Abdominal bulge, lax skin, stretch marks, and excess fat can all result from pregnancy and weight loss. In most cases, no amount of exercise or diet can sufficiently resolve these changes. While quite common following several pregnancies, after twin pregnancy, heavy weight-gain pregnancy, or large birth weight babies, laxity and bulge of the tummy can also frequently be seen after a single pregnancy with even modest weight gain.
These Tummy Tuck before and after pictures represent actual patients from Dr. Kolker. They will help to assist you in understanding your various options and enable you to set realistic goals for your own surgical outcome. Click on a patient for their specific case details.
“Feeling confident and proud of my new body is the real reward. I have to admit, the experience I had with Dr. Kolker and his whole staff was far more then I ever expected. From my first consultation to the year post surgery follow-up, I have felt impressed with every aspect of this process.”
— N.F. / NEW YORK
A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is the surgical process by which the separated abdominal muscles can be repaired, excess skin can be removed, and regional fat can be reduced, resulting in a firmer, flatter, more youthful, and more beautiful midsection contour.
Quite a bit more than merely excising skin and fat, an abdominoplasty is an exceptionally sculptural, artistic endeavor that requires a combination of deep understanding of the anatomy and aesthetic vision to achieve the most gorgeous results.
Tummy tuck surgery is truly an artistic process, and one that takes into consideration all aspects of the fundamental elements of an aesthetic, attractive, natural waist and tummy contour. Made somewhat commonplace by the popularity of abdominoplasty, the delicacy and skill that are required to achieve the best tummy tuck result cannot be overstated.
With a profound interest in advancing both the artistry and science of abdominoplasty surgery, Dr. Kolker has published his aesthetic technical approach to tummy tuck surgery in the article entitled "Improving aesthetics and safety in abdominoplasty with broad subcostal perforator preservation and contouring with liposuction" in the May 2008 issue of the peer-reviewed scientific journal, Annals of Plastic Surgery.
To attain the most beautiful results, a tummy tuck should not be performed when an individual is significantly overweight. It is not a "quick fix" — rather, it is a procedure that must be both individualized and time-tailored.
To both assure the best cosmetic outcome and maximize safety, the very best tummy tuck results can be accomplished in women who are at, or close to, their ideal weight before surgery.
No two individuals' anatomy and desires are the same, just as no two surgeons are the same. The plastic surgeon you choose to perform your tummy tuck surgery is of utmost importance. What distinguishes care by New York City tummy tuck surgeon, Dr. Kolker and his team is comprehensive:
From your first visit to his office in Manhattan, New York City, to the preparation phase, during the perioperative period, and throughout your recovery, you will experience Dr. Kolker's attentiveness, thoughtfulness, meticulous attention to detail, caring, and warmth. The first visit is an opportunity for Dr. Kolker to listen to and to understand your desires, to examine and evaluate your physical requirements, to thoroughly inform you about the procedure or alternative treatments, to review and answer questions, and to acquaint you with our very special, professional, compassionate and caring staff.
“An abdominoplasty can restore a more youthful silhouette to the waist and tummy, remove excess skin and unwanted fat, and firm the core, but is also considerably more: a tummy tuck can return the midsection to pre-pregnancy proportion and beauty, and can have a truly dramatic effect on physical well-being, self-assurance, and confidence.”
Dr. Adam KolkerAs a rule, Dr. Kolker's approach to tummy tuck and abdominal contouring after pregnancy or weight loss is that of a "team effort": safety and aesthetics are maximized when you undertake a balanced, healthy diet and lifestyle choices along with a regimen of exercise and strength training, whereupon he will then firm, flatten, contour and sculpt to achieve the most beautiful results. In general, Dr. Kolker uses body mass index (BMI, a metric that estimates body fat and safety profiles based on height and weight) to assist in the determination of candidacy for surgery. An ideal BMI is reached at or below 25 kg/m2 both safety and anticipated cosmetic results are maximal. A BMI above 27.5 kg/m2 is a contraindication to surgery.
In Dr. Kolker's fully accredited surgical facility located on Park Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, tummy tuck surgery is performed under general anesthesia. The office-based surgery suite is accredited by the AAAASF (American Association for the Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities) and conforms to and exceeds the most stringent requirements for ambulatory surgery safety. The anesthesiologists are board-certified specialists. The procedure duration is approximately three hours.
Following your tummy tuck in Manhattan at Dr. Kolker's office, you will be cared for in our recovery room by our licensed registered nurse, who will closely monitor you and attend to all comforts. Two closed suction drain tubes are used in most cases which remain in place for approximately seven days. No compressive binders are used. You will be discharged home the next morning with a friend or relative.
New York City Tummy Tuck Surgeon, Dr. Adam Kolker recommends taking two weeks off from work and strenuous activity, however on a select basis, return at 8 to 10 days may be possible. Resumption of light activities and lifting of light children begins at 7 to 10 days. As all sutures are dissolvable and placed beneath the skin surface, suture removal is not required. Swelling is generally present for approximately two weeks after tummy tuck, resolves substantially at six weeks, and final shape is reached approximately 12 weeks after abdominoplasty.
Light exercise (elliptical, walking, treadmill) can be resumed around 10 to 12 days, and more vigorous exercise resumes at four weeks (core strengthening exercise can be restarted after approximately six weeks).
Dr. Kolker will see you several times during the first two weeks postop at his office in NYC, and then periodically throughout the first year. He will advise you on the timing of return to exercise and unrestricted activity, and will always be available to answer any questions or discuss any matters regarding recuperation and activities following the procedure.
In consideration of your specific physical needs, and your particular goals, Dr. Kolker will formulate a treatment plan, and advise you regarding the best tummy tuck procedure for you. No two tummy tucks are the same, and an abdominoplasty is much more than just removing excess skin and fat. To attain the safest and the most beautiful outcomes, it requires personalization, artistry, experience, delicacy, and adherence to the highest standards of certification and accreditation, and the tummy tuck surgeon you choose truly makes a difference. As a leading plastic surgeon with years of experience producing beautiful, natural-looking results, Dr. Kolker has achieved renown amongst his patients for providing some of the best tummy tuck surgery NYC has to offer. We invite you to schedule a consultation to discuss your tummy tuck with Dr. Kolker, and look forward to warmly welcoming you to our practice.
The best tummy tuck results can be achieved when you are at or close to an ideal body weight.
A comfortable, sustainable weight plateau that can be maintained with a balanced diet and regular, never excessive, exercise is the best point at which to elect abdominoplasty. The best tummy tuck candidates will have:
Tummy tuck procedures can remove excess skin, reduce excess fat by direct excision and liposuction techniques, firm, flatten, and restore abdominal muscle contour, and restore a youthful, natural and proportional aesthetic midsection. The degree of skin excess, fat, and bulge will differ in every individual, and there are a variety of techniques available for their correction
An abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, removes excess skin and excess fat, and most often entails the repair of abdominal muscle bulge or separation (diastasis recti).
Yes. Also known as lipoabdominoplasty, liposuction is often used in conjunction with a tummy tuck to sculpt and remove excess fat.
Women that have one or more of the following are ideal candidates for tummy tuck: diastasis recti (abdominal muscle bulge), excess abdominal skin, excess abdominal fat.
No. On occasion, and only when a significant umbilical hernia or abdominal hernia is present, some coverage / reimbursement for that portion of the procedure may be available.
The three main types of tummy tuck are mini-abdominoplasty, modified abdominoplasty, and classical or full abdominoplasty.
A mini tummy tuck is appropriate for women with a small amount of skin/fat excess localized above the pubic area and below the umbilicus only. Women with more diffuse skin excess, fat excess, and rectus diastasis more often require a full abdominoplasty.
The scar is transversely oriented, above the pubic region, and progresses to past each hip bone. There is most often an incision within the umbilicus as well.
Return to work is most often between 10 and 14 days following (full) tummy tuck. For those who do not require a repair of the muscles (diastasis recti), return to work is after approximately 7 days.
Most abdominoplasty procedures utilize a horizontal incision above the pubic line that is made only as long as the skin-excess requires, generally within the confines of the hip bones. While a C-section-length incision can be used as access for the repair of diastasis recti, it is not sufficient to remove excess skin. The position of the resulting incision is maintained as low as possible, and most can easily cover it with regular underwear or a bikini. When a mini tummy tuck is performed, the excess skin and fat above the pubic region and of the lower tummy is removed, and the procedure completed. When diastasis recti and more pronounced skin and fat excess are present, this incision also provides access to the abdominal wall musculature. If a hernia is present, the hernia is isolated and reduced, and hernia repair is performed. The repair of the diastasis recti is carried out as a "long plication", fixing the separation of the rectus muscles from the xiphoid (breast bone) all the way down to the pubic bone, effectively flattening and narrowing the midsection. When excess skin is mild or moderate, a modified abdominoplasty is performed, without any incision at or around the native belly button. With moderate and severe excess, a classical procedure involves resetting the umbilicus, providing for a maximal tightening and flattening of the anterior abdominal contour. Dr. Kolker favors liposuction with tummy tuck in many cases to maximize the aesthetic, sculptural contours of the abdomen. Additionally, Dr. Kolker uses the On-Q local anesthesia delivery system, which is placed at the time of surgery and maintained for approximately four days thereafter, which minimizes any postoperative discomfort.
“My experience with Dr. Kolker and his staff made it obvious that I should never consider another plastic surgeon! I had several consultations with other cosmetic surgeons for a breast lift procedure before making the indisputable choice to go with Dr. Kolker.”
— S.K. / New York“I had been contemplating getting a breast lift for years. I absolutely hated the way my breasts looked and was extremely self-conscious about my appearance for as long as I could remember. Dr. Kolker has changed my life. He has made my breasts so perfect that I can hardly remember what they looked like before my surgery.”
— G.M. / New York“You have to put an immense amount of trust in a doctor when having a breast lift and breast augmentation, and I never had a second thought from the first time I walked into Dr. Kolker's office to the day I walked out of my breast surgery!”
— N.P. / New YorkTo schedule a private consultation with Dr. Kolker, please call the office or request an appointment online. We welcome your visit.
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