What happens before and during tummy tuck surgery?
Prior to tummy tuck surgery, the amount of skin that is to be removed is carefully marked. The operation is usually carried out under general anesthesia. An incision is made in the bikini line and the excess skin is pulled down and inward, and is removed along with underlying fatty tissue. The muscles are tightened as required, the skin is carefully re-draped and the incision closed with several layers of dissolvable suture. In most cases, the belly button will have an incision around it in a circular fashion because of the amount of skin removed. It is not true that the belly button is removed during the operation. You keep your existing belly button, however it may look different because the surrounding skin is now tighter after the tummy tuck.
