If you are struggling with excess skin after weight loss or pregnancy, you have likely found that it cannot be eliminated through diet and exercise—only plastic surgery can accomplish this.
A tummy tuck not only removes excess skin, but also treats abdominal bulging or other symptoms resulting from stretched muscles.
Tummy Tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a surgical procedure that treats stretched abdominal skin and muscles through an incision along the lower abdomen. A tummy tuck helps to sculpt a protruding belly by removing excess skin and tightening the abdominal wall musculature, flattening and shaping the abdomen.
Liposuction is typically included in this procedure to remove stubborn fat and create an even more comprehensive result. Additionally, a tummy tuck may be able to remove some abdominal stretch marks. The incision, and thus your scar, is placed just above the pubic area so as to not be visible in a swimsuit.
Streamlined Recovery with Drain-Free Tummy Tucks
A drainless tummy tuck is not just a standard tummy tuck without the use of drains; rather, it involves a unique surgical technique that leaves a thin layer of scarpas fascia intact to allow for natural lymphatic drainage. Dr. Claytor offers this technique to all of his tummy tuck patients!
Benefits Include:
No need to wear cumbersome post-surgical drains
Lower fluid collection rates compared with those who have drains post-surgery
Encourages faster recovery
Less cautery leads to improved blood supply and less traumatic tissue disruption, reducing the strain on your healing body
Am I a good candidate?
The best candidates for abdominoplasty are patients who have excess fat, loose skin, and stretched muscles in the abdominal area that have not responded to diet and exercise. Many patients undergo this procedure after pregnancy or massive weight loss from bariatric surgery. Patients should be in good overall health.
Do not use an abdominoplasty as a substitute for weight loss. Anyone planning on losing a significant amount of weight, and women planning on having (more) children, should wait before undergoing abdominoplasty or a mommy makeover. During your personal consultation at our Main Line office, Dr. Claytor will sit down with you to discuss your goals and determine if you are a candidate for surgery.
Before & After
These three patients underwent drainless tummy tucks.
What is the procedure like?
During the tummy tuck procedure, you will be asleep under general anesthesia. The incision is usually placed along the lower abdomen, where a bikini can conceal the scar. First, Dr. Claytor will release the belly button from the excess skin. Second, he removes the excess skin and fat. Then, the abdominal muscles, which have typically been stretched, are pulled together and sutured for a firmer abdomen and narrower waist. After that, the separated flap of skin is then brought down over the newly tightened muscles, and the belly button brought up through a small incision in the skin.
Finally, he closes the incisions and places sterile surgical dressings over the sutured areas. The tummy tuck procedure takes approximately 3-4 hours to perform. If you are a good candidate for a drain-free tummy tuck, then you may not need to wear a drain during recovery.
Meet Dr. R. Brannon Claytor
Dr. Claytor is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and holds over 20 years of experience as a cosmetic plastic surgeon. An innovator and teacher in the field of plastic surgery, he uses advanced techniques like the drain-free tummy tuck and deep plane facelift to streamline recovery and provide natural-looking, durable results.
Award-Winning, Nationally-Recognized Aesthetic Surgery Expert
Double Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
Over 20 Years of Experience
Chief of Plastic Surgery, Main Line Health
Board Member, The Aesthetic Society
9x Top Doctor Winner, Philadelphia Magazine
America’s Best Plastic Surgeons, Newsweek
Over 1,000 5-Star Reviews, Verified by RealPatientRatings
“ I highly recommend Dr. Claytor to anyone considering plastic surgery. From my first consultation to my post op visits, I was treated by him and his staff with such kindness and true care. Dr. Claytor has so much enthusiasm and obviously loves his profession. He is a true master of plastic surgery. From day one, Dr. Claytor made me feel comfortable and like I was his only patient. His personal phone calls to check on me before and after surgery is just one example of his true dedication to his patients. He has the best bedside manner of any doctor I have ever met. I am so pleased with my results and that I choose Dr. Claytor.”
—5-Star Google Review*
Frequently Asked Questions
A partial abdominoplasty, or a mini tummy tuck, is similar to abdominoplasty, but involves shorter incisions and is an overall less invasive procedure. It is ideal for patients with lower abdominal fat. A partial abdominoplasty produces less scarring (in the bikini line) and has a shorter recovery time than abdominoplasty.
To help you decide which tummy tuck procedure is best to help you reach your goals, Dr. Claytor has made this video in which he explains the difference between a full tummy tuck and a mini tummy tuck, illustrates where the incisions will be placed, and explains how recovery will differ between the two:
Complete recovery times vary from 2 weeks to 4 weeks. After abdominoplasty, patients may experience swelling, bruising, and discomfort. You will need to wear a compression garment for a period of time after surgery. You should strictly avoid strenuous activity, such as lifting heavy objects, for several weeks, but you can likely return to work after a week or two.
The cost of your Philadelphia Tummy Tuck procedure will depend on several factors including your specific needs and goals. The final cost for a surgical procedure such as this will include a surgeon’s fee, a hospital or surgery center fee, and an anesthesia fee, which vary by procedure. We offer financing options to help patients by breaking down costs into monthly payments.
Full tummy tuck scars are placed along the base of the abdomen, just above the pubis, from hip bone to hip bone. There will also be a small scar hidden within the folds of the navel (umbilicus). Mini tummy tuck scars are typically shorter in length and do not include a belly button scar.
We’re Here For You!
If you are considering plastic surgery, we encourage you to schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Brannon Claytor today. He’ll provide you with a personalized surgical plan based on your goals, answer your questions, and help you understand everything that the surgery will entail.
