Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

Dr. Julius Few performs the full range of abdominoplasty procedures from his Chicago practice, including standard tummy tuck, extended tummy tuck for patients with greater lateral flank skin excess, mini tummy tuck for limited infraumbilical cases, and fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty for post-bariatric patients requiring both vertical and horizontal skin excision. All techniques include repair of diastasis recti — separation of the rectus abdominis muscles at the linea alba — as a core component of the surgical plan. Liposuction is frequently combined with abdominoplasty to address concurrent flank and hip fullness.

Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) at The Few Institute for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in Chicago is performed by Dr. Julius W. Few, whose surgical approach addresses the full spectrum of abdominal changes caused by pregnancy, significant weight loss, or ageing. The practice offers four abdominoplasty variants, with technique selection based on the patient's body habitus, degree of skin excess, presence and severity of diastasis recti, and prior abdominal scars. The standard abdominoplasty addresses the lower and central abdominal skin and the underlying rectus muscle complex through a low horizontal incision placed within or near the natural skin crease above the pubis, extending laterally toward the hip. The skin and subcutaneous layer is elevated from the underlying fascia up to the costal margin, allowing direct exposure of the rectus abdominis diastasis — the widened gap between the paired vertical abdominal muscles that typically results from the stretching forces of pregnancy. Repair of the diastasis using running mattress sutures of the anterior rectus fascia restores abdominal wall structural integrity and is a core and non-negotiable element of the procedure at this practice: it provides both the functional benefit of improved core support and the aesthetic benefit of a flatter, tighter-appearing abdomen above the belt line. The umbilicus is repositioned through a new skin opening appropriate for the redraped skin level, and excess skin is excised along the lower incision line before skin closure. Extended abdominoplasty lengthens the horizontal incision to wrap further around the flanks, providing access to excise lateral hip and flank skin excess that lies beyond the reach of the standard incision — appropriate for patients who have experienced significant lateral skin laxity following massive weight loss. The mini abdominoplasty uses a shorter, lower incision and is suitable for patients with skin excess confined to the zone below the umbilicus who do not have significant diastasis or excess above the navel. The fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty — named for its resemblance to the heraldic symbol — adds a vertical midline skin excision to the standard horizontal incision, allowing excision of both horizontal and vertical skin excess in a single procedure; it is the technique of choice for post-bariatric patients with a pronounced upper abdominal skin apron and marked vertical skin laxity. Chicago patients typically undergo abdominoplasty under general anaesthesia and require two to three weeks of reduced activity before returning to desk work, with a full return to exercise at six to eight weeks.