The abdomen, or “tummy,” can be one of the toughest areas to tone or shed fat from. A belly pooch shows up because of weight gain, after a pregnancy, or as a natural part of aging. Despite healthy eating, targeted exercise or other attempts to reduce this trouble area, it often remains. That’s where Dr. Alizadeh's tummy tuck surgery in New York City comes in.

What is a tummy tuck?

A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a surgical procedure designed to improve the appearance of the abdomen. Excess skin and fat are removed from the abdomen and connective tissue is tightened with sutures, firming and shaping the stomach area for a more attractive appearance.

Dr. Alizadeh’s custom procedure, the NaturaTuck™ Abdominoplasty, begins with one incision across the lower abdomen at the level of the pubic hair so that any scarring is hidden by underwear or a bathing suit.

Who is a candidate for a tummy tuck?

Patients who meet the following criteria may be candidates for a tummy tuck:

You have excess, loose skin
You have severely weakened or separated stomach muscles
You are at a stable weight you feel you can maintain.
You are physically healthy
You have realistic expectations about what a tummy tuck can do for you
You are a nonsmoker
You are bothered by the appearance of your abdomen

Dr. Alizadeh will discuss your specific condition and vision of how you want your abdomen to look with you during your consultation to determine whether a tummy tuck is right for you.

Woman in bikini standing - New York City tummy tuck patient of Dr. Alizadeh

Tummy Tuck Before & After by Dr. Alizadeh

What happens during my consultation with Dr. Alizadeh?

During your consultation for a tummy tuck in New York City, Dr. Alizadeh will discuss your unique concerns and goals for the surgery. He will look at your medical history and ask about your general health and lifestyle, and he will take photographs of your abdomen.

Dr. Alizadeh will discuss your options and recommend the best approach to improve the appearance of your abdomen and torso. He will answer questions and concerns, and he will walk you through all the steps of the tummy tuck procedure in detail, including any risks or potential complications.

Dr. Alizadeh sitting down - a board-certified plastic surgeon in NYC

What are the benefits of a tummy tuck?

A tummy tuck has a large number of benefits, even beyond the aesthetic enhancement it provides. Dr. Alizadeh's tummy tuck procedure provides the following benefits:

Specific to the NaturaTuck™ Abdominoplasty, the abdominal area is made more attractive with very minimal scarring.
It flattens the abdomen and removes excess stomach fat.
It shapes, tones and contours the stomach and waist.
It surgically tightens weakened muscles, providing abdominal support that can alleviate back pain and improve posture.
It removes up to 10 pounds of excess skin from your abdomen
It can give you a toned, well-defined stomach.
It can eliminate stretch marks.
It can help lower your risk of encountering diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, gallbladder disease, and gallstones.
It reduces unnecessary stress on the stomach muscles (this stress can lead to the formation of a ventral hernia).
It reduces urinary incontinence.

Why choose Alizadeh Cosmoplastic Surgery for my tummy tuck in NYC?

Dr. Alizadeh's Qualifications

Our Founder and Medical Director, Dr. Kaveh Alizadeh, is the Chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Westchester Medical Center and Associate Professor of Surgery at New York Medical College. A double Ivy-league alumnus with over 20 years of experience and expertise, Dr. Alizadeh will perform your procedure at our boutique, state-of-the-art and fully certified American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF). He has practices in both Manhattan and Long Island.

Dr. Alizadeh's Custom NaturaTuck™ Abdominoplasty

Dr. Alizadeh has spent years perfecting the tummy tuck procedure and has developed a trademarked technique, called NaturaTuck™ Abdominoplasty, which improves upon older approaches to tummy-tuck surgery. In addition to better results and minimal scarring, the NaturaTuck™ Abdominoplasty uses progressive-tension sutures (PTS), and requires minimal or no use of abdominal drains. Dr. Alizadeh has extensive experience with this procedure with 10 year follow-up satisfaction.

Accomplished Healthcare Team

Dr. Alizadeh's outstanding team of accomplished healthcare professionals include board-certified physician anesthesiologists who will ensure a pain-free procedure and a quick, uneventful recovery from anesthesia.

State of the Art Pain Relief System

In addition, they use the ON-Q Pain Relief System and EXPAREL®, a long-lasting, non-narcotic anesthetic agent to numb the abdomen for up to five days after your tummy tuck surgery. Use of these state-of-the-art anesthesia options translates to an optimal recovery with minimal pain and a faster return to your work and daily life. In fact, they popularly call his NaturaTuck™ Abdominoplasty the "no pain, no drain" tummy tuck.

Dr. Alizadeh Tummy Tuck Patient Testimonial - Marina

Dr. Alizadeh Tummy Tuck Patient Reviews

A.F

I’m so pleased with my results. Wore a bikini all summer long after having two sections, which I never thought possible. Dr. Alizadeh has great bedside manner a...

S.C

Dr. Alizadeh and his staff were always so gracious, courteous, professional and educated. They were available at all times to assist and made the experience far...

M.M

Amazing Dr. It was a pleasure to be taken care by Dr Alizadeh and his staff every moment I spent there I was treat kindly and most important I was so happy with...

M.R

Dr. Alizadeh and his team have been tremendously helpful and supportive. There is so much that goes into getting ready for surgery and they held my hand the ent...

What happens during the tummy tuck procedure?

Your NaturaTuck™ procedure will usually take about three hours, and it will begin with general anesthesia. Dr. Alizadeh will make one incision across the lower abdomen at the level of the pubic hair so that any scarring is hidden by underwear or a bathing suit. He will then remove the excess skin and fat between your belly button and pubic hair in a horizontal oval or elliptical shape.

For the next step, Dr. Alizadeh will secure the abdominal wall to the muscle with progressive tension sutures. Although this last step requires approximately 15 minutes of additional surgical time, it means that most patients do not require abdominal drains following surgery.

Dr. Alizadeh then performs contouring procedures to recreate the internal corset and outer hourglass shape. The navel is then repositioned, called an umbilical translocation. Your belly button will be brought out through a small incision and sutured in its normal position. The incision will be closed with biological glues or absorbable sutures.

Patients with large amounts of fat in the area may also opt to have liposuction during their tummy tuck procedure, which provides further shaping and toning of the abdominal area.

What Are The Risks Of Tummy Tuck Surgery?

Like all procedures, tummy tuck surgery has some associated risks:

Excessive bleeding
Reaction to anesthesia
Infection
Hematoma
Blood clot
Pain
Numbness in the area
Dissatisfaction with surgery results
Incision taking longer than normal to heal or becoming inflamed
Scar not fading as expected

Dr. Alizadeh is a board-certified plastic surgeon whose team consists of a board-certified anesthesiologist. Our practice is certified by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF). The doctor makes sure to follow stringent safety measures when performing tummy tuck surgery in Long Island and New York City.

What is the recovery like after a tummy tuck?

At Cosmoplastic Surgery, we are devoted to getting to know our patients and caring for them as part of our extended family. We listen to what you have to say. After your procedures, we stay connected and in touch, and may even make house calls to ensure that your recovery environment optimizes your healing process.

Immediately following your tummy tuck, Dr. Alizadeh will apply dressings or bandages to your incisions or wrap your abdomen in a compression garment to minimize swelling and support your abdomen during healing. You will be required to wear your compression garment for one or two weeks.

Tummy-tuck patients should expect to take two weeks off from work for recovery, and they should refrain from exercise and heavy lifting for six weeks. However, you will be encouraged to walk with assistance as soon as possible after surgery to promote healthy blood circulation and prevent blood clots from forming in your lower extremities.

Any bruising should subside within two to three weeks, and swelling should resolve completely within three to six months.

Complementary procedures

The following procedures often work well in tandem with a tummy tuck.

Mini Tummy Tuck

For some patients, a full tummy tuck is not needed. If there is a bulge only below the belly button, which is often a result of abdominal muscles separating during pregnancy, a mini tummy tuck may be more optimal. The mini tummy tuck requires a smaller, lower incision and leaves the belly button intact. Using gentle assisted liposuction, Dr. Alizadeh removes excess fat and then repairs the separated muscle tissue by stitching it together. This restores a firm, flat lower abdomen.

Torso Lift Belt Lipectomy

A torso lift, or belt lipectomy, allows Dr. Alizadeh to contour the hips, thighs and buttocks. In addition to the abdomen, the patient’s lower body is lifted, shaped and sculpted. This procedure is designed for patients who have lost a large volume of weight, yet still struggle with excess, unwanted skin.

Lateral Torso Abdominoplasty LTAP

This procedure is designed for those with excess upper abdominal skin or lateral breast skin, and it can also benefit patients who have had previous operations. Dr. Alizadeh will create a tapered contour by removing the excess skin that is hanging laterally and redraping and securing it along the sides of the torso, creating a smoother, tighter physique.

Panniculectomy Surgery For The Abdominal Apron

Also known as a pannus stomach or mother’s apron, apron belly occurs when the belly and fat expands due to weight gain or pregnancy. This appears as an apron-like flap that can hang low below the beltline, cause back pain, and prevent good genital hygiene. Patients who have worked hard to lose significant weight often have this extra pouch. Removing it helps them feel better about their weight loss and proud of their impressive achievement.

Mommy Makeover

After having children, the flesh of the body can sag and hang instead of bouncing back as you want it to. Dr. Alizadeh can provide a "mommy makeover" procedure for women who desire a full-body restoration. This restoring procedure generally includes a tummy tuck andbreast augmentation or a NaturaBra™ Breast Lift. Once it is complete, you can see your pre-pregancy figure again, firmed, contoured and in a beautiful hourglass shape.

Spot Liposuction

In addition to removing excess skin, liposuction can be done to help achieve a slimmer, shapely result as a part of comprehensive body contouring.

Based on your vision for your body, Dr. Alizadeh may also discuss grafting the fat to your face or breasts to enhance or augment areas that are in need of a lift.

Additionally, Dr. Alizadeh may recommend using the unwanted fat in cellulite removal procedures by layering it to help prevent future scarring or dimpling.

Tummy Tuck FAQs

How soon after childbirth can I have a tummy tuck?

You will need to wait at least six months after giving birth before receiving a tummy tuck. Your abdominal tissue needs a chance to heal fully before the procedure is done.

Will pregnancy after a tummy tuck change my results?

Most patients have reported satisfactory results even after a pregnancy. For some, a touch-up procedure might be required after the pregnancy, However, as long as the patient stays on the healthier side, the results of a tummy tuck will very likely last.

Can you get rid of stretch marks during a tummy tuck?

A tummy tuck can permanently remove white stretch marks and will alleviate stretch marks between your bikini line and your belly button. However, the stretch marks outside of that area will remain. These will be moved lower as the remaining skin is stretched down.

When can I return to work?

A tummy tuck requires approximately two weeks off work for full recovery. Light work at a computer can be done after about five days, but two weeks are recommended to avoid any unnecessary stress on the body.

Will tummy tuck surgery help me lose fat?

Depending on the amount of loose skin that you need removed, you will lose 2-10 pounds. If liposuction is done concurrently, you can safely have up to 11 pounds of abdominal fat removed.

Tummy Tuck NYC NaturaTuck™