Northern Virginia
Say goodbye to stubborn belly fat, loose skin, and stretch marks, and say hello to a sleeker, more sculpted midsection that highlights your beautiful, natural curves. A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is a cosmetic surgery procedure designed to remove excess skin and fat, such as extra skin and stubborn fat that are resistant to diet and exercise, while tightening weakened or separated muscles of your abdominal wall.
Tightening your muscles and narrowing your waist results in a firmer, more contoured abdomen. The procedure also helps address a protruding abdomen, creating a flatter profile. At Landford Plastic Surgery, we help patients across Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland achieve flatter abdomens and natural curves with our popular tummy tuck procedure.
Patients come from Northern Virginia to Washington, D.C., and Maryland to meet Dr. Wilmina Landford for their tummy tucks. This procedure involves repairing stretched abdominal muscles, removing excess fat and loose skin, and repositioning the belly button. Additionally, it addresses stretched skin from pregnancy or significant changes in weight. Stretch marks below the navel are also removed because tissue above the navel (belly button) is lowered.
Tummy tuck surgery is a transformative procedure that addresses issues of the abdomen, including excess skin and weakened, separated abdominal muscles. A tummy tuck provides patients with a smoother, firmer abdominal profile, allowing them to achieve a strategically contoured appearance. Even if they are at normal body weight, people in the Northern Virginia area consider a tummy tuck for a variety of reasons:
Excess skin after significant weight loss or major weight loss
Abdominal wall weakness due to age, genetics, or previous surgeries
Post-pregnancy changes
Desire for a toned abdomen
Enhanced body contours
Before & after photos
Surgery Time: Approximately 2-5 hours, depending on the extent of the procedure and whether additional procedures are combined.
Recovery: Most patients can resume light activities within 1-2 weeks. Full recovery typically takes 6 weeks.
Results: Visible immediately after swelling subsides, with final results apparent within 3 to 6 months.
In general, candidates for a North VA tummy tuck should align with the following characteristics:
A tummy tuck excels at restoring strong abdominal muscles, improving core support, and potentially alleviating back problems. Tummy tuck surgery is not a substitute for exercise or a weight loss or unwanted-fat-loss procedure.
The main goal of a tummy tuck is to enhance body contours to the patient’s liking and address specific aesthetic concerns, rather than serving as an alternative to significant weight loss. We recommend a proper diet, exercise, and lifestyle as effective ways to lose weight naturally.
Dr. Landford serves patients beyond the Washington, D.C. and Maryland area, including those in Northern Virginia.
The cost of a tummy tuck in Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland will vary significantly from patient to patient. This is because several factors contribute to the overall cost. For example, the complexity of the procedure, facility fees, anesthesia costs, and postoperative care all contribute to the total cost of your tummy tuck. The best way to find out how much a tummy tuck would cost for you is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Landford, who will create a personalized surgical plan based on your specific needs and circumstances. Our team will then use the information from your consultation to give you a quote for your tummy tuck.
If you’re in the Northern Virginia area and struggling with excess abdominal skin and fatty tissue, stretch marks, and weak abdominal muscles, you may want to schedule a tummy tuck consultation with Wilmina Landford, M.D, at Landford Plastic Surgery in Washington, D.C., or Maryland.
During your consultation with Wilmina Landford, M.D., you will discuss your aesthetic goals and the best method to achieve them, a review of your medical, surgical, and social history, a physical examination of the areas you want to be addressed, details about techniques, and the approach of your tummy tuck procedure, including which tummy tuck techniques are available for your unique aesthetic goals and anatomy.
Based on your goals and physical assessment, Dr. Landford will create a unique treatment plan that will guide you through the transformative process from beginning to end. She will take photographs to document your results, and so you can see your before-and-after photos. We will help prepare you for the procedure, including pre- and post-operative care, and get you scheduled for your surgery.
smooth and successful procedure. You will be provided with detailed pre-operative instructions to help you achieve the best results with plastic surgery, with some examples including:
Tummy tuck is a safe procedure when performed by a highly skilled plastic surgeon like Dr. Landford. She has produced stunning results for hundreds of tummy tuck patients across the Northern Virginia area, yet requires each one to acknowledge the risks associated with the procedure, including:
Please let us know immediately if you experience prolonged or additional reactions.
Patients are given either IV sedation or general anesthesia before the tummy tuck surgery begins to ensure they are completely comfortable and relaxed.
Once the anesthesia takes effect, Dr. Landford makes a horizontally oriented incision in the lower abdomen, just above the pubic bone. Your individual needs and anatomy determine the shape and length of the incision for removing excess skin. Then Dr. Landford lifts the abdominal skin and removes the excess fat as needed. The separated or weakened stomach muscles are then repaired and tightened with sutures to create a firmer, stronger abdominal wall.
Next, Dr. Landford will pull the upper abdominal skin downward, similar to a window shade. She trims the hanging skin and sutures the remaining skin together to close the wound. The belly button (navel) is put back into a natural-looking location, where it will heal into a position proportionate to your abdomen.
At the end of the procedure, Dr. Landford closes the skin incisions using fine sutures. Your abdomen will be wrapped in a bandage to minimize swelling and keep the incisions and sutures secure, and drainage tubes may be temporarily left in position to help remove excess fluid and blood.
There are several possible surgeries and techniques Dr. Landford can use to help her Northern Virginia patients tighten their abdominal muscles, reduce sagging skin, and ultimately achieve a smoother abdomen and their aesthetic goals. Here are some of the types of tummy tucks:
Also referred to as a complete or traditional abdominoplasty, this is the most popular type of tummy tuck. It involves a low horizontal incision between the hip bones, followed by the removal of excess fat and skin from the abdomen. The abdominal muscles are tightened to create a more toned, sculpted appearance. The belly button is repositioned to a more natural position to naturally blend in with the abdomen after healing. The best candidates for this surgery have significant skin laxity and excess fat.
A mini tummy tuck is less invasive than the full tummy tuck procedure. It is best for individuals in Northern Virginia with a mild to moderate amount of excess skin and fat. This procedure involves making a smaller incision along the lower abdomen and removing less fat and skin. In some cases, the abdominal muscles are tightened, but the belly button is not repositioned.
An extended tummy tuck is a more comprehensive version of the traditional tummy tuck surgery. This technique involves making a longer incision extending further around the sides of the body into the flanks to address these additional areas, followed by manipulating the belly button to fit the new proportions. This surgical procedure is designed for individuals with a significant amount of fat and skin in the abdominal and hip areas.
This tummy tuck technique gets its name from the incision pattern, which resembles the Fleur-De-Lis. It is usually used in post-bariatric patients who have undergone massive weight loss to treat excess edema. Dr. Landford makes incisions both horizontally and vertically, which turn out as two separate scars—one horizontal across the lower abdomen and one vertical along the midline, resembling an upside-down “T” shape. This is done to address excess tissue and achieve the best results.
This technique is specifically tailored to address the unique anatomical differences to accomplish traditionally male aesthetic preferences. Dr. Landford considers the patient’s masculine physique, body type, and personal preferences when sculpting the abdomen. The procedure is designed to eliminate stubborn belly fat, treat loose or sagging skin, and sculpt the abdominal muscles for greater definition, resulting in a slimmer, more masculine-looking profile.
Unfortunately, surgeries don’t always turn out as expected. In those cases, a tummy tuck revision or Abdominoplasty revision is needed. This technique corrects and improves the appearance of the abdomen after you have fully healed from a previous surgery that may have resulted in complications or an unsatisfactory aesthetic outcome, or following weight fluctuations or changes in body shape.
Dr. Landford uses different surgical techniques to approach your Tummy Tuck revision in Washington, D.C., or Maryland. It truly depends on your aesthetic goals, anatomy, and individual needs.
Incisions for a tummy tuck are usually placed in your ‘bikini line’, extending from one side of your hip bone to the other, including a small incision around the belly button. This allows Dr. Landford to remove all the necessary tissue around the belly button. If you have stretch marks in your stomach region, these will be removed as well.
After your tummy tuck surgery, you will be monitored in our recovery area as you recover from the anesthesia. Dr. Landford will release you, and you will be able to recover comfortably at home that same day. On occasion, a patient may be held overnight for extensive surgeries, but this is less common.
When you feel comfortable heading home, you will need a relative or friend to drive you, as it will not be safe for you to do so alone. Dr. Landford will give you a compression support garment during your pre-surgical visit, which you should wear at all times, except when bathing, during your recovery until Dr. Landford says you can stop. Wearing it reduces swelling and keeps everything secure. You may also be given surgical drains to assist in fluid removal.
For the first few days after your tummy tuck, you can expect some swelling, bruising, and moderate discomfort in the treatment area. Pain medications prescribed by Dr. Landford will help minimize discomfort, as will the compression garment. Over-the-counter medications may also be used alongside prescribed pain medication to help manage discomfort and reduce reliance on narcotics.
While it can take about six weeks to recover from the tummy tuck surgery, patients can usually return to work and resume light activities within 7-10 days. You should wait to pursue heavy lifting and strenuous physical activities for at least 3-4 weeks to make sure your body has enough time to heal before working out.
We will provide you with in-depth instructions on caring for the incisions and drains until they are removed, which typically occurs within 3-4 days after surgery.
Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids to promote healing.
Use Your Compression Garment: Wear it to reduce swelling and support your abdomen. Dr. Landford will let you know how long to wear it.
Sleep in an Elevated Position: Keep your torso elevated with pillows to reduce strain on your abdomen and minimize swelling.
Take Short Walks: Gentle movement helps prevent blood clots and promotes circulation.
Follow Medication Guidelines: Take all prescribed pain medication and antibiotics as directed.
Attend All Follow-Up Appointments: These are critical to helping Dr. Landford assess whether your recovery is progressing as planned.
Avoid Smoking and Alcohol: Both can hinder the healing process and increase the likelihood and severity of complications.
Eat Nutritiously: Eat a protein-rich, vitamin-filled diet that supports your body’s healing processes.
Avoid Strenuous Activities: Do not engage in heavy lifting or intense workouts for at least 4–6 weeks, or until cleared by Dr. Landford.
expertise in body contouring. She completed rigorous training in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the esteemed Johns Hopkins Hospital. With extensive knowledge of how tummy tuck techniques can strengthen the abdomen, experience performing the procedure on hundreds of patients, and a commitment to delivering patient-forward care, Dr. Landford tailored each procedure to the individual. She combines her technical proficiency with her artistic eye for design to produce results that not only meet your beauty goals but also improve your quality of life and boost your confidence.
If you are interested in contouring your abdomen or achieving a more toned, athletic profile, Wilmina Landford, M.D., will guide you through your tummy tuck journey. At Landford Plastic Surgery, you can rest assured that you will have a skilled and talented team. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Landford, please use our online calendar or complete the form below. A member of our team will respond as soon as possible. We have locations in Washington, D.C., and Maryland, but serve patients in Northern Virginia and beyond.
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