My Unique Approach to Tummy Tuck
Tummy tuck patients at my Chicago plastic surgery center often come in with preconceived notions that…Read On
TLKM Plastic Surgery
737 North Michigan Avenue #1500
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 788-2560
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Tuesday: 8 a.m.–6 p.m.
For many people struggling with excess skin and fat around the abdomen—whether due to pregnancy or significant weight loss—a tummy tuck is the ideal solution. Board-certified plastic surgeons Dr. Thomas Mustoe and Dr. Sammy Sinno use advanced techniques to give you the slimmer, firmer midsection that exercise and healthy eating alone often fail to achieve.
Our exceptional abdominoplasty results speak volumes about Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno’s skills and expertise, and draw tummy tuck patients to Chicago from all over Illinois, the Midwest, the nation, and even abroad.
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Keep in mind that each patient is unique and your results may vary.
What Is a Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)?
A tummy tuck is a body contouring procedure that dramatically improves your appearance by creating a smooth, flat abdomen and slim waistline. People choose tummy tuck surgery when they wish to:
- Repair separated abdominal muscles (diastasis recti)
- Flatten a protruding abdomen
- Remove excess, sagging skin and stretch marks
- Sculpt stubborn areas of fat
- Enhance body proportions and contours
We commonly perform tummy tuck on post-weight loss patients or women whose skin and muscles have been overstretched by pregnancy. Patients who wish to restore their bodies after childbirth often combine their tummy tucks with procedures, such as breast lift, liposuction, or labiaplasty as part of a transformative mommy makeover surgery.
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How Is a Tummy Tuck Performed?
With over 30 years of combined experience in tummy tucks and body contouring procedures, our surgeons use refined techniques to customize your results according to your specific needs and goals.
- A horizontal incision is made between the hip bones, placed low enough to be reliably hidden by a bikini or underwear.
- Tissues are elevated at a depth that minimizes surgical trauma, reduces pain, and accelerates recovery.
- After making discreet incisions around the navel to release the overlying skin, our tummy tuck surgeons remove excess skin and repair abdominal muscles stretched or separated during pregnancy.
- Liposuction may be included as part of the procedure to further refine the contour of the abdomen, waist, and flanks.
- Incisions are closed, with special care taken to conceal the belly button incision using signature techniques to ensure a natural-looking result.
The procedure typically takes 2 to 3 hours, although this varies depending on the surgical technique used and whether procedures are combined for additional body contouring benefits.
What Is a Mini Tummy Tuck?
If only the area below the navel needs correction, Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno perform a “mini” tummy tuck. This procedure uses a smaller incision and may require less recovery and downtime than a full tummy tuck. However, most patients get a more dramatic result with a full abdominoplasty and can still return to work and most regular activities within 1-2 weeks.
TLKM Plastic SurgeryWhat Is a Full Tummy Tuck?
A full or “complete” tummy tuck is performed with an incision that runs from hipbone to hipbone. This approach removes excess skin and fat from both the upper and lower abdomen and, if necessary, tightens weakened or separated abdominal muscles. The procedure also typically includes repositioning the skin around the belly button.
What Is an Extended Tummy Tuck?
This surgical approach involves extending the standard tummy tuck incision, sometimes wrapping it slightly around the torso to allow for more extensive fat removal and contouring of the flanks and lower back.
During your one-on-one consultation, our knowledgeable surgeons will conduct a physical examination, explore your needs and concerns, and share a customized tummy tuck treatment plan using one of these surgical approaches.
Chicago's
Premier Plastic Surgeons
Dr. Thomas Mustoe and Dr. Sammy Sinno are board-certified plastic surgeons renowned in Chicago and beyond for their unparalleled expertise, refined surgical techniques, and exceptional patient outcomes. Together, they set the gold standard in plastic surgery treatment and care, delivering:
- Safe, best-in-class protocols
- Minimal scarring and bruising
- Customized, natural-looking results
- Faster, more comfortable recovery
- Use of local anesthesia with sedation
- State-of-the-art Facility
Advantages of Choosing Dr. Mustoe or Dr. Sinno for Your Tummy Tuck
Ranked among the best tummy tuck surgeons in Chicago, Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno employ various innovative abdominoplasty techniques to make recovery as easy as possible and provide the most attractive, natural-looking results. Their patients enjoy numerous benefits above and beyond what you can expect from the typical tummy tuck.
Quick Recovery Approach
As premier plastic surgeons, Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno provide detailed postoperative instructions to enhance your safety and comfort during the recovery window.
Dr Mustoe is renowned for pioneering the use of local anesthesia with sedation versus general anesthesia for virtually all aesthetic surgery of the face, body, and breast. This approach gives patients the benefit of being conscious and comfortable throughout their procedure. Further advantages of local anesthesia include:
- A lower incidence of nausea, sore throat, and other common side effects associated with general anesthesia
- Avoids postoperative “brain fog”
- A faster, more comfortable recovery
- Reduced risk of deep vein thrombosis (blood clots)
- Minimizes bruising, especially when paired with sharp dissection techniques
Dr. Mustoe has lectured internationally about his groundbreaking use of conscious sedation during plastic surgery, and he has published extensive research on this approach in leading medical journals.
A Natural-Looking Belly Button
After having children, some women have loose skin, mainly in the lower abdomen, along with abdominal wall laxity (stretched and separated abdominal muscles). Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno achieve excellent results for these tummy tuck patients by performing a mini-abdominoplasty with a floating umbilicus. Most surgeons make an incision around the belly button, tighten the abdominal skin, and then insert the belly button through a new opening in the abdominal skin
The floating umbilicus technique involves detaching the belly button from underneath, repairing the muscles, and then reattaching it to the muscle wall. This limits the incision to below the bikini line, which allows access to the muscle wall and removal of the excess lower abdominal skin. This superior technique allows Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno to repair abdominal muscle separation while avoiding incisions around the belly button. The resulting belly button looks very natural.
If an incision around the belly button is necessary, our surgeons utilize a groundbreaking technique that Dr. Mustoe published in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal. This approach results in a natural-appearing “inny” belly button that women can proudly show off in a bikini vs. an unnatural belly button that looks like it was “operated on.”
Minimized Tummy Tuck Scarring
By using innovative scar reduction techniques and overlapping the soft tissues at the incision site, Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno consistently achieve a well-concealed hairline abdominoplasty scar that is flat rather than depressed. Occasionally, there is a short vertical scar from the site of the umbilicus that has been pulled down in patients with less skin excess. This small scar can easily be excised in the office a year later when the skin has relaxed, leaving only an inconspicuous horizontal scar below the bikini line that follows the natural contours of the abdomen.
What Is Tummy Tuck Recovery Like?
Although it is an outpatient procedure, a tummy tuck is still a major surgery. However, our innovative techniques result in a much more comfortable recovery with a reduced rate of complications. It’s essential to follow Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno’s post-op protocols for a smooth, accelerated recovery and optimal results.
While every patient varies, here’s an overview of what to expect during tummy tuck recovery:
Immediately after surgery
- Activities should be limited for the first 2 to 3 days, except short, easy walks to boost blood flow.
- You’ll be prescribed medication, but most patients find that over-the-counter pain relievers are enough to manage their discomfort.
- Arrange for help at home and prioritize your rest and healing.
1 to 2 weeks post-op
- Most patients resume work and regular activities, including lifting small children and driving.
- Cardio exercises may be resumed, but hold off on core exercises such as sit-ups, heavy lifting, or Pilates for about 2 months to give the diastasis repair time to gain full strength.
- Don’t push yourself too hard, even though you probably feel much better.
3 to 4 weeks post-op
- Your clothes fit better, and your midsection appears much slimmer and firmer.
- You feel more comfortable and confident showing off your initial results.
- Minor swelling continues to resolve over several weeks, and scars continue to fade for up to a year.
Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno share the same essential philosophy of being attentive and hands-on in post-op care. Our tummy tuck patients are given their surgeon’s direct cell phone number after surgery to ensure they receive prompt responses to any concerns or questions.
How Much Does a Tummy Tuck Cost in Illinois?
As with any plastic surgery procedure, pricing varies widely due to the surgery’s complex and custom nature. Following your consultation, you’ll receive a detailed and personalized quote, so you’ll know exactly what to expect regarding your specific procedure and pricing.
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Tummy Tuck FAQ
Who’s a good candidate for tummy tuck surgery?
Ideal candidates for tummy tuck surgery are in good overall health, close to their ideal body weight, and have loose, excess abdominal skin, usually due to pregnancy, weight loss, or aging. Many tummy tuck patients also have weakened or separated abdominal muscles (diastasis recti). We recommend that you wait to have a tummy tuck until you are done having children. A consultation with Dr. Mustoe or Dr. Sinno is the best way to determine your tummy tuck candidacy.
How is a tummy tuck different than liposuction?
An abdominoplasty removes excess abdominal skin and tightens the abdominal muscles, while the primary goal of liposuction is to target and remove stubborn areas of fat. Our surgeons will help you determine whether you can benefit from a tummy tuck, liposuction, or both procedures.
Will insurance cover a tummy tuck?
Tummy tucks are considered elective cosmetic procedures, thus they are not covered by health insurance. However, we offer flexible financing options to make paying for your tummy tuck more convenient and manageable.
Is a tummy tuck painful?
No, most of our tummy tuck patients do not describe their tummy tuck recovery as painful. Because we manage your comfort during a tummy tuck using local anesthesia with conscious sedation instead of general anesthesia, our patients experience a faster, more comfortable recovery period with reduced nausea and other complications. Many of our abdominoplasty patients recover comfortably using only over-the-counter pain medications such as ibuprofen or Tylenol®.
Get Started
If you would like to meet with Dr. Mustoe or Dr. Sinno in Chicago to discuss your abdominoplasty or other plastic surgery options, request a consultation online today. Or you can call us at (312) 788-2560 and one of our helpful staff members will schedule your appointment.
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