Houston Tummy Tuck

Tummy Tuck, Tummy Tuck, Tummy Tuck.... What Do You Need to Know about Tummy Tuck?

(Photograph courtesy of twentyythreex.tumblr.com)

 What is the Perfect Body? 

• —Having an hour-glass figure is considered to be extremely attractive by men throughout human history.
  

  The hour-glass figure is the equivalent of having a 36-inch hips and a 23-inch waist.
  The perfect hip-to-waist ratio (hour-glass figure) is the best way to assess women to be fertile.  Universally, men find "fertile women" to be attractive.

The "Belly Button" or Umbilicoplasty Involved in a Tummy Tuck

• A tummy tuck procedure almost always involves repositioning of your belly button (procedure is called umbilicoplasty.)The only time when the umbilicus is not repositioned is when your plastic surgeon performs a mini-tummy tuck, which has very limited indications (very few are candidates for a mini-tummy tuck.)There are several methods of doing an umbilicoplasty performed by different plastic surgeons.

The Ideal "Belly Button" or Umbilicus

• Although the ideal shape of the "belly button" has been debated, studies have shown that in a young thin female, the umbilicus tends to have a small, vertically oriented umbilicus.
• As the young attractive woman ages, the hooding of the "belly button" and deepening of the stalk develops.
• With weight gain and after pregnancy, the umbilicus widens and deepens resulting to an unattractive "belly button."
• A wide umbilicus and the presence of an outward protrusion called an "outie" are considered to be unappealing.
• An ideal "belly button" according to studies of young women with an attractive abdomen shows desirable characteristics that is small in size, vertically oriented, and the presence of a superior hood.

Before & After Photos of a Tummy Tuck Procedure with VASER Liposculpture performed by Emmanuel De La Cruz MD, PLLC

Pregnancy and Abdominoplasty

• —Some of the benefits of abdominoplasty may be reduced or eliminated by pregnancy. 
  Thus it is wise to postpone the procedure if a pregnancy is anticipated in the near future.

Stay tuned for more information about Tummy Tuck....

Emmanuel De La Cruz MD, PLLC

References:

Craig et al.   In search of the ideal female umbilicus. Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. 105(1) Jan" 389-392, 2000.

El-Sharkawy, etl al. A study of the Aesthetic Patterns of the umbilicus among Egyptians with a ew Technique for Umbilical Reconstruction de Novo.

De La Cruz, et al.  The Celtic-Cross Technique for Immediate Umbilical Reconstruction.  Journal of Plastic, Aesthetic & Reconstructive Surgery.

Baroudi R. Umbilicoplasty. Clinics of PLastic Surgery. 2 (3) July: 431-48, 1975.

Hodgkinson DJ.  Umbilicoplasty: Conversion of a "ouie" to "inneie".  Aesthetic Plastic Surgery7(4):221-2, 1983.