For a lot of women, maybe you too, after having children or experiencing extreme weight loss, their stomach muscles become soft, flabby and distended. In spite of eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, they still can’t regain the tight, trim midsection they used to have, and this bothers them. For other women, after they’ve had their children they don’t just want their “old” body back, they want something better. For both types of women, the solution I often suggest that is effective and has long-lasting results is a tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty.

A type of plastic surgery, a tummy tuck surgically tightens weak, separated abdominal muscles and removes excess skin and fat. The result? A flatter, tighter, more toned midsection. In addition, due to the tightened muscles now supporting the spine, many of my patients report the added benefits of improved posture and decreased back pain after having this procedure. A tummy tuck is just one of the many body sculpting procedures I perform, which you can learn about here.

How does a tummy tuck improve sagging skin?

Requiring 1-2 hours in the operating room under general anesthesia, a typical tummy tuck removes several pounds of stomach fat and excess skin and tightens weakened and/or separated abdominal muscles. This procedure can also decrease stretch marks caused by pregnancy and dramatically improve scars from previous surgeries such as a Caesarean section, stomach stapling or an appendectomy.

To learn more, watch this short video

To hear me describe tummy tuck surgery in more detail, watch my short video by clicking on the image below.

Who is a good candidate for a tummy tuck?

Having performed hundreds of tummy tucks with very few complications during my 20 years as a plastic surgeon, I am very experienced in this procedure. In my own practice, I have found that the best candidates for abdominoplasty:

• are in good health
• have sagging skin, loose muscle and excess fat which they want removed
• are within 20% of their ideal body weight
• have had significant weight loss and have kept it off for at least 6 months
• do not smoke
• men are also good candidates for a tummy tuck, especially if they have experienced extreme weight loss

Who should not consider a tummy tuck? 

If you plan to get pregnant, you should postpone a tummy tuck until after you've had children. This is because during surgery, your vertical muscles are tightened, and future pregnancies can separate those muscles. Also, if you’re planning to lose a lot of weight, you should not have a tummy tuck.

How long do the results last?

The results of a tummy tuck are permanent. However, if you lose or gain a considerable amount of weight after the surgery, or get pregnant, this could negatively affect your results.

How soon can you go back to work?

In most cases, you should be able to return to work in a week or so following surgery. Most activities can usually be resumed within 1-2 weeks, and exercise after 6 weeks. Keep in mind that these time frames are subject to the type of work you do, the extent of your surgery and how quickly your body heals.

What’s the recovery like?

Swelling, bruising and some amount of pain and discomfort are common following a tummy tuck but typically go away after a week or two.

How is a tummy tuck different from liposuction?

During a tummy tuck, liposuction is used to extract excess fat but it does not have the ability to tighten and tone muscle. The unique benefit of a tummy tuck, and why patients are so pleased with the results, is that it flattens the tummy, tightens the stomach muscles and narrows the waist, which liposuction does not do.  

Having said that, I often recommend to my patients that they have liposuction at the same time as a tummy tuck because I can then remove additional unwanted fat from around their waist, hips, thighs and buttocks as well as just their tummy, giving them even more dramatic results. Sometimes I can re-use this unwanted fat and transfer it to their buttocks to enhance their size and shape, which is known as a Brazilian butt lift.

When asked if a tummy tuck is safe, my answer is yes

One of the first questions patients ask me when they’re considering having a tummy tuck is: is it safe? Like any procedure, there are some risks involved, but with the proper patient selection—meaning that you’re healthy, without other medical problems, you’re a non-smoker, you’re in good shape, and you’re having the procedure done in the right location with the right surgeon—the procedure can be done very safely.

I perform my procedures at the Surgical Specialty Center of Westchester

For almost every plastic surgery procedure I perform, I use the Surgical Specialty Center of Westchester. As the standard of excellence in the region, this technologically advanced, leading-edge facility was specifically designed by our group of surgeons (Cosmetic Surgery Associates) to provide our patients with the highest level of care, personal privacy and optimal surgical results. To learn more, watch this short video by clicking on the image below.

Insurance coverage

Insurance companies consider a tummy tuck to be elective cosmetic surgery and usually do not cover it, which means the procedure would be self-pay.

Considering a tummy tuck?

I understand that choosing to have a tummy tuck is an important decision for a person, male or female. I also know how much it means to each and every patient to achieve the results they want. If you are thinking about getting a tummy tuck and would like to schedule a free consultation, please contact me and I will send you additional information prior to your appointment. To make sure you are fully informed about your surgery options and understand exactly what results to expect, I will take all the time you need to make sure your questions are answered.

For more information about tummy tucks, I recommend these 3 blogs

So that you can be fully informed before you decide to have a tummy tuck, I’ve written several blogs explaining this procedure and its many benefits:

• Thinking About a Tummy Tuck? Make Sure It's For The Right Reasons
• The Medical Benefits of a Tummy Tuck
• Is This The Perfect Time For A Tummy Tuck?

To learn more about the many body contouring procedures I offer

There are several body procedures available to you in my plastic surgery practice. To learn more, please visit these pages on my website:

• Body Procedures
• Butt Augmentation
• Brazilian Butt Lift
• CoolSculpting
• EmSculpt®
• Liposuction
• Lower Body Lift
• Mommy Makeover
• Tummy Tuck

Board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS), and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), Samuel J. Beran, MD is a highly accomplished plastic surgeon with offices in Manhattan, Harrison and Mount Kisco, NY. With more than 20 years’ experience and a thorough command of the most advanced techniques and technologies, Dr. Beran consistently provides his patients with the highest level of plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the breast, face, skin and body. Recently, Dr. Beran was named a “Top Doctor” by RealSelf for his dedication to responding to consumer questions and patient feedback. The “Top Doctor” designation is awarded to less than 10% of the RealSelf physician community.