“A reverse tummy tuck is indicated for patients with looseness in their upper abdominal skin. These patients generally have little to no laxity of their abdominal muscles and just need the skin removed from above the level of the belly button”.
Think skinny girls are immune to a flabby belly? Think they all have bikini-perfect mid-sections? Think again. Skinny girls get tummy tucks too.
Take Patient A, who is far from overweight at 5’7″ and 125 lbs., came to Changes Plastic Surgery wanting to improve the “bumps” or dimpled-looking skin on her belly.
Patient A Pre Op
Patient A Post Op
Like Patient A, Patient B is also 5’7″ and 125 lbs. She didn’t like the horizontal fold lines on her upper abdomen.
Patient B Pre Op
Patient B Post Op
For both women, Dr. Lee suggested a reverse tummy tuck.
“A reverse tummy tuck is indicated for patients with looseness in their upper abdominal skin. These patients generally have little to no laxity of their abdominal muscles and just need the skin removed from above the level of the belly button”.
A reverse tummy tuck? Most people are familiar with a traditional surgical tummy tuck, and relate to this procedure as something only overweight individuals or post pregnancy women would undergo, but seriously. A tummy tuck for someone 5’7″ and a buck and a quarter?
Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is a procedure in which excess skin and tissues are pulled downward to tighten and flatten the contour of the stomach. The belly button is left intact and an incision is made around the umbilicus. A horizontal incision is made below the bikini line wherein the surgeon can free up tissues and pull the abdominal skin downward. The excess skin is excised and the incision closed.
The opposite is true of a reverse abdominoplasty. Typically, patients who request a reverse tummy tuck have laxity of the upper abdominal skin particularly when they are sitting upright. Because the excess skin is above the belly button, a different procedure is required. A reverse tummy tuck smooths and flattens the skin above the belly button by pulling the skin upward. Like both Patient A and Patient B, these patients are generally thin with an athletic build and have good muscular tone.
The reverse tummy tuck procedure is performed through a W-shaped incision located at the inframammary fold underneath the bra line. The upper abdominal skin is undermined and the skin is elevated to remove loose and excess skin. Approximately 2 inches of extra upper abdominal skin can be removed and the incision is closed at the inframammary fold. A reverse abdominoplasty is a perfect procedure to combine with a breast lift or breast reduction since the incision can be used to access both breasts and tummy in one procedure.
Before and After Reverse Abdominoplasty
Before and After Reverse Abdominoplasty
The recovery from the reverse tummy tuck procedure is relatively quick compared to a traditional tummy tuck because there is no muscle repair involved. Patients can resume work within 10-14 days and can resume normal activities within four to six weeks from the procedure.
If you can relate to our patients pictured here. If you notice rolls above your belly button, if your workout isn’t making a difference, then you may be an excellent candidate for a reverse abdominoplasty. You can find out for sure with a consultation at Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa. Give us a call at 858-720-1440 or fill out the contact form below.
