Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is an outpatient surgical procedure to address excess skin on the abdomen. It is commonly performed following pregnancy, weight loss or loss of skin elasticity over time. The purpose of a tummy tuck is to achieve a smoother, flatter abdominal contour, giving you a sexy midsection and a boost in confidence!

Before and After Photos

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Meet Dr. Harry

As a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons with 25 years of surgical experience in New Jersey, Dr. Haramis is a triple-board certified plastic surgeon with hospital privileges in New Jersey’s finest hospitals. Graduating from New Jersey’s UMDNJ, Dr. Haramis then completed a five-year general surgery residency also right here in NJ, and a two-year plastic surgery fellowship at Kettering Medical Center. It is this extensive educational background, plus 25 years of hands-on experience in cosmetic surgery, and a humble and genuine bedside manner that makes Dr. Haramis a surgeon of choice for tummy tuck patients across New Jersey. Dr. Haramis is Associates in Plastic Surgery’s abdominoplasty specialist.

The most common response I hear is, ‘That was a lot easier than I thought it would be,’ and ‘I wish I did this sooner!’ Patients appreciate our close, specialized care. -Dr. Harry T. Haramis

Procedure

Genetics, age-related weight gain, or the after-effects of pregnancy can leave the midsection loose and far less youthful than you’d prefer it to be. Despite our best efforts and no matter how strictly we diet or how intensively we exercise, the bulge in and around the stomach isn’t easy to get rid of. The tummy tuck is a rapid surgical procedure performed under general anesthesia that tones and tucks the abdominal area.

Abdominoplasty

As every patient experiences age, life events, weight gain, or pregnancy differently, and holds unique cosmetic goals, we offer three distinct abdominoplasties at our NJ practice. In your personal consultation, we will assess your frame and physique, discuss your goals for the procedure and help you choose the procedures best suited to produce the look you deserve.

Full tummy tuck

This is the most popular and effective tummy tuck. It’s done for patients who have considerable excess fatty tissue, unwanted sagging skin, and weakened muscles both above and below the belly button. The incision is made at the bikini line making it easy to conceal later. Fat is excised, underlying muscles and the stomach’s skin is tightened, and the belly button is reset in a new natural location before the incision site is closed with sutures. Love handles can be simultaneously addressed with liposuction.

Partial / mini tummy tuck

For patients who are already at their ideal body weight, have only a small amount of excess skin below the belly button, and whose abdominal muscles are not separated, a mini-abdominoplasty can be done. It is an abbreviated tummy tuck: a shorter incision is made, a smaller area of the stomach is addressed, and recovery is less extensive.

Extended tummy tuck

The extended tummy tuck is the procedure of choice for most women after pregnancy but is also a great choice for patients who have lost a lot of weight and now suffer from copious amounts of excess sagging skin tissue as well as laxity in the abdominal muscles. An extended tummy tuck can also include additional body contouring options tailored to your needs.

Post-pregnancy

Since a tummy tuck tackles many of the cosmetic issues caused by bearing children, it’s a very popular post-pregnancy procedure. New mothers may struggle with bringing their stomachs back to their pre-pregnancy state, and often the underlying muscles have also been adversely affected. A tummy tuck tightens these muscles and removes excess skin and fatty tissue. The best time for the procedure is when you are done having children.

Why Choose Us

No two tummy tucks are the same

“Every patient and case is different. With decades of experience and nuance, working together, we are going to best address the patient’s concerns and meet their goals with an individualized, tailored, safe, and caring approach. We want the experience to be memorable, from consultation, through pre-op, during surgery, in post-op, and for years to come. We do not simply perform a quick surgery and ‘be done with’ our patients.”

We constantly tweak, evolve, and advance

“Having been an artistic surgeon for decades, I am always looking for insights, different approaches, and tweaks. I feel I can always learn something from attending seminars and meetings, watching colleagues perform procedures, conferences, journals, and so forth. Many times, I will create my own spin by combining several of these. For instance, we now frequently combine liposuction +/- fat transfer during a tummy tuck.”

Plastic surgery is our passion and we love helping patients

“I really enjoy the transformation and its boost in self confidence for patients. Many of our patients have been working very hard through a strict diet, regimented exercise to restore their figures, frequently after childbirth, weight changes, aging. These aspects are out of their control and become frustrating and discouraging. For instance, sit ups are great, but they will not restore widened muscles (diastasis) from pregnancy. We also have many male patients including massive weight loss patients, bariatric patients who have lost tremendous amounts of weight, but are still plagued by hanging tummy skin, stubborn fat, etc. These patients are so happy after a tummy tuck as the area they’ve been struggling with for so long vanishes in hours.”

A small scar is easily concealed in bikinis and underwear

“I always do my best for outstanding results with minimal scars. This can make the execution more difficult, but the results better. We try to minimize tummy tuck scars. If I use drains, I do not make extra incisions for them. Breast augmentation via very short incisions. Liposuction using strategically placed small incisions to be hidden where possible. Local pain relief is used during surgery for pain relief afterward. I encourage my patients to be active and exercise early after surgeries. I want my patients to have the best experience possible, this includes concerns over scars, recovery, fears.”

We make our patients feel as special as they are

“I want all patients to feel special, from the moment they contact and come into our office. I spend as much time as needed getting to know the patient and their concerns and discussing their best options to make them feel completely comfortable. It is very important for the patient and doctor to feel comfortable and confident with each other. “They have my full attention during the entire process from consult to pre-op, procedure, post-op. It is a great responsibility for patients to trust me with their care, especially under anesthesia. During the consultation, I want them to know they will be treated with respect and care for the best, safest outcome. They are also free to contact me at any time. We spend a lot of time during consultations and visits to make our patients comfortable with the level of care they receive.”

Candidates Eligibility

The best candidates for a tummy tuck are men and women looking for a more toned, tighter, and fitter midriff who are at a stable weight and are in good general health.² The ideal candidate for an abdominoplasty at Associates in Plastic Surgery:

Cost

The cost of tummy tuck surgery typically ranges in price from $7,900 to $12,900, depending upon the length and complexity, and any additional procedures performed at the same time, such as liposuction, or breastwork.

As all of our patients have a unique physique and their own goals for the procedure, the exact cost of abdominoplasty is discussed in a personal consultation. The degree of skin laxity, as well as the need for liposuction, will influence the final cost, while tummy tucks after a massive weight loss are more extensive. As a word of caution, because an abdominoplasty is a surgical procedure requiring considerable education, experience, and a keen eye for natural results, price shouldn’t be the sole deciding factor in your choice of surgeon.

Alternatives

If a tummy tuck sounds too extreme or invasive to meet your needs, or if you’d like immediate results without undergoing surgery, our tummy tuck surgeons will be happy to discuss less invasive alternatives. Likewise, if a tummy tuck is too narrow of a procedure, we offer plenty of safe and effective alternatives.

Liposuction

Liposuction is a minimally-invasive procedure that uses a special cannula to contour stubborn areas of excess fat in order to create a toned physique and smooth form. Among the advantages of liposuction, it can be used to precisely target local problem areas and requires a shorter recovery period.

Full body lift

A full-body lift is often done for patients who have experienced significant weight loss or who have undergone gastric bypass surgery. Excess skin is removed from the front and back of the abdomen, essentially providing a tummy tuck, butt lift, and outer leg lift in one procedure.

VASER liposuction

VASERLipo is a form of liposuction allowing our surgeons better control over how much fat is removed from what areas of the body, and to do so more quickly and get better results with it. VASER harnesses the power of ultrasound energy to remove fat, and (unlike traditional liposuction) also tightens the skin.

Thigh and/or Brazilian butt lift

A thigh lift and/or a Brazilian butt lift are perfect for patients who have excess skin and fat in the upper legs and buttock areas. These procedures will remove unwanted fat in the thighs and butt, while nicely accentuating the buttocks to make them more feminine and attractive.

CoolSculpting

CoolSculpting is a non-invasive and non-surgical means of reducing fat through cryolipolysis (“fat freezing”.) Without damaging the surface or structure of the skin, CoolSculpting targets and eradicates only the fat cells, reducing stubborn fat by up to 25%.

Our surgeons will keep your goals and best interests at the forefront of the conversation. If your cosmetic goals can be met without a tummy tuck, we will be the first to let you know. Conversely, if a tummy tuck is indeed honestly required to meet your goals, we’ll help you understand why that is so you can make a fully informed personal decision.

Recovery

Recovery from an abdominoplasty procedure typically takes 6 weeks, with most patients returning to light work and their social activities within 2 to 3 weeks. While the very beginning of recovery is spent more or less bedridden, one quickly begins to gain more and more movement and function.

Your own recovery time will vary depending upon the type of tummy tuck you got (full, partial, extended), as well as your age and overall health.

Prior to discharge from our accredited surgical facilities in New Jersey, you will be provided simple but thorough recovery guidelines as well as pain medication to ensure your comfort during the recovery period. You’ll have the opportunity to get answered any and all questions you have, and will have a direct line of communication with your surgeon throughout your recovery period should anything unusual or unexpected occur. Complications are extremely rare and the procedure is very, very commonly done throughout the U.S. and across the world.

Optimizing recovery

In addition to following all of your surgeon’s instructions, there are a few key ways to ensure an optimal healing process, such as:

Compression garments

To reduce swelling and aid in healing, expect to wear compression garments for a couple of weeks following the procedure. Wear your garments at all times other than showering.

Rest and relax

In the days following your procedure, take the time out to rest and relax. Get plenty of sleep and avoid activities that strain your abdominal muscles.

Light exercise

Do some light activity daily to stimulate blood flow and healing. Take at least a short walk daily for 20 to 30 minutes to help avoid blood clots.³

Recovery timeline

Most patients return to work 2 weeks after surgery. Full recovery requires closer to 6 or 8 weeks when your results will be fully apparent. Swelling, bruising and fluid retention will have subsided fully.

Sleep & diet

at a healthy, well-balanced diet. Sleep at an incline, with your upper body comfortably raised above your waist.

In my experience, recovery from a tummy tuck is usually several days to a week or two for general recovery, while some patients are up and about right away. It also depends upon your occupation—for instance, nurses can return to work early, but can’t lift patients for 2 weeks. Early driving within the first week is common. We like to keep a close watch on our patients, make sure they are recovering without incident and to prevent any issues from developing. We encourage walking the evening of surgery, we follow up within the first few days, and at 1 week, 2 weeks, and 1 month. Then, every 3 months or sooner if desired. -Dr. Harry T. Haramis

Consultation

For a free consultation at our nearest New Jersey office, please contact us or call (732) 548-3200. Our tummy tuck specialists will be happy to discuss everything with you in person in a private consultation or answer your questions over the phone. We are also offering virtual consultations for the safety, comfort, and convenience of patients at this time.

FAQs