Is a Tummy Tuck Painful?

Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin do everything they can to minimize pain and discomfort throughout your cosmetic journey. Your surgery itself is performed under intravenous “twilight” sedation, so you will be asleep and resting peacefully during the operation. At the time of your surgery, Dr. Copeland and Dr. Copeland-Halperin place a special pain pump that delivers local numbing anesthesia to your surgical site to help with discomfort. Afterward, you will be able to take pain medicine to offset any soreness or tenderness and will apply ice packs. Most patients can switch to over-the-counter pain medications within a few days or so.

How Long Until I See Results?

At first, swelling may obscure your results after a tummy tuck. However, this side effect will gradually diminish in the coming months, allowing you to enjoy a flatter, more shapely stomach. Your full outcome will likely become evident after 6-12 months.

What Will the Scarring Look Like?

The panty line or bikini line can typically hide tummy tuck scars. Once your incisions have healed, Dr. Copeland and Dr. Copeland-Halperin will have you apply creams specially formulated by Dr. Michelle Copeland (hyperlink to skincare?) to help your scars heal. Over the coming months, the scar will gradually flatten and grow lighter in color.

When Can I Exercise Again After My Tummy Tuck?

Walking is encouraged soon after surgery, and you will gradually increase light activity as you tolerate it. You can resume more vigorous exercise and activity after about 4-6 weeks and core abdominal exercises closer to 3 months after surgery. However, Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin will provide you with personalized aftercare instructions based on your unique case.

Can I Combine a Tummy Tuck With Other Procedures?

Yes! A tummy tuck is often paired with liposuction to enhance your aesthetic results. It can also be performed as part of a mommy makeover procedure. Speak with our team during your initial consultation to learn more about your options.

What Are the Risks Associated With a Tummy Tuck?

Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin do everything possible to reduce the risk of complications by practicing a thorough and safe approach and reviewing your medical history before surgery. However, like most cosmetic procedures, abdominoplasty poses certain risks, including the following: Swelling Bruising Bleeding Infection Pain Fluid buildup Poor wound healing Blood clots Numbness Asymmetry Poor scarring

How Do I Find the Best New York City Tummy Tuck Plastic Surgeon Near Me?

It’s critical to assess your plastic surgeon based on their credentials including board-certifications, training, expertise, testimonials, before and after photos, and the rapport you have with them. Your surgeon should be willing to answer your questions in detail and empower you to make the best decisions for your health. Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin are excited to meet with you for a private consultation in New York City, NY, so you can learn more about their unique approach to abdominoplasty and the great care they take to enhance your safety before, during, and after surgery.

Tummy Tuck

New York, NY

Introduction to Tummy Tuck

If you are looking to sculpt and tone the midsection but have yet to be successful through dieting and exercise alone, a tummy tuck performed by highly skilled surgeons Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin in New York City may be ideal. As one of the nation’s few mother-daughter plastic surgery teams, our surgeons’ shared expertise helps them deliver a seamless treatment journey and customized, youthful-looking outcomes.

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What is a Tummy Tuck?

Tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty) flattens and reshapes the stomach, which often loses its firmness due to pregnancy and childbirth, weight fluctuations, or the natural aging process. The procedure can trim excess sagging skin, erase stretch marks, reposition the navel, and tighten weakened or separated belly muscles.

While abdominoplasty can be performed alone with dramatic results, it is often combined with liposuction to eradicate stubborn, exercise-resistant fat, streamlining the physique. A tummy tuck is a familiar component of a “mommy makeover,” which may include a breast lift or breast augmentation to lift deflated or sagging breasts to help women reclaim a more youthful-looking figure after childbirth.

Mini-Tummy Tuck

The mini-tummy tuck is a great option for those who want to slim the stomach and waist but don’t need the heavy lifting of a full abdominoplasty. It’s especially effective for those who suffer from moderate but persistent potbelly or “bikini bulge.” The main difference between the two procedures is that the mini-tummy tuck doesn’t require moving or reconstructing the belly button.

What Are the Benefits of a Tummy Tuck?

When performed by our experienced, knowledgeable plastic surgeons in New York City, NY, abdominoplasty comes with a wide range of noteworthy advantages. Benefits include:

Sculpts and reshapes the abdomen
Removes drooping, loose skin
Firms the underlying abdominal wall musculature
Expands clothing and swimwear options
Boosts self-confidence
Provides long-lasting changes
Creates a more youthful, energized physique
It can be combined with liposuction to eradicate stubborn fat

Who Are the Best Candidates for a Tummy Tuck?

Ideal candidates for a New York City tummy tuck are healthy, non-smoking individuals at a stable weight. They should be finished having children and have realistic expectations for their results based on a private consultation with Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin. If you have struggled to slim the midsection through dieting and gym workouts alone, you may find relief with a tummy tuck, which can enhance the results of your exercise regimen while helping you achieve the streamlined silhouette you always envisioned for yourself.

Your Tummy Tuck Surgery journey

What’s the First Step?

To begin your cosmetic journey, you will meet with Dr. Michelle Copeland or Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin at their state-of-the-art office in New York City, NY, for a private consultation. You will receive a detailed physical evaluation and a thorough medical and surgical history review during this initial session.

The goal is to ensure that a tummy tuck is the best body contouring option for you and that the surgery can be performed safely and successfully with satisfying results. They will draft a surgical plan, and our expert team will provide a detailed, written quote for the procedures discussed.

Once scheduled, you must follow your surgeon’s instructions carefully before your abdominoplasty to minimize the risk of complications and ensure a seamless recovery. Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin may ask you to undergo additional lab testing and discontinue certain medications that can increase the risk of bruising, bleeding, and swelling. If you smoke, you will need to quit at least 4-6 weeks before (and after) your procedure.

Because abdominoplasty is performed under twilight anesthesia, you will need a friend or family member to drive you home afterward and assist you for the first 24-48 hours. We can also provide highly skilled nursing assistance to your immediate post-operative needs.

What to Expect on the Day of Tummy Tuck Surgery

Abdominoplasty is performed in our fully accredited operating room under twilight anesthesia, a mild intravenous sedative administered by a board-certified anesthesiologist where you don’t entirely lose consciousness but are comfortable, safe, and unaware of anything going on around you and are breathing on your own (similar to if you have undergone a colonoscopy) and takes 3-4 hours to complete.

Treatment time is sometimes extended if additional procedures are performed at the same time, such as other components of a mommy makeover or liposuction. Once you are asleep and resting peacefully, your surgeon will create an incision horizontally across the lower belly, stretching from hip to hip. Another incision is made encircling the navel. Once the skin is lifted, your surgeon will tighten the underlying muscles, creating a flatter, more toned abdominal appearance. Excess skin and tissue are then removed, and the remaining skin is artfully redraped over the midsection. The navel is repositioned so it complements your new stomach contour. Finally, your surgeon will use state-of-the-art suturing methods to close your incisions.

Your guide to post-tummy tuck Surgery care

Tummy Tuck Recovery

At the end of your procedure, Dr. Copeland and Dr. Copeland-Halperin place pain pumps that deliver local anesthetic medicine to help minimize discomfort following surgery. After a tummy tuck, your surgeon will fit you with a compression garment to help reduce swelling and keep your new lower body shape intact. In the days following your surgery, you may experience soreness and discomfort, but these side effects can be well managed with pain medications provided by your surgeon, ice, and rest.

As you heal, it is critical that you do not subject your incisions to force, strenuous motion, or pressure. Thus, following your aftercare instructions and temporarily avoiding intense exercise and heavy lifting is important. Despite this, you are encouraged to take gentle walks right away, as they can prevent the risk of certain complications, boost circulation, and enhance your mood.

Most patients return to work in 1-2 weeks, depending on their work type. Our nurse will call you the evening of your surgery to check in, and you will follow up in our office within a week for dressing removal, incision check, and post-operative lymphatic massage treatment to help reduce swelling and promote recovery.

What Our Patients Are Saying

“My tummy tuck was a success!”

My tummy tuck was a success! I cannot adequately express my satisfaction with the services provided by Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin and her staff. They are all incredibly pleasant to deal with. Dr. Copeland-Halperin willingness to spend the time to explain the medical procedures in detail, and ensure all your questions postoperatively are answered, made for a very comforting experience. She is truly a knowledgeable professional and expert at what she does. In addition, I am also truly grateful for the kindness received by Nurse Lauren and the patience I always received from the beginning to end by Andrea at reception. I truly recommend this team for treatment.

How Much Does a Tummy Tuck Cost in New York City, NY?

The cost of abdominoplasty in New York City can vary depending on the extent of the work performed, the specific techniques utilized, and whether any additional cosmetic procedures are performed at the same time. Dr. Michelle Copeland or Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin will provide you with customized pricing upon the completion of your private consultation and physical evaluation. Financing through trusted healthcare lenders is also available to help make your procedure more affordable.

Why Choose Dr. Michelle Copeland or Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin?

New York City plastic surgeons Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin offer the full gamut of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic solutions to help patients achieve their ideal appearance and enjoy heightened confidence and peace of mind. Dr. Michelle Copeland is an accomplished author, an Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and an attending surgeon at the Mount Sinai Medical Center. Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin has undergone advanced microsurgery training at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, focusing her talents on the art of breast reconstruction. She also operates at Lenox Hill Hospital and Manhattan Eye Ear and Throat Hospital, affiliates of Northwell Health, where she is involved in teaching residents.
Together, they provide NYC patients with natural-looking, customized results and a seamless aesthetic journey from start to finish. Individuals from across the globe, including Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, choose Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin, knowing they will receive concierge care, access to today’s most advanced technology, and safety standards that exceed industry requirements.

Tummy Tuck FAQ’S

Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin do everything they can to minimize pain and discomfort throughout your cosmetic journey. Your surgery itself is performed under intravenous “twilight” sedation, so you will be asleep and resting peacefully during the operation. At the time of your surgery, Dr. Copeland and Dr. Copeland-Halperin place a special pain pump that delivers local numbing anesthesia to your surgical site to help with discomfort. Afterward, you will be able to take pain medicine to offset any soreness or tenderness and will apply ice packs. Most patients can switch to over-the-counter pain medications within a few days or so.
Walking is encouraged soon after surgery, and you will gradually increase light activity as you tolerate it. You can resume more vigorous exercise and activity after about 4-6 weeks and core abdominal exercises closer to 3 months after surgery. However, Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin will provide you with personalized aftercare instructions based on your unique case.
Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin do everything possible to reduce the risk of complications by practicing a thorough and safe approach and reviewing your medical history before surgery. However, like most cosmetic procedures, abdominoplasty poses certain risks, including the following:
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Pain
- Fluid buildup
- Poor wound healing
- Blood clots
- Numbness
- Asymmetry
- Poor scarring
It’s critical to assess your plastic surgeon based on their credentials including board-certifications, training, expertise, testimonials, before and after photos, and the rapport you have with them. Your surgeon should be willing to answer your questions in detail and empower you to make the best decisions for your health. Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin are excited to meet with you for a private consultation in New York City, NY, so you can learn more about their unique approach to abdominoplasty and the great care they take to enhance your safety before, during, and after surgery.

Schedule Your Consultation

If you’re in the New York City, NY, area and would like to learn more about how a tummy tuck can reshape your physique and enhance your confidence and stamina, contact Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin today to set up your private consultation.