Before surgery your doctor will give you specific instructions to follow in order to ensure a safe surgical process. For smokers, it is important that they plan to quit two weeks before surgery, and two weeks after.

A general anesthesia (you will be asleep during the procedure) or a local anesthesia (you will be numb in the area of operation), will be administered. Surgery can take anywhere from two to five hours depending on the severity of the operation.

An incision will be made just above the pubic region from hipbone to hipbone. Another incision is made around the naval. The skin is then separated from the abdominal wall and pulled up above the ribs.

The muscles are tightened and stitched close together, and the skin flap is then stretched down and excess skin is removed. A new hole will be cut for your navel. The incision is then closed with sutures.

In some cases, a mini tummy tuck, also known as a partial abdominoplasty, is performed on minor cases of excess skin and fat. The same steps are taken, with the exception that the skin is only separated between the incision line and the navel, with the surgeon focusing solely on your lower abdomen.