Abdominoplasty or Tummy tuck is a surgical procedure performed to give you a slimmer, trimmer appearance for a protruding abdomen. One of the drawbacks is a permanent scar that in some instances can extend from hip to hip.

The procedure involves the removal of excess fat and skin from the abdomen and the tightening of the abdominal wall muscles. An incision above the pubic area is made from hipbone to hipbone. The navel is separated from surrounding tissue by another incision. Then, the muscles underneath are stitched into a new, tighter position. The skin flap is then stretched down and stitched into place and any excess skin is trimmed away.

A mini-tummy tuck requires a smaller incision and does not require the navel to be moved.

A partial tummy tuck is performed by separating the skin between the incision and the navel, stretching the skin down and trimming away the excess, then stitching it back into place.

Recovery time: 1-4 weeks.