A tummy tuck, also known as an an abdominoplasty, is a procedure where excess skin and fat is surgically removed from one’s middle to lower abdomen. Elongated or stretched abdominal muscles are often repaired with this procedure. For anyone who seeks a more flat and better-defined abdominal area, an abdominoplasty is the right procedure for you. Ideal for patients who have concerns about large fat deposits, loose or saggy skin, or have bodies that don’t respond to healthy diet and exercise habits should strongly consider this procedure.
What Makes Dr. BYUN’s Approach Different From Other Surgeons?
In addition to being a one-of-a-kind surgeon, Dr. BYUN is also an amazing coach. He works with patients prior to surgery to firm up abdominal tissues and muscles to achieve even more outstanding results.
As for the procedure, Dr. BYUN uses precise incisions so that the resulting scars are minimized. He utilizes an incision along the bikini line so that the scar is hidden easily by undergarments. Dr. BYUN performs something called a high lateral tension abdominoplasty where the sides of the abdomen are secured down to highlight natural curves. Abdominal muscles are repaired and excess skin is tightened and sutured, leaving behind a more narrow waistline with a firm abdominal wall.
Debunking Common Tummy Tuck MYTHS
A Tummy Tuck is a Great Weight Loss Strategy (MYTH)
A tummy tuck is not designed to help you lose weight. Actually, you will see the best results from a tummy tuck if you are at, or close to, your target weight range. Tummy tucks are about refining the shape and contour of your abdomen, not removing pounds and ounces. When it comes to weight loss, there is no substitute for a healthy diet and exercise routine.
Tummy Tucks Improve the Look of Stretch Marks (semi-MYTH)
Tummy tucks only improve stretch marks located on the skin that’s removed during surgery. In most cases, the skin is removed from between the navel and the pubic hairline.
I Can’t Have More Children After a Tummy Tuck (MYTH)
Tummy tucks do not interfere with future family planning. If you have a tummy tuck and then get pregnant, you do not have to worry about any detrimental effects on your health. With that being said, some of the aesthetic benefits of surgery may be lost as skin and muscles re-stretch. But chances are, even with some of the improvements regressing, your abdomen will look better post pregnancy than it would have if you did not have a tummy tuck.
Only Women can Benefit from a Tummy Tuck (MYTH)
Although it is true that many women seek out tummy tucks after having children, the procedure can greatly benefit both men and women. Dr. BYUN works with men who are left with folds of saggy abdominal skin after massive weight loss. Though the surgical techniques are vastly similar whether the patient is male or female, a truly talented tummy tuck surgeon like Dr. BYUN understands how to create gender differentiation amongst his patients. Flat and firm for our masculine men, and curvy yet well defined for our feminine women.
Revolutionary Vision,
Unmatched Outcomes
Tummy Tuck Recovery
Patients will go home the same day. Movements that require abdominal use such as sitting or getting in and out of bed will be uncomfortable. Avoid stretching, twisting or trying to force a straight posture. Patients who do well are able to limit activity and take appropriate pain medications. Dr. BYUN and his Post-Op Care Team will evaluate your healing and let you now when it’s safe to resume normal routines and exercise. (rule of thumb; increase activity by 10% every week as tolerated)
For sleep, back or side sleeping positions are allowed. While on your back, use a pillow under your knees.
After surgery, you will have an abdominal binder on. The binder has velcro and can be adjusted as necessary. It’s important to maintain binder compression to the operative site. Binder use can last from 1 week to 5 months post surgery. Three days following surgery you may remove the binder briefly to shower. Please try to keep on any tape or steri-strips that are directly on you skin for your first shower – they will be removed at your post-op appointment. Baths are not a an option as the tape and steri-strips should not be soaked. After you shower, place the binder back on snugly.
Sometimes drains are necessary to help control bruising and swelling. Drains are secured and will not easily fall out. At first, the fluids may be bloody but will get paler in color as time passes. Keep track of the amount of fluid you empty (right separate from left) and the time you empty them. Bring this information to your follow-up appointment. The drains will not work if the bulbs are not compressed. After emptying, compress the drain before re-inserting the tab. Some clotting may appear in the tubes by the 2nd or the 3rd day. In this case, pinch the tube above the clot, and with the other hand “milk” the clot down into the bulb. When showering, make sure to place the drains up on something, as not to let them hang or be pulled down. These drains will be removed at your follow-up appointment.
How Much Down Time is Involved?
Seven to ten days after surgery, you’ll return to Dr. BYUN’s office for follow-up. Returning to work and healing vary, but most patients feel comfortable returning to work after two or three weeks. Dr. BYUN and his Post-Op Care Team will evaluate your healing and let you now when it’s safe to resume normal routines and exercise. (rule of thumb; increase activity by 10% every week as tolerated)
Why is the BYUN Tummy Tuck so Expensive?
- Anesthesia: Dr. BYUN does all his surgeries with board certified anesthesiologists– not nurses– to completely ensure your health and safety
- Surgery Center: Just like all hospitals, surgery centers are monitored by state health departments, federal government, and non-governmental agencies like the Joint Commission. In fact, our surgery center is one of the most highly-regulated healthcare facilities in the United States and is required to meet strict standards
- Dr. BYUN does a completely different repair than most doctors. He performs something called a high lateral tension abdominoplasty. This procedure pulls the side of the abdomen to highlight natural curves. Also, his tummy tuck method saves peripheral blood vessels instead of cutting them out
- He removes all scars from previous C-section, gallbladder, gyne or other abdominal related procedures
- Additionally, scar care and follow up visits are all included
- He includes liposuction of the both flanks of the abdominal which typically bulge after most standard tummy tucks
- Dr. BYUN also addresses the mons-pubis/private area to match the improved abdomen area; most surgeons avoid this area which results in extra bulging after surgery
What is a Mommy Makeover?
The term ‘Mommy Makeover’ describes a combination of plastic surgery procedures intended to reverse the physical changes brought about by pregnancy and breastfeeding. If you wish you could reclaim your pre-baby body, a mommy makeover with Dr. Michael BYUN may be a very gratifying experience for you.
What Procedures are Typically Included in a Mommy Makeover?
Nearly every Mommy Makeover includes procedures to target the breasts and abdomen, which are the areas that are typically most changed by pregnancy and nursing.
A tummy tuck tightens the abdominal muscles that have stretched or separated during pregnancy; it also removes excess skin and fat from the front and sides of the waist.
In terms of the breasts, some women are disappointed to find that nursing robs them of their natural volume. Implants can be placed as part of a Mommy Makeover to add volume and shape to flat or “deflated”-looking breasts. Other women find that their breasts enlarge during pregnancy and remain disproportionately large after they finish breastfeeding. A breast reduction may be incorporated into mommy makeover to remove excess skin and tissue and improve the proportion of the breasts to the rest of the body. It is also incredibly common to experience breast sagging (i.e., “ptosis”) after pregnancy and nursing. For this reason, a breast lift, which repositions the breast tissue higher on the chest in a perkier arrangement, is a mainstay of the Mommy Makeover. Areola repositioning and size can both be addressed.
Your Mommy Makeover Procedure Details
Your mommy makeover will be specifically tailored to your unique circumstances, taking into consideration what you hope to look like after surgery. Dr. BYUN might recommend combining your desired procedures into one operation, or staging them out into separate surgeries depending on your personal preferences and any health or medical constraints.
Dr. BYUN begins the procedure by creating an incision on the lower abdomen, just above the pubic hairline. Through the incision he tightens the abdominal muscles, stitching them together in a corset-like fashion. He selectively removes unwanted fat and trims excess skin that may hang or sag off of the torso. Dr. BYUN can also improve the appearance of a stretched-out belly button. Once he is happy with the shape of the abdomen, he re-drapes the skin more smoothly over the tissues. Liposuction may be added to a Mommy Makeover to target the flanks, hips, buttocks, and other areas of the body that have accumulated fat during pregnancy and not responded to diet or exercise efforts.









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Dr. Michael BYUN is a serious doctor with seriously comprehensive experience unlike many of his peers setting him heads and shoulders above all the rest.