Tummy Tuck

The tummy tuck procedure, also known as abdominoplasty surgery, is used to flatten and shape a bulging belly by tightening the abdominal wall muscles and removing excess skin and fat. These procedures are very common in patients who have lost massive amounts of weight. As we age and as we gain weight, our skin can be stretched to a point where it loses its elasticity and is unable to return to a tight fit against the body. When this happens, patients are left with a frustrating, inconvenient, and unsightly mass of skin around their former fat deposits.

Dr. Gaby Doumit has been performing tummy tucks for many years with phenomenal cosmetic results. Women with stretched abdominal skin due to previous pregnancies or patients with previous weight gain with excess skin and fat can experience a great outcome. Weight loss is a complicated journey, and your success should be celebrated. We want to help you reach the finish line in perfecting your body by helping you remove this excess skin with a fast, efficient procedure and a swift recovery.

If you want to reap the benefits of a toned, tightened abdomen by receiving a tummy tuck from Dr. Doumit, then do not hesitate to schedule a consultation with him at our Montréal office. If you have any questions about our practice, staff, or anything else, please feel free to call us at (514) 932 8200.

Before and After Photos

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About Tummy Tucks

After significant life events such as pregnancy, major weight loss, or simply due to the natural aging process, many individuals find that their abdominal muscles become stretched and their skin loses elasticity. These changes may result in sagging skin, protruding bellies, and stubborn pockets of fat that do not respond well to diet and exercise. If you feel self-conscious about your belly or have loose skin after losing weight or giving birth, a tummy tuck might be a great option for you.

There are four types of abdominoplasty procedures offered by Dr. Doumit. The degree of loose skin, excess fat, or laxity of abdominal muscle will determine whether a complete abdominoplasty, a partial mini abdominoplasty, a circumferential abdominoplasty, or lipo-abdominoplasty is right for you. You can discuss the differences between these four procedures with Dr. Doumit to decide which procedure is best for you.

Complete Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)

Dr Doumit will make two incisions. One incision is performed in the bikini line from hip bone to hip bone and the second is performed around the belly button. The rectus abdominis muscles are tightened to create a firm abdominal wall. Excess skin is then removed; the umbilicus is reattached in a natural position and the skin is closed. Dr. Doumit will extend the incision as needed in certain patients beyond the hip bone (extended abdominoplasty) to remove excess skin in the flanks. ⁽¹⁾

Partial Mini Abdominoplasty (Mini Tummy Tuck)

Mini tummy tuck (partial abdominoplasty) involves a shorter bikini incision and the navel incision is avoided. The skin is only lifted to the navel and often the muscles are not tightened. Mini tummy tuck is performed on patients with mild to moderate tummy bulge, little skin excess, and little weakness of the abdominal wall. ⁽²⁾

Circumferential Abdominoplasty

In patients with massive weight loss (more than 80 pounds/36 kilos), loose skin might extend towards the back. In those patients, the incision can be lengthened into the back area by performing a so-called “circumferential abdominoplasty.” ⁽²⁾

Lipo-Abdominoplasty

In patients with excess fat on their abdomen, Dr. Doumit may also recommend combining liposuction with a tummy tuck procedure (lipo-abdominoplasty) for the most effective results. This is normally incorporated to enhance body sculpting methods. Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure, rather it helps to remove pockets of fat that do not respond to dieting or exercise and enhance the patient’s body contours and image.

Benefits

Your weight loss success is no small achievement, so we understand that being left with excess skin can be another frustrating hurdle to overcome. An abdominoplasty procedure may be the last stretch of your body-sculpting journey, and we want to help you get there. Patients who receive a tummy tuck often experience increased happiness and a higher quality of life. Other benefits include:

Candidates

The ideal candidate for a tummy tuck is in good physical condition and has a combination of loose abdominal skin and excess abdominal fat that has not responded to exercise and diet.

A tummy tuck is very useful for women who have had children and have some stretched skin and abdominal wall laxity as a result. Female patients who plan to become pregnant are advised to postpone this procedure until they are done having children as the effect of abdominoplasty will diminish with new pregnancies. We encourage patients who intend to lose significant weight to do so before undergoing a tummy tuck, as their abdominal wall skin will loosen following significant weight loss. It is also recommended that patients be at or near their goal weight, as this prevents the need for revisional procedures. ⁽¹⁾

Personal Consultation

Dr. Doumit will take the time during your consultation to listen to your weight loss history and the goals for your procedure. He will also attentively examine your body to determine the best way to achieve your desired look. Dr. Doumit provides patients with a personalized treatment that takes into account their specific goals.

Procedure

Dr. Doumit will begin the tummy tuck procedure by making an incision along the patient’s bikini/underwear line. The length of the lower abdominal incision is determined by the amount of excess skin. A second incision is then placed around the navel. He will dissect the skin from the abdominal muscles, which are then pulled and sutured together to make for a firmer abdomen and narrower waist. ⁽¹⁾ Dr. Doumit will stretch the abdominal skin downward, remove excess skin, and reattach the belly button in a natural position. Finally, he will stitch the skin into place and apply sterile dressings.

The tummy tuck procedure generally requires two hours to complete. It is always performed under general anesthesia. ⁽²⁾ In almost all patients, tummy tuck is performed as an outpatient procedure. Two drains are used for several days in nearly all patients. Upon request, abdominoplasty can be performed without drains. However, for this, a special surgical technique needs to be used.

Recovery

After your tummy tuck, you can expect some swelling and bruising around your abdomen. As you regain your strength and energy, you can slowly resume normal activities, but you should avoid any strenuous exercise or activity for at least 3 months. ⁽²⁾

Depending on how much tissue is removed, Dr. Doumit may recommend that some patients spend the night in the hospital after surgery. Most patients can return to work after no more than two weeks. After surgery, it is best to sleep with your back raised at 30 degrees for one week to help ease the pain. Patients will also need to wear a compression garment under their clothes to promote healing and prevent complications for four weeks. ⁽¹⁾

Though rare, post-operative complications from any surgical procedure are possible. They may include infection, bleeding, blood clots, fluid accumulation, skin loss, wound separation, and bad scarring, which may require further surgery. However, these can be avoided by closely following Dr. Doumit’s recovery instructions.

Results

Recovery time ranges from two weeks to a month or more to feel completely normal again and see the full benefits of the tummy tuck. Once you start to see progress in your healing, the results of your tummy tuck will become more apparent. You will have a tight, toned, flat abdomen free of sagging skin. Abdominoplasty procedures carry one of the highest rates of patient satisfaction, so we are confident that you will love your results.

Corresponding & Complementary Procedures

In certain cases, the tummy tuck is performed in conjunction with liposuction for patients with excess abdominal skin and fat. Dr. Doumit will work with each patient to determine the best way to achieve their goals. Dr. Doumit also performs many different post-weight loss body rejuvenation procedures. If you have sagging, unsightly skin in other parts of your body, then you can incorporate another procedure into your abdominoplasty planning to rejuvenate your body. Some of these are arm lifts, body lifts, butt augmentations, thigh lifts, and more, as well as various face and breast procedures. If there are other parts of your body you wish to correct or enhance, please discuss this with Dr. Doumit at your consultation.

Cost of a Tummy Tuck in Montréal

The cost of Dr. Doumit’s abdominoplasty procedures can be found below. However, these prices are subject to change depending on a patient’s goals, the scale of the procedure, and any additional procedures that may be included. This can all be discussed at your initial consultation. If you have any questions about pricing, payment plans, procedures, or anything else, please call our Montréal office at (514) 932 8200.

References

1. Regan JP, Casaubon JT. Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck). PubMed. Published 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK431058/
2. Ramirez AE, Hsieh TY, Cardenas JP, Lao WW. Abdominoplasty: My Preferred Techniques. Annals of Plastic Surgery. 2021;86(3S):S229. doi:https://doi.org/10.1097/SAP.0000000000002639