How The Tummy Tuck Has Improved Over The Decades?
The tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is a procedure to tighten and smooth the abdomen. Widely practiced today, this cosmetic surgery has changed drastically from its origin more than 200 years ago.
Tummy tucks originated in the 1800s with a very different objective. This early version of the procedure involved removing skin from the stomach, which doctors would use to cover an open wound on the patient’s body. One long, horizontal incision across the abdomen meant this surgery left patients with a large scar–and no belly button.
In the early 1900s, doctors discovered that making vertical and horizontal incisions allowed for a cleaner, more precise surgical site. With this advancement, a patient’s belly button was left intact. The tummy tuck remained an injury-healing method through the middle of the 20th century.
Doctors began to use the surgery to correct bulging skin from abdominal hernias in the 1970s, leading to the realization that the procedure gave patients a smoother, flatter stomach. Tummy tuck surgeries are much improved and significantly safer, with less risk and recovery time.
Visit Sarasota Surgical Arts for a consultation with leading cosmetic surgeon Dr. Alberico Sessa.
