Body Contouring Procedures

Dr. Houser provides a full range of body contouring procedures including abdominoplasty (tummy-tuck & mini-tummytuck), belt lipectomy, lower body lift, thigh lift, buttock lift, liposuction, VASER lipo, skin excisions after weight loss, gynecomastia excision, and male chest contouring.

Brief descriptions of each procedure may be found below on this page. However, for more detailed information, including faqs on each surgery, please click on the name of the procedure below.

Abdominoplasty, also called a tummy-tuck, involves an incision in the low bikini line that extends from hip to hip and removes all of the skin up to the belly button. This involves relocating the belly button once the extra skin is removed and the incision closed. Often after childbirth or weight loss, the abdominal muscles (rectus abdominus) are separated. If this is the case, sutures are used to repair the separation, creating a sort of internal corset. A drain is required to remove excess fluid while healing, but is generally removed after a week. The result of a tummy tuck is a flatter, thinner abdomen.

Mini-tummytuck: This procedure is very similar to the full tummy tuck, but the belly button is not repositioned. The bikini line scar is the same. Only about half of the skin below the belly button is removed but there is not the same opportunity to tighten the abdominal muscles.

Liposuction and VASER lipo® (also called suction lipectomy or liposculpture) is used to remove pockets of fat from under the skin. Since only small incisions are used, there is very little scarring. Liposuction can be applied to almost any area of the body, including but not limited to the neck, chest, abdomen, flanks and thighs (saddle bags).

A belt lipectomy is very similar to the full tummy tuck, but skin is removed in a “belt” around the low abdomen. This essentially performs a tummy tuck, lift on the outer thigh, and a lift of the buttock all in one procedure. This is often very beneficial in people who have lost large amounts of weight.

Significant weight loss often results in excess skin in areas not addressed by the more commonly performed body contouring procedures. Excision of skin on the lateral chest, flank, or lower leg may be needed to complete the skin tailoring.

A lower body lift is very similar to the belt lipectomy, but the incision in the back goes down along the buttock along the panty line. This produces a more direct lift to the lateral thigh. Recovery is about 2 to 3 weeks.

Male chest countouring, in many ways, is similar to gynecomastia excisions (male breast reduction), but sometimes factors such as massive weight loss necessitate skin removal for restoring a proper form to the chest. This may be confined to the front of the chest or it may extend to the side or back. Recovery is about 2 to 3 weeks.