Tummy Tuck Grand Rapids MI | Dr. Francine Vagotis, MD

What is tummy tuck surgery?

A Tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is a surgical procedure in which Dr. Vagotis corrects the weakness of your abdominal muscles and removes the excess lower abdominal skin. With tummy tuck surgery, Dr. Vagotis can help you get a waistline you always wished you had. You can start planning a tummy tuck when you notice signs of laxity in your abdomen. You should consult the offices of Dr. Vagotis about when it's best to schedule your tummy tuck. The sooner you start your cosmetic procedure, the faster you'll see your dream result.

The surgical procedure provides high patient satisfaction with improved self-image. We at Vagotis Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Center in the Grand Rapids area look forward to helping you achieve the best results possible. Dr. Vagotis understands what it takes to get those results and how important it is to listen to your inner self and make sure you feel great about the person looking back in that mirror!

Call us today to schedule your free consultation. (616) 285-6400

The tummy tuck is a plastic surgery where Dr. Vagotis surgically lifts excess skin and fat around your abdomen. Removing the extra fat layers helps tighten loose skin and gives you a slimmer figure. You can choose to do the procedure alone or along with liposuction. Many patients elect to have additional cosmetic procedures; with abdominoplasty surgery, you can get a better shape and feel confident about yourself again. Dr. Vagotis can help you achieve the slim waistline and healthy look you've always wanted.

The procedure involves cutting out the excess skin and fat. In some cases, Dr. Vagotis might also cut down the muscle tissue to ensure no visible scars. After the operation, Dr. Vagotis will stitch up the incisions and recommend applying creams to speed up the healing process.

You'll probably experience swelling and bruising for several days following the procedure. Once the swelling disappears, you can resume normal activities like walking, running, lifting weights, etc.

Why is tummy tuck surgery done?

It is common for women who have been pregnant to need this successful and low-risk procedure. Tummy tuck procedures can help you achieve your much-desired flat stomach, affecting your overall appearance.

Your abdominal area plays an essential role in your physical appearance. Sometimes, poor skin elasticity, excessive fat accumulation, or weakened connective tissue in the abdomen can affect the appearance of your waistline. With a simple cosmetic procedure, Dr. Vagotis can remediate stretch marks and excess skin on your lower abdomen.

Who should consider tummy tuck surgery?

Tummy tuck surgery is recommended in people who:

Lost weight recently
Underwent abdominal surgery
Pregnant women, especially if they underwent C-section
Have poor skin elasticity due to aging

Generally, other body contouring procedures, like breast augmentation surgery, are coupled with tummy tuck surgery.

Types of tummy tuck surgical procedures.

Abdominoplasty procedure: Three main kinds of tummy tuck cosmetic procedures are performed today. They include abdominal liposuction, abdominoplasty, and circumferential body lift. All three involve tightening loose skin and fat to achieve a tighter abdomen. Liposuction removes excess fat but does not tighten the skin around the stomach area. Abdominoplasty consists of cutting away extra skin and tightening muscles. Circumferential body lifts tighten the entire torso, including the lower abdomen, breasts, hips, buttocks, thighs, and upper arms.

Traditional Tummy Tuck

The traditional tummy tuck assists women with stretch marks and saggy skin post-pregnancy. Generally, Dr. Vagotis may combine a conventional tummy tuck with liposuction to achieve better results. During a traditional tummy tuck surgery, Dr. Vagotis makes a hip-to-hip single incision around the navel to prevent undesirable bulges and create a smooth physique.

Mini Tummy Tuck

Mini Tummy Tuck surgery or partial abdominoplasty is a less invasive procedure to achieve that flawless waistline. During Mini tummy tuck surgery, Dr. Vagotis makes a small incision in the lower abdominal region below the navel. The mini tuck does not address muscle repair.

Circumferential Tummy Tuck

During a circumferential tummy tuck surgery, your doctor makes a 360-degree incision around the stomach.

Men and women can benefit from a circumferential tummy tuck generally performed for those who have recently lost weight and continue to struggle with excess, loose, sagging skin.

During a tummy tuck, your cosmetic surgeon removes the excess skin and tightens the muscles to provide a taut and firm-looking abdomen.

Extended Tummy Tuck

This type of abdominoplasty is a bilateral procedure. It is meant to remove the excess skin and fat from the flanks and the stomach's front part. This surgical procedure is best for patients who want to remove their muffin top and contour the abdominal area.

If you have loose, excess skin around your abdomen that does not respond to diet or exercise, you could consider a tummy tuck with Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Vagotis.

Tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is a desirable option for both men and women who want to tighten the excess skin of the abdomen for a more toned look.

Tummy tuck surgery also helps people with drastic weight loss and loose, saggy skin.

This procedure flattens the belly by extracting extra fat and skin and tightening the abdominal wall muscles. Tummy tucks are great for removing stubborn fat from around your waistline. They're also a quick and effective way to eliminate excess skin and improve overall appearance. Call Vagotis Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Center to schedule your no-obligation consultation and be on your way to a beautiful body. What are you waiting for?

This may be your best solution when running the treadmill and doing sit-ups is not giving you good results with your tummy. Too much excess skin and flab in the abdomen can be solved with a tummy tuck and is commonly the only choice for those whose tummy does not respond to exercise or diets.

This surgery works by removing the extra skin and fat from the abdomen. When this is done, the abdomen becomes flat, and the muscles in its wall tighten.

Are You a Candidate For an Abdominoplasty?

This procedure is suitable for both men and women as long as they are healthy. The most common candidates for abdominoplasty are people who used to be obese and went through significant weight loss.

However, even people who are not or were never obese and have a normal body weight can develop loose and sagging abdomen. The reasons for this can be found in:

Heredity
Prior surgeries
One or several pregnancies
Aging

Still, there are cases where this procedure is not recommended, and those cases include:

People who are planning to lose weight, especially if they are aiming to lose a lot (tummy tuck is not a weight loss alternative)
Women who are planning to get pregnant (abdominoplasty may reverse when the woman is pregnant since the pregnancy separates the tightened vertical muscles in the abdomen)

Types of Abdominoplasty

A tummy tuck is a serious surgery that must be consulted with a plastic surgeon before making the decision. A good surgeon will help you choose one of the following abdominoplasty options:

1. Partial or Mini Abdominoplasty

When people have fat deposits in a location below the navel, a partial tummy tuck is recommended. This procedure is done without moving the belly button.

2. Complete Abdominoplasty

In this case, the surgeon cuts the abdomen to contour the tissue, skin, and muscle. The cut goes from the hipbone to the other hipbone and may involve moving the belly button.

A Tummy Tuck Cannot:

be your substitute for exercise or diet
correct all existing stretch marks
guarantee that you will not regain weight

Surgeries, pregnancies, and obesity very often lead to undesired, unattractive tummy in people. This is a common thing. You should opt for an abdominoplasty if you are tired from that excess fat and sagging skin.

This will not be the solution for your weight, but it can help you remove the unwanted fat that cannot be removed with exercise and diet. However, once you decide to take this step, you should be prepared to maintain your body in good shape afterward.

You may benefit from a tummy tuck if you have excess skin or fat around your stomach. Often, it can simply be your genetics predisposing your body to carry more weight around your stomach.

In other cases, large amounts of loose skin may result from significant weight loss. A full tummy tuck can also tighten any muscles that may have weakened and loosened by pregnancy or childbirth.

The procedure can also help with unsightly stretch marks below the belly button.

If the cost of a tummy tuck is an issue, we can often help with several financing options that make this procedure available for a wider audience of people who may not be able to pay for it in one lump sum. See our financing options for more information or call us directly to speak with one of our friendly staff members. And due to our state-of-the-art facility in the heart of West Michigan, if you're considering the procedure, Grand Rapids, MI is a great place to be!

Common Questions About the Tummy Tuck Procedure:

Q: How much is a Tummy Tuck?

A: It's not a cheap procedure that's for sure. To find out our price for the surgery give us a call and we can explain the exact costs as well as answer any other questions or concerns you may have.

Q: How long does the procedure take?

A: The time required to complete a tummy tuck varies greatly depending on the individuals body condition and build. For people with a larger amount of skin or fat the procedure could take longer, whereas with people with less may not take as long. As a rule the procedure will take at least two hours and in some cases up to 4 hours or more.

Q: Will there be a scar left after the surgery?

A: There will be a scar but it may not be as bad as you think. The procedure typically produces a shallow incision low on the belly below the belly button that heals well and in many people fades to almost nothing in a couple of years. If the appearance of the scar is particularly bothersome you may also elect to receive scar therapy to improve it further.

Q: Do men also undergo abdominoplasty?

A: Absolutely! The abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) procedure is certainly not just for women. The only difference with the tummy tuck for men is that men usually don't worry as much about the post-op scar that remains on the lower abdomen.

Q: How long does it take to recover?

A: Tummy tuck recovery time can take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks. During this time you should expect to conduct your day to day activities in a slightly different manner such as refraining from heavy lifting or doing certain work outs or movements. Call us for a free consult to discuss exactly what changes you'll need to make in the weeks during recovery.

Q: Where is the procedure performed?

A: When you're undergoing the tummy tuck Grand Rapids MI is the location of our surgical facility. You'll arrive, be prepped and undergo the procedure, and will receive after care all at our facility in the heart of GR.

Before and After Photos

Below are are some example tummy tuck before and after photos showing a patient before and after the procedure. Note how much of the excess fat and skin have been removed leaving behind a much more slim and attractive waistline.