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Tummy Tuck

Abdominoplasty NYC with Dr. Cangello

Abdominoplasty, commonly known as Tummy Tuck Surgery, can create a slimmer, more toned abdomen. NYC Tummy Tuck Specialist Dr. David L. Cangello is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who has helped many men and women achieve their goal of a flat, sculpted stomach. A healthy diet and regular exercise are not always effective in changing the appearance of your midsection. Pregnancy, aging and weight changes can result in sagging skin, stubborn fatty deposits and abdominal bulging. Abdominoplasty is among the top five cosmetic surgery procedures in the U.S. because it tightens the stomach muscles and removes excess skin to restore a toned, youthful look.1

Benefits of Tummy Tuck Surgery

During your abdominoplasty consultation appointment, Dr. Cangello will help you determine if you are a candidate for this procedure. If tummy tuck surgery is right for you, potential benefits include:
  • Repair diastasis recti, which is a separation of the abdominal muscles that is common after pregnancy and causes a bulge that does not respond to diet or exercise
  • Improve Self-Image that can help you feel happier and more confident
  • Reduce or Remove Excess Skin and Stretch Marks, so you can feel comfortable at the beach or wearing clothing that shows off your midsection
  • Restore a Youthful Look with a smaller waist, and flatter, more toned tummy
  • Combine With Other Procedures such as a customized Mommy Makeover. Patients who combine abdominoplasty with liposuction report a 99% patient satisfaction rate.2

Are You a Good Candidate for Tummy Tuck Surgery?

Tummy Tuck surgery can repair stretched abdominal muscles and tighten sagging skin, but it is not a weight loss procedure. Ideal candidates for this procedure include men and women who are non-smokers in good health and maintain a healthy, stable weight.3 Women planning additional pregnancies in the future should consider postponing their tummy tuck surgery until they’re finished having children, as pregnancy can reverse some of the effects of treatment.
Abdominoplasty patients should be motivated to follow Dr. Cangello’s preoperative and postoperative instructions. This includes wearing an abdominal binder following surgery and refraining from exercise or any lifting and straining for a few weeks. It’s essential for patients to have realistic expectations about their outcomes. Abdominoplasty results are long-lasting when accompanied by a healthy lifestyle. To see what kind of results you can achieve, take a look at our photo gallery for NYC tummy tuck before-and-after photos from prior patients.

Your NYC Tummy Tuck With Dr. Cangello

The Most Natural-Looking Results

Being trusted with your plastic surgery treatment isn’t a responsibility that Dr. Cangello takes lightly. He takes great care during the procedure to help you reach your aesthetic goals while producing the most natural-looking results possible. The goal is to create an appearance that matches the subtle shape of a naturally flat abdomen, rather than making it look out of proportion with the rest of your body.

As a surgeon with a finely tuned artistic sense, Dr. Cangello relies on the principles of artistry when approaching surgery, allowing him to create superior results. Whether you have excess skin from weight loss or you merely want to restore body contours following childbirth, Dr. Cangello sculpts your abdomen in a way that complements your body shape.

Board-Certified Expert

For optimal results, your NYC abdominoplasty should be performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon. Surgeons who are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery have undergone extensive training in the field of both cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. They must also pass rigorous examinations to verify their proficiency in the area.

Unlike surgeons who undergo cosmetic training alone, plastic surgeons have comprehensive experience with reconstruction of the entire body. Dr. Cangello has demonstrated his mastery of plastic surgery by these standards and treating elite patients, helping to ensure your surgical experience is positive.

Your Comfort and Safety Are Top Priorities

For optimal comfort, safety and the best outcome your surgery will be performed at Dr. Cangello’s state-of-the-art operating facility in NYC. This on-site surgical facility is fully accredited to meet strict standards of the AAAASF (American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities). For maximum safety, Dr. Cangello only works with board-certified anesthesiologists.

If you’re considering a tummy tuck, you are more than welcome to take a tour of Dr. Cangello’s operating facility during your consultation. And for patients who feel more comfortable having their procedure performed in a hospital setting, Dr. Cangello also has operating privileges at Lenox Hill and Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital in NYC.

David L. Cangello, MD, FACS Plastic Surgery New York

Dr. David Cangello is one of the top board-certified plastic surgeons in all of New York City. His approach of treating plastic surgery with an artistic eye has successfully shaped his practice. Dr. Cangello cares about the result of the surgery as much as the patient does. Read more to learn why you should choose Dr. Cangello for your next procedure.

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Understanding Your Tummy Tuck Surgery in Detail

On the day of your surgery, Dr. Cangello marks the critical areas the operation will aim to correct. Dr. Cangello also asks you to wear an undergarment that is representative of the type that you wear most frequently. This way he can place his skin markings to conceal incisions in positions that will be hidden. This will be completed while you are standing to make sure that the most natural-looking results are achieved following your abdominoplasty.

Once your anesthesia has been administered, Dr. Cangello makes an incision along the marking drawn below your undergarment line. The incision length will depend on how much skin needs to be removed, and it can range from a few inches to a span of one hip to the other. If a large amount of skin needs to be excised, the incision will be longer.

Next, Dr. Cangello carefully separates the loose skin and fat from your abdominal muscles so he can repair and tighten these muscles. An incision is also made around the umbilicus (belly button) so all the excess skin and fat above it can be mobilized downward and removed. Once the muscles are repaired, excess skin and fat are removed from the abdominal area.

The remaining skin is carefully stretched toward the bikini-line incision and closed with absorbable sutures. At this point, Dr. Cangello will also insert drains to keep fluid from building up in the area. Patients who have just a small amount of excess skin in the lower portion of the abdomen only (below the belly button) may not need an incision around the navel.

Take the First Step: Your Consultation for Abdominoplasty in NYC

The first step toward achieving your goals is a consultation with Dr. Cangello. This friendly, informative meeting will give you a chance to fully explain why you’re seeking a tummy tuck and what kind of results you’d like to achieve. With this in mind, Dr. Cangello conducts a physical examination to assess your areas of concern. Using this information, he will then create a custom treatment plan to ideally enhance your anatomy and help you achieve your cosmetic goals.

Dr. Cangello is happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have about the procedure, and he will provide you with detailed pre-operative and post-operative guidelines. These are designed to make sure you are fully prepared, and they will also include information to help you have a safe and successful recover. Dr. Cangello is dedicated to serving patients with the highest standard of care – every step of the way.

If you’d like to explore the benefits of this cosmetic body contouring procedure, contact plastic surgeon Dr. David Cangello today at (212) 644-4416 to schedule your consultation for a tummy tuck in NYC.

Tummy Tuck FAQ’s

The procedure will affect a large, core area of your body. Because of this, the recommended at-home recovery period is one-to-two weeks, with three additional weeks of limited activity. Most patients start to feel better within ten days and are ready to return to work after two weeks. Some may need three weeks before returning to work, provided the job doesn’t require heavy lifting or strenuous activity. Regardless of when you return, you will be asked to keep to minimal activity for a total of four to six weeks.

As for post-surgery expectations, you will wake up with a surgical dressing over your incisions, and there will be two drainage tubes placed in the lower abdomen. You will also be wearing a compression garment around your midsection. Wearing the compression garment for the required amount of time is essential for controlling swelling and minimizing the potential for seroma formation, which will ultimately help you achieve your desired results. Your abdomen may feel bruised, swollen or sore, and Dr. Cangello will prescribe pain medication to alleviate any discomfort as needed. You may also experience a temporary loss of sensation in the lower abdomen, but this numbness will resolve over time.

You will be required to keep to minimal activity during the first few days following surgery. Although, you will be asked to walk around carefully and slowly to help prevent blood clots from forming in your legs. When you do walk, you should remain in a slightly hunched position to avoid putting stress on your sutures. At about day five post-op, you will meet with Dr. Cangello for a follow-up appointment. At this time, he will assess your healing progress. Sutures and drains are sometimes removed at this appointment. If they need to remain a bit longer, they will most likely be removed by week two or week three.

During the initial six-week recovery period, you should avoid lifting anything higher than about two pounds, and you should also avoid any strenuous physical activity. Because of this, it is critical that you arrange to have help around the house if you care for small children or pets.

Abdominoplasty is usually performed under general anesthesia.  Less extensive procedures, such as a mini tummy tuck, where skin from only the lower abdomen is removed, may be completed with just local anesthesia.

With liposuction, only fat is removed; skin excision and muscle repair are not performed. The tissue does contract to some degree after liposuction; the best candidates for liposuction have minimal excess skin and good skin elasticity.

An abdominoplasty is best suited for patients who have excess skin with poor elasticity, with or without a protruding abdomen. A protruding stomach is often a result of the abdominal wall muscles stretching and separating from the midline. This most commonly occurs after pregnancy or excessive weight gain. During the procedure, excess skin is excised and the muscles that have separated are pulled together.

When you have a traditional tummy tuck you can have liposuction, but only to the sides of the trunk (also known as the flanks or love handles). You cannot have liposuction to the front of the abdomen, as it could jeopardize blood flow to the skin of the stomach and result in serious complications.

If you’d like to make your abdomen flatter after treatment, you can choose to have liposuction performed as a supplementary procedure several months after surgery. Alternatively, there is a procedure that Dr. Cangello performs called a lipoabdominoplasty.  During this method, the entire trunk (including the front of the abdomen) is comprehensively suctioned. This procedure results in the most dramatic and beautifully contoured results; however, candidates must be carefully assessed as this procedure is not for everyone.

This is an option for patients who have small amounts of excess skin of the lower abdomen that can be excised without going through a full abdominoplasty procedure. However, patients with skin and fat excess of the upper and lower abdomen should understand that they cannot achieve the results of traditional treatment with a minimal scar. Some patients are under the impression that a mini tuck can create the results of a full procedure with a smaller scar (like a C-section type scar). Unfortunately, this is not the case.

In many cases, yes. Dr. Cangello recommends that you finish having children before undergoing cosmetic surgery. Pregnancy can cause the skin and muscles of the abdominal wall to be stretched again, which may necessitate a secondary procedure.

Abdominoplasty can often get rid of stretch marks that appear on the lower abdomen. Stretch marks from the lower abdomen all the way up to the umbilicus (belly button) will be removed.

Patients who have significant stretch marks of the upper abdomen will likely retain some of them after their procedure; however, they will be shifted to the lower part of the stomach.

The results are permanent, assuming you do not become pregnant again or have significant weight gain.

Yes. Many women opt to have their surgery performed in conjunction with a breast augmentation or breast lift for a fully rejuvenated appearance. This particular combination is a popular option for women undergoing a Mommy Makeover.

Any type of surgery comes with some risk of complications or side effects. Possible risks of abdominoplasty include infection, bleeding, unfavorable scarring, and changes in skin sensation.4 Dr. Cangello is highly experienced in successful tummy tuck surgeries and prioritizes patient safety.

If you’d like to explore the benefits of abdominoplasty, contact plastic surgeon Dr. David Cangello today at (212) 644-4416 to schedule your consultation for a tummy tuck in NYC.

References
1 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 2018 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report. Available: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/News/Statistics/2018/plastic-surgery-statistics-full-report-2018.pdf Accessed January 25, 2020.
2 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Liposuction and Tummy Tuck Improve Quality of Life, Reports Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Available: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/press-releases/liposuction-and-tummy-tuck-improve-quality-of-life-reports-plastic-and-reconstructive-surgery Accessed January 25, 2020.
3 American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Who is a good candidate for tummy tuck surgery? Available: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/tummy-tuck/candidates Accessed January 25, 2020.
4 Mayo Clinic. Tummy Tuck. Available: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/tummy-tuck/about/pac-20384892 Accessed January 2, 2020.

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The consultation fee with Dr. Cangello starts at $250. Your consultation fee may be applied to your procedure, provided you undergo the same procedure for which you had the consultation.

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