What is a Tummy Tuck Specialist?

A Tummy Tuck Specialist is a Doctor who specializes in Abdominoplasty.  Like in many fields, a Plastic Surgeon can specialize in certain areas of interest and study. For Plastic Surgeons, they specialize in areas of the body; face, breasts, stomach, legs, etc… When a Plastic Surgeon “specializes” in certain area of the body it can mean a few things: A. they enjoy working on this area of the body B. They typically have an advanced technique that they have developed that yields extraordinarily beautiful results and C. They have had the chance to perform 100′s of the same procedure, each case proving to be unique in their own right.

What this means is that each individual patient gets beautiful results by a physician who understands the surgery and has a working knowledge of how the same procedure can uniquely benefit each patient. Also a Tummy Tuck specialist performs his/her own special twist on a technique. For example: Dr. Ivan Thomas, Tummy Tuck Specialist in Beverly Hills, performs what is called a High Lateral Tension Tummy Tuck. Not only is this a more advanced technique Tummy Tuck, but Dr. Thomas also added a unique  variation to the technique, which results in tighter and flatter results for his patients. Qualification as a “Tummy Tuck Specialist” can only come from years of experience, repetition, a flawless reputation and proper certification.

What type of certifications should a Tummy Tuck Specialist have?

With any plastic surgery physician, a patient should look for certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). This ensures that the Physician has gone through rigorous training and board certification by the only board in American who is able to deem medical specialties, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).

Things a Tummy Tuck Specialist will evaluate for candidacy

A Tummy Tuck specialist will evaluate the potential patient for candidacy before recommending a Tummy Tuck procedure. A reputable Tummy Tuck Specialist will consider.

• How much intro –abdominal fat (inside fat) the patient has
• How much fat the patient has underneath the skin
• The extent of laxity that the patient’s stomach muscles & skin
• The patients skin elasticity and thickness
• The patient’s overall health and medical history
• The patient’s ideal weight and size
• If the patient has realistic expectations for their final results

Skin Types

It is true that each skin type responds differently to trauma to the skin. Some skins heal better than others, following a Tummy Tuck surgery. The general rule is the darker the skin type the more visible the scar. However there are exceptions to that rule. We have seen good to bad Tummy Tuck scars in all skin types.

Overstretched Tummy Tucks

Dr. Thomas will leave a normal laxity in the stomach skin when he performs his advanced Tummy Tuck technique, named the High Lateral Tension Tummy Tuck.  By leaving a normal laxity in the skin it prevents Tummy Tuck scars from having too much tension, which creates a more difficult environment for a Tummy Tuck scar to heal. When Tummy Tuck wounds are closed too tightly and the skin is over stretched,  scars may become more visible.

Tummy Tuck Scar Revision

Scar Revision in a Tummy Tuck means the unfavorable scar is excised usually under local anesthesia and the wound is re-stitched using plastic surgical techniques. Following scar revision the reunited wounds should be treated with silicone gel preparation or silicon gel pads for several months. Scar revision is not always successful. Recurrences are not unusual.

Statistics show that women of today are ever more conscious of their aesthetic appearance and those with careers of any field show even more concern about their overall appearance in this competitive driven society since success equals living up to higher expectations, including overall appearance.

The battle of the buldge is a difficult feat and even the fittest of them all sometimes cannot get rid of the stubborn excess skin hanging from below the belly. Excess skin below the navel can either be caused from pregnancy or previous weight gain and loss. Following pregnancy the abdominal wall contracts back to normal position but the skin that had stretched has no way to shrink so it is now loose excess skin either hanging below the navel as well as the back and sides creating “Love Handles”. Previous cycles of weight gain and loss without pregnancy can cause the same result.

A Mini Tummy Tuck procedure can be a simple answer to many experiencing this problem. A Mini Tummy Tuck is ideal for patients who do not have a full budging abdomen or muscle laxity, but instead only have excess skin below the navel.

So, if you have been consistent in working out and notice that a small pooch remains and is not extremely noticeable but that maybe you just can’t quite fit into those jeans as comfortable as you’d like or that you find yourself reaching for a body shaper to hide those “Love Handles” or slight buldge, then a Mini Tummy Tuck may be the right answer for you.

Dr.Thomas is a highly skilled plastic surgeon, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery who has been in practice for 27 years.  He has extensive experience in both Mini and Full Tummy Tuck. Mini Tummy Tuck is much less invasive, therefore requires much less recovery time. Absorbable sutures are used under the skin surface so there is no need for stitch removal. You can see the results immediately after surgery since the loose hanging skin is no longer there.
*It is recommended to have the surgery after achieving the personalized target weight for optimal result.