Will A Tummy Tuck Give Me A Curvy Waist?

A tummy tuck can provide beautiful results and help you feel more confident about your figure's shape. If you have considered abdominoplasty, you may have a few questions on what to expect, including how it changes and contours your midsection. Beverly Hills, CA plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Hakimi strives to provide natural-looking results and helpful resources that explain what to expect following your tummy tuck. Using fat reduction surgery techniques and innovative excess skin removal methods, Dr. Hakimi can reshape the waist and stomach for a tighter, feminine appearance. Please read through our blog and schedule an in-person or online consultation with board-certified Dr. Hakimi to learn more about tummy tuck surgery.

Does a tummy tuck make your waist smaller?

A traditional tummy tuck doesn't make your waist smaller. It removes saggy skin on the stomach. However, when combined with liposuction, we can remove fat from your love handles, lower back, or around the waist. With stubborn fat removal techniques, you can achieve a shapely, voluptuous waistline. Before undergoing your procedure, Dr. Hakimi creates a surgical strategy that incorporates your cosmetic goals, medical history, and current body concerns. We will also address the incision types and if you need liposuction to narrow the waist. After creating a treatment plan, you can schedule a time for surgery that works best for you.

How is a tummy tuck done?

To help keep you comfortable, we will use general anesthesia throughout your procedure. Next, we make a small incision and start with liposuction. Your liposuction location depends on what you and Dr. Hakimi discussed during your consultation, but it may include areas like the stomach, hips, or lower back. This part of your surgery allows us to remove the fat, so your waist looks smaller. If needed, we can also perform a fat transfer, which virtually eliminates unwanted fat, purifies the tissue, and places it in the buttocks, breasts, lips, or cheeks. By doing this, we can add natural-looking volume and help sculpt these areas.

Finally, once we have removed the fat, Dr. Hakimi uses skin tightening techniques to remove saggy skin on the belly. This generally requires an incision on the lower part of the stomach. Patients may need a full, mini, or extended tummy tuck, which will determine your incision's length and size. If you plan on an extended tummy tuck, this reduces saggy skin on the stomach, hips, and thighs. However, patients with a small "pooch" may only need a mini tummy tuck.

What happens after a tummy tuck?

After your tummy tuck, you may experience some uncomfortable symptoms that will subside in a few weeks. While a tummy tuck with liposuction does decrease the waist size and provide contour, you may have issues at first with clothing fitting correctly because of swelling, temporary weight gain, constipation, and difficulty laughing. All of these problems will start to go away once you have healed more. We recommend following our personalized aftercare instructions, so your incisions heal correctly.

Schedule a consultation for a tummy tuck in Beverly Hills, CA

Dr. Michael Hakimi can help you reach your body goals with a tummy tuck and liposuction. If you want to transform your body, please call a member of our team. Offering a wide range of plastic surgery procedures, you can feel more confident in your appearance and live more comfortably.