According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 146,000 tummy tucks were performed in the United States in 2006, making it one of the top five most popular cosmetic surgery procedures today. Abdominoplasty, also known as a "tummy tuck," is used to remove excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen as well as tighten the muscles of the abdominal wall. The procedure, appropriate for individuals who have loose skin due to significant weight loss, time, or pregnancy among other factors, can dramatically reduce the appearance of a protruding abdomen.

Performed under local or general anesthesia and usually taking one to five hours to complete, abdominoplasty begins with the surgeon making a long incision from hipbone to hipbone. A second incision frees the navel from the surrounding tissue. With a partial abdominoplasty, the incision is much shorter and the navel may or may not be moved. Following the incisions, the surgeon separates the skin from the abdominal wall, revealing the muscles of the abdomen. The muscles are tightened then stitched into their new position, creating a firmer abdomen and narrowed waistline. The skin flap is then stretched down and the extra skin is removed. A new hole is cut for the navel, which is then stitched into place. Finally, the incisions are stitched, followed by bandages and a temporary drainage tube. Depending upon the extent of the surgery, patients may be released within a few hours or days.

Recovery from a tummy tuck takes time. Swelling and pain, which can be alleviated by medication, is not uncommon. Showering, walking and standing may be difficult for the first few days. Within a week, surface stitches are removed with the deeper sutures coming out in two to three weeks. Bandaging may be replaced by a support garment. Full recovery can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. As with any major surgery, abdominoplasty carries a risk of complications such as blood clots and infection.

Like all cosmetic surgery procedures, the cost of abdominoplasty varies depending upon the qualifications of the surgeon, nature of the surgery, and geography among other factors; however, statistics provided by infoplasticsurgery.net, an online cosmetic surgery resource, quote the average cost of a tummy tuck as ranging between $6,000 and $8,000.

Although abdominoplasty produces excellent, long-lasting results for patients with weakened abdominal muscles or excess skin, it does create significant scarring. For more information about tummy tuck surgery, consult your plastic surgeon.