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Moms Not Models™

Because happy moms make the best moms, and motherhood is an extraordinary feat, I’ve made it my mission to use surgical artistry to reignite the confidence you deserve. I’ve structured my practice to create a sanctuary where moms can feel comfortable sharing their aesthetic concerns and goals. We are here to celebrate your journey back to yourself right alongside you. 

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Abdominoplasty: An Overview

A tummy tuck in Orlando is the most powerful surgery that I perform. An abdominoplasty removes skin from the lower abdomen and tightens the abdominal muscles, which can be stretched by pregnancy. Tummy tuck results are even more impressive when combined with liposuction, a procedure known as lipoabdominoplasty. Not many surgeons perform a lipoabdominoplasty, but it makes all the difference in creating shapes and curves. Adding breast surgery, vaginal surgery, or any other surgery notches your procedure up to a "mommy makeover." But it all starts with the tummy.

Do I Need a Tummy Tuck in Orlando?

The best candidates for abdominoplasty in Orlando at Oppenheimer Plastic Surgery are patients who have:

  • Loose skin in the abdomen
  • Skin that hangs over a C-section scar
  • Bulging of the tummy muscles
  • An unsightly belly button or umbilical hernia
  • Stretch marks across the lower abdomen

In the majority of cases, these patients are moms who are finished having children, but they may also be women who have lost a considerable amount of weight. Such patients may have had weight loss surgery such as a gastric bypass or lap band procedure.
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Patients over the age of 50 are at a higher risk of complications from abdominoplasty and mommy makeover surgery. We do not perform these procedures in patients of this age group at our office-based surgery center; we recommend seeking out an outpatient surgery center or hospital-based surgical facility.

How Much Does a Tummy Tuck Cost in Orlando?

Our tummy tuck cost in Orlando is $14,825, which is the short answer to this question. The long answer is that pricing varies widely for tummy tucks, especially in Florida. Click here to see all of our tummy tuck combinations and full-price list. 

Don't take shortcuts with your body. You will definitely be able to find a less expensive tummy tuck, but I challenge you to find similar results to my work. That may sound a bit confident, but the differences can be seen throughout my Instagram account. Natural belly buttons, low scars, and nice curves, to name only a few major keys. Plus, our procedures are all-inclusive. Your overnight stay, scar care, garments, anesthesia, facility fees, and aftercare are included. Because of our beautiful facility and in-house surgical center, we can provide top-notch concierge service to our patients in a boutique environment that caters to you.

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Some Moms Feel Guilty About Tummy Tuck Surgery

It's common to feel guilty about plastic surgery when you're a mom, but as I always say, happy moms make good moms. I have never once had a mom regret having a tummy tuck. It improves self-esteem, which is good for parenting and relationships. It may be hard to explain to your family and friends. They will likely say, "You don't need a tummy tuck." You probably don't need a haircut, lashes, or nails, but they sure make you feel good. Tummy tuck? Same.

Many moms feel a sense of guilt about pursuing a tummy tuck, but let’s be honest: you’re better when you’ve made time for yourself. You’ve given up your body for your family, so it’s fair to say that it’s your turn for attention. There’s no question that moms have more confidence after abdominoplasty. Having good self-esteem is the starting point for wellness, and it is hard to do when you no longer recognize your body after pregnancy and weight fluctuations. Plastic surgery is about self-care, and vanity doesn’t enter the equation, in my humble opinion.

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Tummy Tuck vs. Lipo

The quality of your abdominal skin is the best-determining factor of whether you need a tummy tuck or can have liposuction alone. Obviously, whenever possible, I try to minimize scarring, performing the least invasive surgery for my patients. When a patient is on the fence between lipo and a tummy tuck, we always will go with liposuction unless your goal is to have the flattest tummy possible. To be happy with the results from liposuction instead of a tummy tuck, you need to have great skin quality (no stretch marks and no looseness) and no muscle separation (no bulge).

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Major Key: Tummy Tuck and Lipo!

For me, it's very often a tummy tuck AND liposuction. Lipoabdominoplasty helps create beautiful curves during surgery. Ever wonder why some surgeons' tummy tucks look flat and square while others have beautiful curves? Most commonly, great curves are from performing liposuction simultaneously as a tummy tuck. In my practice, Lipo360 (liposuction around the entire waist) comes standard with every tummy tuck. This is one of the major keys that differentiates my work from that of other surgeons. It's not just about removing skin and tightening the muscles (that's tummy tuck 101), but it's also about creating and accentuating curves.

Muscle Separation, Aka Diastasis Recti

The bulge that doesn't go away after pregnancy is usually from muscle separation, which is called rectus diastasis or diastasis recti. This happens, of course, to make room for the developing baby. The "six-pack" muscles—the rectus abdominis—actually stretch apart in the midline, and the fascia—the covering of the muscles—becomes weakened. Rectus diastasis will not go away with diet and exercise because it is not "baby weight." Rather, it is torn and stretched fascia.

Much like stretch marks can't be unstretched, the muscle requires a physical repair to bring them back together. Some women are just lucky in that they don't have muscle separation or they don't get loose skin. The vast majority, however, experience changes in their bodies from pregnancy. Twin moms especially can develop muscle separation, appearing to some that they "still look pregnant." Needless to say, this is a frustrating place to be for a young mom.

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Some, but Not All, Stretch Marks Can Be Removed With a Tummy Tuck in Orlando

All stretch marks between the pubic area and the belly button will be removed with abdominoplasty in Orlando. But, if there are stretch marks on the upper abdomen or on the sides of the abdomen, these will remain after surgery. When a patient has stretch marks above the belly button, they can not be removed with a tummy tuck.

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A Hernia Repair Can Be Done at the Same Time as a Tummy Tuck

Fortunately, because of my general surgery training, I am able to repair hernias at the same time as a tummy tuck. Not every surgeon is able to do this, however, and many surgeons will require it to be fixed beforehand. Surgeons who perform abdominoplasty in the hospital (I perform all of my cases in our private, on-site, accredited surgical center) can perform the procedure along with a general surgeon who can fix the hernia at the same time as the tummy tuck. I have repaired ventral hernias, incisional hernias, and umbilical hernias at the same time as a tummy tuck. No mesh is required, and because of the muscle repair that is also performed during abdominoplasty, the likelihood of the hernia coming back is exceedingly low.

A BBL Can Be Done at the Same Time as a Lipoabdominoplasty

Some women desire correction of their hip dips and a fuller buttock as additional goals for their mommy makeover surgery. In order to achieve these goals, I perform a BBL (Brazilian Butt Lift) at the same time as a tummy tuck to help fill out the hip dips and round out the curves while also increasing the projection and fullness of the buttock. Think of a BBL as a "push-pull" type procedure: I pull away fat from the love handles and add the fat back to the buttocks and hips. The amount of volume transferred is not quite as much as in a traditional BBL surgery because of the limits of positioning and fat harvest volume, but a nice correction and improved silhouette can still be achieved with a BBL during a tummy tuck. The result is a classic ogee curve shape that is a beautiful "S" curve. 

You Should Be at Your Ideal Weight Before a Tummy Tuck in Orlando

Each person's ideal weight is different, but as a rule, your BMI should be less than 30 to have a tummy tuck. The goal should be to have more loose skin and less fat. This doesn't mean a crash diet before your tummy tuck surgery, but rather, a gradual weight loss is best.

Some women carry their weight in their abdomen—and worse—inside their abdomen. This is "visceral" fat or male-pattern fat (think of a man's "beer belly" where there is no loose skin and the abdomen is firm and full). These patients are not good candidates for abdominoplasty because there is no way to tighten the muscles; there is no place for the fat to go.

In general, plastic surgery is best approached from an ideal body weight. This provides the best results with the lowest chance of complications, goals we can both agree on.
Calculate your BMI before your tummy tuck. The goal before abdominoplasty surgery is a BMI less than 30.

Tummy Tuck and Lower Body Lift After Massive Weight Loss and Gastric Bypass

I'm always proud of moms, but I'm particularly proud of women who have undergone massive weight loss. Transforming your body on the inside always comes first, and to do so requires an incredible amount of discipline. People who think a gastric sleeve, lap band, or gastric bypass is an easy way out may not fully grasp the complexities of the weight loss journey. There are a few ways that a tummy tuck is different in a woman who has undergone massive weight loss.

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Wait at Least 6 Months After Breastfeeding and One Year After Pregnancy or Weight Loss Surgery

Patience is key to having great results with a tummy tuck. If you're a new mom, you should wait six months after breastfeeding before having a tummy tuck. I like my patients at a physiological baseline before surgery, and breastfeeding clearly has a large impact on metabolism and weight. Pregnancy can also lower your blood count, so wait at least six months after pregnancy before scheduling a consultation for a tummy tuck surgery. Following weight loss surgery, I recommend you wait at least a year afterward so that your weight can stabilize and so that your metabolism can normalize.

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Tummy Tuck Scars Are As Long as They Need To Be To Take Out the “Pleat”

Everyone thinks they want a mini-tummy tuck because the scar will be shorter and the recovery quicker. Mini-tummy tuck scars, however, are often quite long. Use the “PLEAT TEST” to determine how long your scar will be. 

The Pleat Test

Sit upright with your abdomen relaxed and look at the fold created by your lower tummy. However long that "pleat" extends on each side is the length of your tummy tuck scar. When a scar is made shorter than required, a "dog ear" will result.

These dog ears are the leftover "fabric" pleats that were not removed during the surgery. The good news is that dog ears can be fixed with an in-office procedure under local anesthetic: essentially, the dog ear "pleat" is cut out, and the scar is made longer, the same length that it should have been all along.

tummy tuck results side by side

Before & After Tummy Tuck, #PostOPP and #downwithOPP by Dr. Oppenheimer in Orlando, Florida. Low scar and cute belly button!

We Will Check Your Labs in Our Office. No Blood Draw Necessary!

We check finger-stick labs at your pre-op visit before your tummy tuck. That means no lab draw and no poking at your veins to draw blood. With a finger-stick, we can check your hematocrit (blood count) before surgery right in our office and get you instant results. And unless you have uncontrolled medical conditions, we don't require medical clearance before your abdominoplasty. If necessary, we will also perform an EKG right in our clinic. No need to wander the city to get studies done before surgery.

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Major Key: Low Tummy Tuck Scar

One of my pet peeves is a high tummy tuck scar. My tummy tuck scars are ALWAYS LOW and hidden underneath the bikini line. When there isn't quite enough skin to remove the previous belly button location or piercing, but the muscle separation goes all the way up the abdomen, a full tummy tuck is required with a short vertical scar at the location of the low midline. This looks like a very short "T" that will peek out above the bikini line.

Major Key: Cute Belly Button

Nothing says tummy tuck like an unattractive belly button. One of the major keys to a good tummy tuck result is a cute belly button. There are several tricks that I use to create a cute belly button, but the end result should be an "innie" with a nice funnel shape and slight hooding of the upper portion. Don't fear a tummy tuck because of an ugly belly button. I will help you get a flat tummy without any evidence of plastic surgery.

Tummy Tuck Before and After Photos

An unnatural-looking belly button is a total giveaway that you’ve had a tummy tuck. I use several additional techniques when creating a belly button to make sure it’s cute and that the scar is hidden and tucked away.

View Our Tummy Tuck Gallery

The Drainless Tummy Tuck

Drains are annoying. That's why some doctors often perform a drainless tummy tuck. The reason drains are placed at the time of a tummy tuck is to wick away fluid that otherwise could accumulate. When fluid accumulates after surgery, it is called a seroma. These need to be "tapped" or poked with a needle to remove the fluid. Progressive Tension Sutures (PTS) are what allow surgeons to perform drainless tummy tucks. By eliminating "dead space" (the empty space that occurs when the abdominal skin is lifted away from the muscle), progressive tension sutures tack down the skin and prevent that potential space from filling up with seroma fluid. 

As an extra precaution, I use PTS and drains. I like to make sure the risk of seroma is as low as possible because I want my patients to have the lowest chance of problems after abdominoplasty. By using drains and progressive tension sutures, the chance of seroma is almost zero. Fortunately, the drains come out within the first week and are NOT painful. We use a special hubless drain—akin to a long piece of al dente linguine—so it slides out very easily in the clinic. I don't like hurting people, so this works with my overall approach to the mom who is having surgery.

Exparel Is the Best Option for Pain Control After a Tummy Tuck

Exparel (which stands for EXtended PAin RELief) is a super long-acting local anesthetic that can be injected during a tummy tuck. Not only do I inject Exparel in every tummy tuck I perform, but I also place it as a true nerve block: a TAP block. 

TAP (transversus abdominis plane) blocks aren't just injected into the skin or muscle; they are injected deep into the plane where the nerves are found. This reduces pain dramatically and helps keep pain controlled for much longer than if just injected into the skin. 

Exparel lasts 72 hours (three days) after a tummy tuck. After it gradually absorbs on day three, your pain is much less than it would be otherwise. You don't suddenly have a spike in pain levels, but with Tylenol and pain relief medications, your discomfort will be kept to a minimum.

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Scar Care After Abdominoplasty: HydroSeal Dressings and Silicone Scar Gel

I always want to make a tummy tuck as easy as possible after surgery. We use a special HydroSeal dressing to secure the incision after surgery. This dressing stays in place for up to three weeks and even beyond. Once the dressing is removed in the clinic, we begin silicone scar gel therapy, which you will continue at home twice daily. Silicone scar gel can be applied twice a day for a year and beyond to continue scar maturation. 

Additionally, some patients experience thickening of their scars, known as hypertrophic scars. Red pigmentation of tummy tuck scars is also common in patients with fair skin. These patients can be treated with CO2 laser scar therapy as early as three months #postOPP. Both the silicone scar gel and the CO2 laser scar care are included in your surgical aftercare.

Belly Button Gallery

View Our Belly Button Gallery

Low, Concealable Scars

Even women with darker skin tones—Indian, Latina, and African-American—can have a tummy tuck with a nice low scar. Keloids and hypertrophic scars are rare and unrelated to your skin color (like most things!). 

Even if the scar needs to be long to avoid "dog ears" and to pass the pleat test, you can always count on the scar being very low—low enough to hide under a bikini or underwear line.

Abdominoplasty Recovery: The Rule of Two

Two Days 

After a tummy tuck, you are in "patient mode" for about two days. That means you will do very little except walking. You need to have someone waiting on you hand and foot for those first few days. Very often, this is a husband, partner, or mom! 

Two Weeks

At two weeks, you will be feeling good enough to do most daily activities. Please take it very easy! Most ladies feel great at this point, but I always caution my patients to go very slowly. This is the time when fluid can easily build up after surgery. The more work you do, the more chance of a seroma at this time. At one month, my patients can go back to the gym.

Two Months

At two months, patients are full go, back to all activities, and full, intense workouts. If you are a CrossFit athlete or professional wrestler (yes, those ladies are moms, too), we ask that you wait three months to return to the ring.

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All Tummy Tucks Stay in Our Overnight Recovery Suite

I never want your family to be overly stressed with postoperative care following abdominoplasty surgery, so I keep all of my patients overnight in our recovery suite, attached to our surgery center. You will have your own overnight nurse and will have IV fluids, a Foley catheter (so you don't need to get up to pee every few hours), and pain medications as needed. This takes some pressure off of your family. 

Light Foods Are Best After Abdominoplasty

All of my patients have their meals provided in the recovery suite for the first 24 hours after surgery. The diet after a tummy tuck is very basic and includes plenty of water, ginger ale, soup, and saltines. Basically, light food that's good for recovering patients. When you return home, avoid greasy foods and continue with light meals for two to three days afterward. 

Constipation is normal after a tummy tuck. That's worth writing twice. Colace is the stool softener of choice for all of my patients, and I recommend starting this at least a day before surgery. Most patients have a bowel movement before day five, but if not, a fleet enema is used to move along the digestive tract.

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The Best Binders, Wraps, and Fajas for After Your Tummy Tuck

I provide my patients with all of the aftercare garments they need following a tummy tuck. We start with an abdominal binder for the first week while the drains are in place. We then remove the drains and size you in the clinic with a specialized compression garment. You should wear your garment as much as possible for the six weeks following abdominoplasty, but plan on strict compression for two solid weeks postOPP. At the six-week mark, you can move to using a Faja of choice. Just remember that not all of the nerves to the lower abdomen will have sensation at this point after a tummy tuck. Don't place anything too tightly over the tummy because you might not feel it digging into your skin, and you can get chafing and injury to the skin during this time.

Swelling Can Last Three Months After a Tummy Tuck

Swelling can last for up to three months after a tummy tuck. Swelling is very different than a seroma, which can feel like a fluid wave or a waterbed. Swelling feels more like firm edema and is often worse as the day progresses. That's why some women (and I don't like this term at all, for the record) call swelling that persists beyond one month "swell hell." Essentially, the patients feel great, but they only look great first thing in the morning. Again, patience is a big part of this process. In addition, when liposuction is included in a tummy tuck, there will be more swelling. By limiting activities early on for the first month, wearing great compression for 4-6 weeks, and with a diet low in salt, the swelling will be minimized. 

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Tummy Tuck Recovery Timeline

Sometimes, emojis are easier than words. Check out this timeline for what to expect after a tummy tuck in Orlando, including how long you will be constipated (3-5 days) and when you can exercise (5-6 weeks).

Tummy tuck recovery

Our Pharmacy

As a fully licensed, in-office pharmacy, we provide easy access to all your post-tummy tuck medications. You can fill your prescriptions right here in our office. We offer package pricing and a list of all available medications for your convenience.

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All About Mom, All About the Tummy

A mommy makeover can be anything you want it to be. The center point, however, in most cases, is a tummy tuck. Every tummy tuck has two basic elements: removal of excess skin and tightening (corset) of the abdominal muscles. In that way, most tummy tucks are the same. What makes my tummy tucks different are THREE MAJOR KEYS: a LOW scar, a CUTE belly button, and CURVES. Even though the scar may be long (hip to hip in most cases) with a low scar, no one will be able to see it. Hiding a tummy tuck scar underneath the bikini line is the most critical element that most surgeons miss. Don't get stuck thinking about tattoos or high-waisted shorts to cover up your scar. Keep it super low (lower than a C-section scar!) with Dr. Oppenheimer.

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Why Choose Oppenheimer Plastic Surgery for Your Tummy Tuck in Orlando?

My entire mission is to do my very best for you. At Oppenheimer Plastic Surgery in Orlando, FL, my team and I are personally dedicated to your care. I meticulously review everything the day before and visualize your surgery to ensure the best possible results. My approach is all about gentleness, not just because it feels right but because it significantly impacts your healing. Think of me as a pediatrician at heart, with the same level of dedication and concern for your medical care and aesthetic outcomes. Helping moms get their bodies back is my sole reason for showing up to work each day. I'm ready to give my best to help you be your best—nothing more and nothing less.

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