TUMMY TUCK (ABDOMINOPLASTY)
Beverly Hills & Los Angeles

Dr. Ashkan Ghavami is an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon serving the Beverly Hills & Los Angeles area. He thoroughly enjoys the art of body sculpting and shaping, due to his passion and ability to enhance the lives of his patients. His dedication is carried out through comprehensive analysis, which in turn allows Dr. Ghavami to create results that are customized and complimentary to his patients’ complete body shape.

Abdominoplasty is one of the most commonly requested plastic surgery procedures. Many moms, as well as people who have loose belly skin from weight loss, cannot simply tighten their muscles and skin through exercise. This is where a tummy tuck can offer dramatic improvement in the center of the body. However, many plastic surgeons employ a “cookie-cutter” approach to tummy tucks, not paying attention to the scar placement, belly button shape, and the curves and hills/valleys that make an abdomen look natural and sexy.

Tummy Tuck Benefits

Dr. Ghavami takes the time to do a few things to make your tummy tuck results look great, and your scars undetectable, including the following:

When providing tummy tuck estimates many plastic surgeons arbitrarily choose numbers that don’t reflect the true price. Gimmicks aside, the cost of a tummy tuck is something that is completely dependent on the person and the tummy tuck surgery itself. Often it is based on the amount of time the surgeon needs to achieve the best results. A lot of this is dependent on the amount of loose skin, the degree of laxity in the abdominal muscles and how much liposuction is required during the procedure. One patient’s needs may require the surgeon to take a certain approach, whereas another patient has completely different needs.

Recovery time for tummy tuck surgery ranges anywhere from around seven days (for a skin-only “mini tummy tuck” procedure) to 14 days for a full tummy tuck (which includes some liposuction). Depending on the extent of the tummy tuck surgery and other factors, Dr. Ghavami will estimate the time you will need to take off work and school. Most people go back to work in two weeks.

In many tummy tuck cases, post-surgical drains are needed to help remove the excess fluid so it does not collect under the newly affixed skin. Dr. Ghavami uses specialized techniques that help surgical drains to come out much sooner than normally expected (three to five days on average versus the usual one to two weeks). These “progressive sutures” originated in Dallas, where Dr. Ghavami trained, and have helped reduce seroma (fluid accumulation) rates!

With a balanced diet and regular exercise, tummy tuck results are long-lasting and extremely satisfying to patients.

Patients with realistic goals for their tummy tuck are generally very happy with the new shape of their stomach area. Dr. Ghavami spends lots of time with you during your initial consultation so that you are both on the same page regarding your results. Together with Dr. Ghavami, you will select the profile curve of your stomach that best balances out your body’s frame. Dr. Ghavami also spends a lot of time and energy to make sure you won’t have highly visible scars or tissue. Final results depend on your excess skin, elasticity, skin thickness and age.

Complications are rare and, when they occur, minor. They may include infection, or a tight sensation, which improves with time. Scarring varies based on ethnicity and genetics. However, much of your final result and shape is based on how well your skin hugs your new beautiful framework. Patients who intend to lose a lot of weight should wait before undergoing the procedure, since skin in the abdominal area typically loosens after substantial weight loss.

Demand for the tummy tuck in Los Angeles and worldwide is still on the rise. Dr. Ashkan Ghavami, a plastic surgeon who specializes in this procedure, has developed a solid reputation for consistently delivering high-quality body shaping results with tummy tucks (which are sometimes part of a comprehensive mommy makeover). Tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, involves the separation of skin from the abdominal wall, so that a skilled board-certified surgeon can tighten the muscles and fascia layers. Dr. Ghavami offers either partial (mini) tummy tuck, where only excess skin is removed, or complete (full) tummy tuck, where in addition to skin removal, the abdominal muscles are tightened in a “corset fashion.” Dr. Ghavami is also highly trained to perform the extended tummy tuck (which also includes a lateral thigh lift) in patients who have lost significant weight after Lap-Band or gastric bypass surgery, and the circumferential tummy tuck (which combines an extended tummy tuck with a buttock lift). The type of procedure that Dr. Ghavami recommends for a patient is dependent on his or her individual needs.

If you are interested in learning more about tummy tuck surgery, contact Dr. Ghavami for a consultation.