Loose skin does not always stop at the front of your abdomen. After significant weight loss, pregnancy, or aging, excess skin can extend around your waist, making it hard to achieve the body contour you want.
An extended tummy tuck, also known as an extended abdominoplasty, addresses a wider portion of the midsection than a traditional tummy tuck. Dr. Bartow can remove excess skin from the abdomen and extend the correction into the flanks and lateral waist for a smoother, more balanced contour.
At Bartow Plastic Surgery in New Orleans, LA, your treatment begins with your goals. Dr. Bartow takes a collaborative, patient-centered approach to plastic surgery and creates your surgical plan around your anatomy, concerns, and desired outcome.
Table of Contents
- Real Stories: Extended Tummy Tuck Patient Reviews
- Extended Tummy Tuck Cost in New Orleans & Flexible Financing Options
- Why Choose Dr. Bartow for Your Extended Tummy Tuck?
- Book Your Extended Tummy Tuck Consultation Today
- What Is an Extended Tummy Tuck?
- Benefits of an Extended Tummy Tuck
- Who Is an Ideal Candidate for an Extended Tummy Tuck?
- How an Extended Tummy Tuck Is Performed
- Extended Tummy Tuck Recovery & Aftercare
- What Results Can I Expect From an Extended Tummy Tuck?
- Extended Tummy Tuck FAQs
Real Stories: Extended Tummy Tuck Patient Reviews
“Great person and an even better doctor. Always listens and never rushes you. 10/10 would recommend for all your plastic surgery needs!” [Google Review]
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Bartow and his staff for their exceptional care. From my first visit, they were kind, welcoming, and supportive, helping me feel comfortable and confident throughout the process. Dr. Bartow listened attentively to my concerns, answered every question with patience, and demonstrated outstanding skills and compassion. I experienced very little pain after both surgeries and was extremely pleased with the results. Dr. Bartow is an exceptional plastic surgeon, and I highly recommend him to anyone seeking excellent care and genuine compassion.” [Google Review]
Extended Tummy Tuck Cost in New Orleans & Flexible Financing Options
Your extended tummy tuck cost will vary depending on the complexity of your procedure, the amount of skin and tissue that needs to be removed, whether abdominal muscle repair is necessary, and whether liposuction becomes part of your treatment plan.
Because an extended tummy tuck uses a longer incision and addresses a wider area than a traditional abdominoplasty, your individual cost will depend on the extent of your surgery.
In addition to the surgeon’s fee, your total surgical cost may include anesthesia fees, surgical facility fees, compression garments, medications, and medical testing. Dr. Bartow can provide a personalized price quote during your consultation and answer questions about what your quote includes.
Financing options may also be available to help make your procedure more manageable. When you schedule your consultation, the team at Bartow Plastic Surgery can review flexible financing options with you.
Why Choose Dr. Bartow for Your Extended Tummy Tuck?
Dr. Matthew Bartow is a board-certified plastic surgeon who completed his medical education and plastic surgery residency at LSU New Orleans. After residency, he completed additional fellowship training in aesthetic surgery in Birmingham, Alabama, through a fellowship endorsed by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
His approach to plastic surgery is highly personal. Rather than deciding what your body should look like, Dr. Bartow views the process as a collaboration between surgeon and patient. Your goals help guide the direction of your treatment plan.
That personalized planning becomes especially important with an extended tummy tuck. The amount of skin removal, incision placement, abdominal contouring, and scar placement all depend on your individual anatomy.
Book Your Extended Tummy Tuck Consultation Today
You do not need to know which type of tummy tuck you need before your appointment.
Bartow Plastic Surgery offers full, mini, extended, and fleur-de-lis tummy tuck techniques. During your consultation, Dr. Bartow can evaluate the amount and location of your excess skin, abdominal contour, skin quality, body shape, and overall goals to determine whether an extended tummy tuck is the right approach for you.
Call (504) 305-8214 or fill out the online contact form to schedule your consultation.
What Is an Extended Tummy Tuck?
An extended tummy tuck is a type of abdominoplasty that addresses excess skin extending beyond the front of the abdomen and into the flanks or sides of the waist.
Like a traditional tummy tuck, the procedure removes excess abdominal skin and fat and, when appropriate, includes tightening muscles by repairing weak or separated abdominal muscles. The main difference is the incision length. With an extended tummy tuck, the incision continues farther around the sides of the body so the surgeon can remove more extensive loose skin and improve the transition across the entire midsection between the abdomen, waist, and hips.
Benefits of an Extended Tummy Tuck
When loose skin extends beyond your abdomen, an extended approach can provide more complete correction than a traditional tummy tuck.
Potential benefits include:
- Removing significant loose or hanging abdominal skin
- Addressing skin laxity along the flanks and sides of the waist
- Creating a flatter, firmer abdominal contour
- Improving the transition between the abdomen, waist, and hips
- Tightening abdominal wall laxity when appropriate
- Incorporating liposuction when additional fat reduction can improve your contour
The main trade-off is a longer scar. The extended incision gives your surgeon access to more loose skin, but it also continues farther around the waist than a standard tummy tuck incision.
Who Is an Ideal Candidate for an Extended Tummy Tuck?
You may be a good candidate if you have significant skin laxity after weight loss, with loose skin that extends beyond the front of your abdomen and into your sides.
Ideal candidates generally:
- Have loose abdominal skin
- Have sagging skin extending into the flanks or lateral waist
- Have experienced significant weight loss, pregnancy, or substantial weight changes
- Are at or near a stable weight
- Are in good overall health
- Do not smoke or can stop nicotine use as directed
- Have realistic expectations about results
- Have stubborn fat deposits or excess fat that has not improved with diet and exercise
An extended tummy tuck contours your body to improve shape rather than serving as a weight-loss procedure.
How an Extended Tummy Tuck Is Performed
Every patient’s extended tummy tuck is tailored to their specific needs and desired outcome. Here are some general steps you can expect during your extended tummy tuck experience:
Initial Consultation
Before surgery, you will meet with Dr. Bartow to discuss your concerns and goals. He will review your medical history, previous procedures, medical conditions, and medications, and examine your abdomen, including skin quality, fat distribution, muscle integrity, and whether abdominal muscle separation, such as diastasis recti, is present, along with your overall body contour.
Dr. Bartow will also evaluate how far the excess skin extends around your sides and whether abdominal wall laxity contributes to your concerns. Together, you can discuss scars, skin removal, liposuction, recovery, and, when appropriate, whether combining other procedures makes sense for your goals.
Preoperative Instructions
Following your preoperative instructions helps prepare you for surgery and recovery.
Depending on your health, Dr. Bartow may ask you to stop smoking or cease nicotine use, adjust certain medications, complete laboratory testing, or avoid medications and supplements that can increase bleeding risk. You should also arrange for someone to drive you home and help during the beginning of your recovery process.
During the Procedure
Extended tummy tuck surgery typically takes place under general anesthesia. Dr. Bartow makes a low horizontal incision across the lower abdomen and extends it farther around the sides of the waist than he would for a traditional tummy tuck.
He then removes excess skin and tissue and tightens the abdominal muscles when necessary. The belly button typically remains attached beneath the skin and comes through a new opening after Dr. Bartow repositions the abdominal skin. Liposuction may also help refine the abdomen, waist, or flanks when appropriate, depending on how much tissue removal is needed.
Dr. Bartow may place drains to remove excess fluid, close the incisions, and prepare the patient for recovery.
Extended Tummy Tuck Recovery & Aftercare
Recovery will vary depending on the extent of surgery, muscle repair, and whether your extended tummy tuck includes liposuction.
First Few Days
Swelling, soreness, bruising, tightness, and fatigue are normal during the first several days. Drains may temporarily help prevent fluid from collecting beneath the skin.
You may initially walk slightly bent forward to reduce tension on your abdominal incision. Gentle walking is encouraged early in recovery to promote blood circulation and help reduce the risk of blood clots. Still, you should spend most of this period resting and following Dr. Bartow’s postoperative instructions.
First Few Weeks
As you heal, you can gradually increase light daily activity. You will still need to avoid strenuous exercise, heavy lifting, and activities that put unnecessary tension on your incision or abdominal wall.
Attend all follow-up visits so Dr. Bartow can monitor your healing and remove drains when appropriate.
Many patients need approximately two weeks before returning to desk-based positions after extended abdominoplasty, although more physically demanding jobs generally require additional recovery time. Your personal recovery timeline may differ.
Long-Term Recovery
Over the following weeks, you will gradually regain strength, mobility, and muscle tone. Dr. Bartow will guide you on when you can resume exercise, heavy lifting, and other strenuous activities. Returning to exercise gradually can help support core strength and maintain your results.
Swelling can continue to improve for several months as your tissues settle. Your scar will also continue to mature and fade over time.
Dr. Bartow may recommend scar creams, silicone sheets, or other scar-care measures as you progress through recovery.
What Results Can I Expect From an Extended Tummy Tuck?
You should notice improved abdominal contour after surgery, but swelling will initially make it difficult to see your final result.
As your body heals, your abdomen appears flatter and firmer, creating a smoother contour through the waist and flanks. Results continue to become more defined over several months as swelling resolves and the tissues settle.
Maintaining a stable weight and healthy lifestyle can also help protect your results, while significant future weight changes or pregnancy can stretch the tissues again.
Extended Tummy Tuck FAQs
How much fat can be removed with an extended tummy tuck?
There is no single amount of fat that can safely be removed during every extended tummy tuck. The procedure focuses mainly on excess skin and abdominal contouring, so it is not primarily a fat removal procedure, even when excess fat is addressed. If Dr. Bartow includes liposuction, it can also help treat stubborn fat, and the amount removed will depend on your anatomy, health, areas being treated, and overall surgical plan.
How is an extended tummy tuck different from a traditional tummy tuck?
A traditional tummy tuck primarily treats the front of the abdomen. By contrast, an extended tummy tuck carries the incision farther around the sides of your body so Dr. Bartow can remove loose skin extending into the flanks and lateral waist. It may also improve the lower belly and sides more comprehensively than a mini tummy tuck.
What can I wear after an extended tummy tuck?
Choose loose, comfortable clothing during the first part of your recovery. Tight waistbands may feel uncomfortable while swelling and tenderness improve.
Dr. Bartow may also recommend a compression garment to support swelling. Wait until he clears you before returning to clothing that places significant pressure on your abdomen.
Can liposuction be combined with an extended tummy tuck?
Yes. Liposuction can be combined with extended abdominoplasty when additional fat reduction can improve the contour of the abdomen, waist, or flanks. In selected patients, combination surgery may also address stubborn fat deposits more effectively. Dr. Bartow can determine whether combining the procedures makes sense for your anatomy and goals.
Schedule Your Extended Tummy Tuck Consultation Today
If loose skin extends beyond your abdomen and around your waist, an extended tummy tuck may provide the broader correction you need.
Your consultation with Dr. Bartow allows you to talk openly about your concerns and what you hope to change. He can evaluate your abdominal area, explain your options in more detail, and create a personalized plan that considers skin removal, liposuction, scars, incision placement, recovery, and your desired result.
If you have had bariatric surgery or experienced massive weight loss, he can also determine whether a more advanced solution is appropriate, especially when loose tissue and stretch marks extend farther around the waist.
To learn more about extended tummy tuck surgery in New Orleans, LA, call Bartow Plastic Surgery at (504) 305-8214 or fill out our online contact form to schedule your consultation.