Body · the procedure family
Tummy Tuck in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
A tummy tuck flattens the belly. It removes loose, hanging skin that diet and exercise cannot fix. It also repairs stretched or separated belly muscles, common after pregnancy.
It is not a weight-loss surgery. It works best when your weight is stable.
How it works
What happens in the operating room.
- You get anesthesia (medicine that makes you sleep).
- The surgeon makes a long cut low on the belly, hidden below the underwear line.
- The skin is lifted, and the stretched muscles are stitched back together down the middle.
- Extra skin is removed. The belly button is brought out through a new small opening.
- The cuts are closed in layers. Thin drain tubes are sometimes placed for a few days.
- Surgery takes two to three hours. Some patients stay one night.
The plain-language guide
The same surgery, explained simply — written at an 8th-grade reading level — plain words, no jargon.
Read the guide →Download the PDF →
The honest risk list — read it before your consult
Every surgery has risks. These are the main ones, in plain words — and we go over all of them with you in person.
- Fluid buildup under the skin (called a seroma). It may need to be drained with a needle in the office.
- Slow wound healing at the middle of the scar, especially in smokers.
- Blood clots. The risk is higher after a tummy tuck than most cosmetic surgeries. Early walking lowers it.
- Long-lasting numbness of the lower belly skin.
- Bleeding. Some bleeding can need another trip to the operating room.
- Infection. Signs are spreading redness, warmth, pus, or fever.
- Scars. Every cut leaves a scar. Most fade over a year. Some stay raised or wide.
- Numb skin near the cuts. Feeling usually returns over months. Small areas can stay numb.
- Blood clots in the legs. A clot can travel to the lungs. That is an emergency.
- Problems from anesthesia (the medicine that makes you sleep). These are rare in healthy people.
- Uneven results. The two sides of the body are never a perfect match.
- The need for another surgery to fix a problem or improve the result.
Recovery, honestly
What the weeks actually look like.
The arc
When to call, day or night
- A growing bulge of fluid or blood under the skin of the belly.
- You have chest pain or trouble breathing. Call 911 first, then call us.
- One leg swells, or one calf hurts more than the other.
- You have a fever over 101 degrees.
- Blood soaks a bandage and does not slow down with gentle pressure.
- Redness spreads out from a cut, or you see pus.
Cost, answered
What tummy tuck actually costs.
We don’t do internet price tags. Pricing moves with your anatomy, primary versus revision, and what your plan combines — so your consultation ends with one written, all-in number: surgeon, anesthesia, AAAHC-accredited facility, and follow-up included. We honor it.
Questions
Asked at nearly every consult.
How long does the surgery take?
When can I be back at work?
Will there be scars?
What does it cost?
Start here
One conversation. Zero pressure.
Meet the surgeon, get examined, and leave with a written plan and a written number — both yours to keep.