Many of you have seen the Smooth Tuck discussed on The Doctors as a possible aid for obesity. While diet and exercise may help lose the weight necessary to become candidates for the traditional tummy tuck, there is a new option available for those who are slightly too overweight for a traditional tummy tuck. The Smooth Tuck? combines high-volume liposuction with a procedure similar to a tummy tuck that removes excess skin and contours the body.
Actual Smooth Tuck? Results of Dr. Matthew Schulman
Smooth Tuck vs. Tummy Tuck *
- Reduced post-operative discomfort
- More rapid recovery
- No belly button incision
- Large volume of fat is removed with liposuction (an average of 2 to 3 liters)
- Can be performed on patients considered too obese for a tummy tuck
*according to Dr. Schulman
A traditional tummy tuck, also known as an abdominoplasty, is performed through a wide incision, cut low so the scar can later be hidden beneath underwear, in which extra skin is removed and abdominal muscles are tightened to correct previous muscle spread. After the incision is stitched, the belly button may be repositioned. It is recommended that patients are within their ideal body weight to be candidates for the tummy tuck.
For patients that are just slightly too overweight for the tummy tuck, board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Matthew Schulman in New York has developed the Smooth Tuck. "With the Smooth Tuck, we're able to remove the fat and provide patients who are considered 'too obese' for a tummy tuck with the improved contours they desire," describes Dr. Schulman.
In the first step of the Smooth Tuck, high volume liposuction is performed, removing up to 2-3 liters of fat. Then, through a smaller incision than that used during a tummy tuck, excess skin is removed. Muscle repair is not included in the Smooth Tuck which means less downtime for the patient.
A benefit of the Smooth Tuck vs. a tummy tuck is downtime is significantly less with the Smooth Tuck. Traditional tummy tuck patients typically require 2 weeks off of work and 6-8 weeks before returning to normal physical activity. Smooth Tuck patients generally return to work in 7 days and may resume normal activity within 14 days.
The ideal patient for the Smooth Tuck is someone who is just a bit too overweight for the tummy tuck but also does not have muscle spread that is typically associated with post-pregnancy. Dr. Schulman says, "A traditional tummy tuck is a skin and muscles operation, the Smooth Tuck is more about the fat."
