdomen. You will have a scar around your belly button and one down by your bikini line.
The majority of the time your belly button remains attached to your abdominal wall and it is simply pulled back through the tight skin over the abdomen.
The cost of tummy tucks can vary depending on several factors. However, the cost can be more or less depending on the location, surgeon fees, anesthesia fees, facility fees, pre-operative testing fees, and any post-operative care. Additionally, if the patient requires additional procedures or has complicating factors, tummy tuck costs can increase. It’s important to understand that a tummy tuck is a significant surgical procedure and the cost should not be the sole deciding factor. Patients should research board-certified plastic surgeons, ask about their experience and training, and discuss the potential risks and benefits before making a decision.
The typical recovery for an abdominoplasty or a tummy tuck is 4-6 weeks. Most patients are taking 2-3 weeks off from work. We often find that patients can return to their normal daily activities within 2 weeks. However, they may experience some soreness for up to 4 weeks. Heavy lifting or core exercises should not be attempted for 6-8 weeks after the operation, which allows time for the muscle repair to fully heal.
We recommend waiting 6-8 weeks for high impact, abdominal and heavy lifting exercises. Most patients are cleared for walking and light exercises at 2-4 weeks.
We encourage no heavy lifting for at least 4 weeks. However, if anyone has children they know that sometimes the child just needs to be held. So we ask that you do your best and listen to your body. If you find it to be uncomfortable when you lift your child, it may indicate that you need to hold off for a bit longer.
Although there are ways to do a tummy tuck with no drains, most patients will have two drains and these will remain in place approximately 2-3 weeks.
No. All the sutures are all dissolvable and under the skin and therefore do not require removal.
After a tummy tuck, swelling is normal and typically takes several weeks to resolve. By removing the excess skin and belly fat below the belly button, the typical lymphatic drainage of the abdomen is changed temporarily. As the body heals, the drainage of the swelling is restored. For several weeks and a few months you can expect there to be intermittent swelling, especially as you become more active and return to your normal life. You will go home with foam and an abdominal binder that you will wear for approximately 6-8 weeks. This will help to reduce the swelling postoperatively and decreases the risk of seroma or fluid buildup.
Tightness is definitely expected. Normal movements are encouraged, but strain on the abdominal muscles will put tension on the muscle repair, so you should hold off on stretching, lifting or high impact movements for at least 4 weeks. We find that most patients are able to comfortably sit up from lying down by rolling to their side and using their arm to push themselves up.
The most common complications following a tummy tuck are a seroma which is a buildup of fluid under the skin, wound healing problems, and infection. These complications are not rare but may occur. We will discuss the risks of the operation in detail during your consultation.
The discomfort from a tummy tuck is often due to the repair of the muscle, though we have found that the anticipation of this pain preoperatively is much worse than it actually is postoperatively. In other words, people think this operation is much more painful than it actually is. Numbing medicine is injected into the abdominal muscles during the operation which helps with postoperative recovery and oral pain medication after the operation often manages the discomfort well and the patient recovers quickly.
We always say that it is important to choose a surgeon who you trust and feel comfortable calling in the middle of the night if you have a concern or question is the best surgeon for you. Finding a board certified plastic surgeon in Nashville, TN who you feel understands your desires and is honest and straightforward with regard to realistic outcomes is crucial for you to achieve your best result.