Tummy tuck is the popular term for abdominoplasty, a surgical procedure for repairing abdominal muscle and removing excess fat and skin. This operation is generally intended to flatten the abdomen, and is the preferred for weight loss, although it is highly beneficial after pregnancy for those women whose skin has lost the elasticity to recover their shape naturally.

Because this procedure is performed with a scalpel, the operation is performed under general anesthesia for removing skin and excess fatty tissue. This procedure generally produces long scars that fade over time. During surgery, portions of the lower abdominal tissues are removed and the navel repositioned, suturing remaining skin flaps.

Abdominal muscles are consequently tightened after a tummy tuck, but these results may not be permanent. Women who wish to have subsequent pregnancies should not undergo abdominoplasty, either should individuals suffering from morbid obesity, or wanting to lose large amounts of weight with this surgery.

Tummy tuck is not recommended as a solution for people with unrealistic expectations, heavy drinkers and smokers, individuals who are concerned about post-surgical scars, and people who have had previous abdominal procedures. In addition, people should be aware of potential complications during or after tummy tuck procedures.

Smokers and overweight people are more exposed to such complications, but also people with health problems or life threatening conditions, such as diabetes. Tummy tuck may remove abdominal wrinkles and tighten the skin over the stomach, but it cannot repair previous scarring resulted from abdominal procedures, including Caesarean surgeries.

Although most risks in surgeries are inherent to the use of general anesthesia, there are other potential risks directly associated with abdominoplasty, including bleeding, infection, seroma, hematoma, blood clots, skin necrosis, pulmonary embolism, and numbness. People suffering from diabetes may experience delayed wound healing, so tummy tuck should be discussed with your doctor first.

Tummy tuck complications associated with anesthesia side effects may produce allergic reactions, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, soreness, headache and sore throat. In very rare cases, patients may develop post-surgery blood pressure problems, heart attack, or stroke. However, most people who undergo tummy tuck have successful results with no complications while trimming their abdominal contour.

In the United States, about 58,567 tummy tuck procedures were performed in 2001. According to the American Academy of Plastic Surgeons, 97% of all abdominoplasty patients were females, and most of them ranging in ages between 35 and 50. Rate of complications associated to tummy tuck ranged around 32%, going higher in smokers, obese and diabetic patients.

People who have only excess fat and skin limited to the lower abdomen may be candidates for a partial abdominoplasty. This tummy tuck procedure causes less scars, and while it is performed, the muscle wall is not tightened, and the navel is not repositioned, requiring a smaller incision made above the pubic hairline.

Tummy tuck is a cosmetic surgery intended for repairing the abdomen and improving the appearance, but not a panacea for overweight problems. Even when small tubes may be inserted during the procedure to drain out fluids of the incisions, this is not a liposuction procedure either.