Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

Dr. Jacob Bloom performs abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) at his Gold Coast Chicago practice, addressing excess lower abdominal skin and fat as well as diastasis recti — the separation of the paired abdominal muscles that commonly follows pregnancy or significant weight fluctuation. The procedure removes excess skin, tightens the underlying abdominal musculature, and repositions the navel for a flattened, contoured abdominal profile. Tummy tuck is frequently combined with liposuction or performed as part of a Mommy Makeover with breast surgery.

Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) at Bloom Plastic Surgery in Chicago is performed by Dr. Jacob Bloom, addressing both the aesthetic and structural consequences of pregnancy, weight fluctuation, and ageing on the abdominal wall. The procedure targets three distinct concerns that are frequently present together: excess lower abdominal skin that hangs below the natural waistline; subcutaneous fat in the lower abdominal region that resists diet and exercise; and diastasis recti — the widening or separation of the paired rectus abdominis muscles at the linea alba that occurs when the abdominal wall is stretched by pregnancy or weight gain. Correction of the muscle diastasis is a core component of the procedure, not merely an adjunct, as the muscle separation is responsible for the characteristic lower abdominal bulge and convexity that persists regardless of body weight and cannot be resolved through exercise alone. The surgical technique involves a transverse low abdominal incision placed as low as possible within the bikini line, elevation of the abdominal skin and subcutaneous fat as a flap from the pubic region to the lower rib cage, plication (internal suturing) of the rectus sheath to close the diastasis and tighten the abdominal wall, conservative excision of the maximum safe amount of excess lower abdominal skin, and transposition and new placement of the umbilicus at an anatomically appropriate position on the reshaped abdomen. Liposuction of the flanks and lateral abdominal regions is frequently performed concurrently to refine the overall waist contour and improve the transition from the flattened anterior abdomen to the lateral body. Mini-abdominoplasty, which uses a shorter incision and addresses only the infraumbilical zone without umbilicoplasty, is available for patients with more limited skin excess confined to the lower abdomen. The Mommy Makeover at Bloom Plastic Surgery combines abdominoplasty with breast surgery — typically augmentation, lift, or augmentation-mastopexy — and optionally liposuction of additional body areas in a single anaesthetic session, addressing the comprehensive set of post-pregnancy body changes more efficiently than sequential staged procedures. Chicago Gold Coast patients are counselled on activity restrictions during recovery: light walking is encouraged early to reduce deep vein thrombosis risk, but strenuous abdominal exercise and heavy lifting are restricted for six weeks until the abdominal wall plication has fully healed.