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Tummy Tuck in Salt Lake City
Have you ever wondered why countless crunches and healthy eating have not resulted in the flat stomach you deserve? You’re not alone. Many women and men – particularly after significant weight loss or pregnancies – have stubborn fat, loose, lax skin, and a protruding abdomen that does not respond to diet and exercise. Our surgeons have years of experience and training in body contouring procedures. We perform abdominoplasty in the Salt Lake City area to help people improve their physical appearance and emotional wellbeing.
This website contains photos illustrating surgical procedures. They are clinical in nature and may include nudity. These images may not be suitable for all visitors and are intended only to provide an example of obtained results. If you are not an adult and do not have parental consent, please select another section for viewing.
Keep in mind that each patient is unique and your results may vary. Photos in our online gallery are of actual patients of our practice who have provided consent to display their pictures online.
Tummy Tuck Candidates
People come to our practice for tummy tucks from nearby cities such as South and West Jordan, Murray, Cottonwood Heights, and Sandy, UT, because they want to improve the appearance of the mid to lower area of the abdomen. They consider this area a “trouble spot” and desire a flat, toned midsection that reflects their health and wellness. Typically, our tummy tuck patients have:
- Loose or hanging skin around the midsection
- Pockets or rolls of fat near the abdomen
- The desire for a slim waistline
- Lax abdominal muscles
Tummy Tuck Benefits
The localized weight gain of pregnancy, or from gaining and then losing a good deal of weight, stretches the abdominal skin and support tissues to the degree that they cannot return to their former degree of tautness when the weight is lost. In many cases, the stomach muscles in the center of the stomach actually become separated due to the localized weight. Try as you might, these issues cannot be corrected with changes in diet or exercise.
A tummy tuck removes the excess skin, and it brings the separated muscles back to the center where they are re-anchored. This actually slims the waist in many patients. Dr. Reuben and Dr. Moores also usually include some liposuction with our 22 Plastic Surgery tummy tuck procedures to remove stubborn pockets of fat in the area.
See Our Work
If you would like to learn more about how our team can transform your image, request a consultation online or call our office at (801) 937-9650. Our board-certified plastic surgeons, Dr Moores & Dr. Reuben, are eager to meet you and help you on your aesthetic journey.
Type of Tummy Tucks
Your procedure will include one of the following surgical techniques:
Traditional Tummy Tuck
This procedure uses an incision that runs beneath the underwear line from hip to hip. This is the most common approach, as it gives us plenty of access to both tighten excess skin and repair stretched abdominal muscles. The belly button is repositioned after skin is removed.
Mini Tummy Tuck
This version of abdominoplasty uses a shorter incision than the traditional approach. It usually does not involve the belly button and may or may not include repairing the abdominal muscles. It is appropriate for patients who have less drooping abdominal skin.
Extended Tummy Tuck
This technique is appropriate for patients who have an extensive amount of loose skin not just on the abdomen, but also on the hips and flanks. Patients who get extended tummy tucks have typically lost a massive amount of weight. In this surgery, the incision extends beyond the hips to the lower back. Skin is removed, abdominal muscles are repaired, and the belly button is repositioned.
Belt Lipectomy/Lower Body Lift
This approach uses a 360-degree incision for contouring the entire trunk after massive weight loss. It’s ideal for patients with excess skin circumferentially who are looking to contour the entire trunk 360 degrees around.
What Our Clients Think
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does Tummy Tuck Surgery Take?
These procedures take between two and five hours. The difference depends upon if you’re having a full tummy tuck with upper and lower incisions or a mini tuck with only the lower incision. Also, if your stomach muscles have become separated due to the localized weight gain, this takes somewhat longer for our 22 Plastic Surgery team to bring them back to the center and anchor them. During your consultation with Dr. Reuben or Dr. Clayton, we will see your unique situation and can give you an idea of how long the procedure will take.
What to Expect After Tummy Tuck
One of the first things patients inquire about once they have made the decision to undergo a tummy tuck is the recovery process. You may be wondering, “What will my recovery be like?” or “Can I afford to take some time off?”
In general, recovery from a tummy tuck procedure is relatively straightforward. Once you are sent home after surgery, you will use a compression garment to wear to help your midsection hold its new shape. You will have surgical drains to release excess fluid from the surgical area, and these need to be managed for a few days until they are removed. It is a good idea to have someone to help you for a few days after your procedure.
While experiences vary, most patients can resume normal, light activities in about 1 to 2 weeks. After about 3 to 4 weeks, most patients can start to exercise again.
When Will I See My Result From A Tummy Tuck?
You will notice a difference immediately, but with your bandages and then the compression garments you’ll need to wear it will take a bit to fully realize your results. But swelling is not dramatic with tummy tuck surgery, so it won’t be long before you see the new slimmer contours that you’d hoped to achieve.
How Long Will My Results From My Tummy Tuck Last?
The changes made with tummy tuck surgery are permanent. The excess skin we trim away is gone for good. So is the fat that is removed. If your stomach muscles had become separated, those have been brought back to the center and re-anchored.
If you maintain a healthy weight and incorporate exercise into your life, you will enjoy the results of this procedure for the rest of your life. Sure, there will be some new sagging as you age — all your tissues become somewhat laxer with the passage of time — but this will start from a much tighter, firmer origination point. You’ll never again have the same degree of sagging or loose tissue that merited having this surgery.
Im Not Sure if I'm Going To Have More Children or Not, Should I Still Have a Tummy Tuck?
We ask our patients to be sure they are not going to have any additional children if they are going to have this surgery. This is because a new pregnancy will negate all of the changes made through your tummy tuck. You will be gaining all of that localized weight, which was the cause of your original sagging stomach. Plus, stressing your incisions, can distort your scars. If you’re even considering having another child, this is not the time to have a tummy tuck.
Is Tummy Tuck Recovery Painful?
Tummy tucks involve one of the longest incisions in plastic surgery, typically stretching from hipbone to hipbone. They also usually involve some movement of the muscle fiber as discussed above. Because of those conditions, recovery from your tummy tuck will involve some pain. Pain medication will be necessary for the first few days of your recovery. After your initial recovery, you can have residual soreness that comes and goes for weeks. You’ll need to be cognizant of your incision and try not to stress it too much. During this recovery, you’ll need to be patient.
Tummy Tuck Potential Risks?
Abdominoplasty is major surgery, and the procedure involves the same risks as with any surgery: reaction to anesthesia, poor incision healing, excessive bleeding, and danger of infection.
Specific to tummy tucks, this procedure with Dr. Reuben involves very low rates of complication or risk. However, it’s important to remember there will be a major scar involved. We place the incision at a height that can be hidden under panties or a bikini bottom. Over time, the scar will fade. There can be some changes in skin sensation affecting the sensory nerves in the abdominal area. This usually resolves in the months after your procedure. There is also a risk of the incision healing unevenly, but this is very rare, especially with the new progressive tension sutures that place far less stress on the incision.