Have you tried on clothing, only to be disappointed in how your stomach sticks out so dresses and blouses don’t hang well? Have you avoided wearing a swimsuit and missed days at the pool and beach? If you’re ready for a positive change, Dr. Kanter of Peninsula Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery specializes in abdominoplasties for patients in Hampton Roads Virginia.

Abdominoplasty, also known as the tummy tuck, is a very effective operation. The result is a flatter tummy that looks great in jeans or a slender new dress. Weight changes, childbearing, and other activities can cause muscle separation or bulging in the lower abdomen. Exercise won’t completely bring those muscles back together, but an abdominoplasty can reunite them.

During the procedure, your belly button is left in place and becomes almost like an island. All of the skin from the abdominal area is pulled down like a window shade, and a new hole to bring out your belly button is created. Stretch marks can be removed from between the bellybutton down to the pubic area. Any stretch marks if present out to the flanks will only be repositioned but not removed.  The hip bone and lower back will also be left unchanged.

Like all procedures, abdominoplasty has its limitations. This should not be considered a weight loss procedure and resting muscle tone and strength do not change. Even though the position of the muscle has changed, following up with exercise is encouraged and will produce even better post surgical results. Ideally, the tummy tuck will leave you with an improved shape and less of a bulge in your abdominal area.

When you undergo an abdominoplasty procedure, it’s important to understand that scarring will occur, but a scar is typically well worth the change in your lower abdomen if you want a flatter tummy.

To learn more about the tummy tuck procedure, contact Dr. Kanter’s office to schedule a consultation. Our Hampton Roads cosmetic surgery center is centrally located for patients from Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and other areas of Hampton Roads and the Peninsula.

View the video below to learn more about the abdominoplasty procedure.