One of the biggest issues with a tummy tuck is the length of the scar. I try to reinforce that the length of the scar is often long, but I will put it low and it will follow the underwear line. Even the thin cut underwear will usually hide the scars. Patients get better scar healing with the use of silicone strips. Rarely, a scar requires surgical revision because it is too wide. A revised scar usually heals better because it heals without tension.
Other types of lesser invasive procedures would include liposuction alone or liposuction in conjunction with a lesser excision of skin. These are usually reserved for those who do not have excess or only a minimal excess of lower abdominal skin. The upper abdominal skin is not excessive. In these situations, recovery is faster.
For all of the procedures, the full results would not be noted for at least three months. Usually, there are still some changes occurring at six months. I recommend silicone strips and compression for scar therapy. I recommend weight loss afterward. Patients will usually lose 15 pounds with the procedures. Not that I remove 15 pounds but most patients use this as a spring board to lose more weight. The patients that I have seen that have had the best results will lose 15% of their body weight over a period of a year.
There are other types of body re-contouring procedures which are specifically tailored to certain types of patients. But in the general, the above are what I recommend. The patient satisfaction is quite high for these procedures because they can begin to wear clothing that is fitted around the midline and that shows their nice body contours.
