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Abdominoplasty, Tummy Tuck, And Other Body Contour Surgery - Chicago and Winnetka

The Whole Beauty Institute™ is lead by Dr. John Q. Cook, a recognized leader in the field of aesthetic plastic surgery.  In his 20 years of practice, Dr. Cook has developed a reputation for his innovative techniques that refine and rejuvenate the body form in ways that preserve each patient's unique natural identity. He offers body contouring with tummy tuck surgery at his Chicago and Winnetka centers to help patients achieve a more proportioned figure and improved self-confidence.

The Three Goals of Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) Surgery

How The High Lateral Tension Abdominoplasty Became My Preferred Technique And Remains So To This Day
By John Q. Cook, M.D.

Who Can Benefit From Abdominoplasty?

Specific Abdominoplasty And Other Body Contour Procedures That Dr. John Q. Cook Performs

Plastic Surgery Procedures That Dr. Cook Combines With Abdominoplasty

Preparation For Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) And Other Body Contour Surgeries

The Surgical Procedure: Abdominoplasty, Abdominoplasty Combined With Liposuction, Abdominoplasty Combined With Breast Surgery, Medial (Inner) Thigh Lift, Posterior Body Lift

Recovery From Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck), Abdominoplasty Combined With Liposuction, Abdominoplasty Combined With Breast Surgery, Medial (Inner) Thigh Lift, Posterior Body Lift

The abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is a powerful surgery.  Once an operation that was merely concerned with tightening skin, the abdominoplasty procedure has advanced to a point where it allows for individualized solutions for many different body types.

The shape of the abdomen prior to abdominoplasty reflects each person’s genetic predisposition, previous habits of nutrition and exercise, and major life events such as pregnancy and large weight fluctuations.  The shape of the abdomen after the abdominoplasty procedure is similarly determined by each patient’s subsequent choices and life events as well as the plastic surgeon’s choice of technique. 

There is no single technical solution to abdominal contour.

For an abdominoplasty to be successful, the surgeon must analyze the different components that shape the abdomen:  skin tone, fascial tone, fat distribution, strength of the abdominal muscles and intraabdominal fat.  Each of these components will vary with the individual patient, so it follows that there is no single technical solution.  The surgeon serves his patients best if he has a variety of techniques that can address the individual variations of body form.

The surgeon will serve his patient best if he obtains an understanding of the events that brought the abdomen to its current shape.  Has the patient gained or lost significant weight and if so, how many pounds does the weight fluctuate?  Was there one major fluctuation or many?  What is the patient’s pattern of exercise?  For women, have there been any pregnancies, or are any pregnancies planned for the future?  Dr. John Q. Cook and his entire team at the Whole Beauty Institute™ are committed to a holistic approach to body contour surgery.  If we understand the circumstances that brought the patient to his or her current shape we will be able to design a custom plan in which individualized surgery, nutrition, and exercise unite to provide an optimum long-term result.

 

The Three Goals Of Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) Surgery

When Dr. Cook performs your individualized analysis, he will do so with three goals in mind:

  1. Restore and optimize tone
  2. Restore and optimize contour
  3. Restore and optimize function

Restore And Optimize Tone


View Dr. Cook's Gallery Each abdomen is toned differently.  Dr. Cook will carefully analyze the tone of the different regions of the abdomen, flanks, waist and hips, since this will influence aspects of the abdominoplasty technique.  The surgical approach will be different for a person whose main concern is a loss of tone in the lower central abdomen than for the person who has loose skin that extends around the waist and even into the back area.

The tone of the deep fascia and muscles of the abdomen is also very important.  Large weight fluctuations or pregnancy may cause the deep anchors of the situp muscles to give way, so that the muscles drift away from the midline.  This is known as a diastasis of the muscles.  Patients may notice a gap in the central abdomen when the muscles are tightened in a sit-up.  Unfortunately no amount of exercise can correct this gap. 

As the muscles gap in the center and drift to the sides, patients often experience a sensation that the abdomen is not fully supported.  Often an excess curvature of the lumbar spine (lordosis) will develop, which in turn produces back discomfort.  A well-performed abdominoplasty will help to correct this.

While the abdominoplasty  (tummy tuck) procedure will help the tone of the core muscles, there is much that each patient can do to prepare the muscle and deep fascial layers for the procedure and to maintain the long-term benefits of the surgery.  We will help you to design a program of core muscle strengthening to prepare you for the surgery, since this will give Dr. Cook the best structure to work with and also make your recovery much easier.   A balanced exercise program will also help you to maintain an optimum result.

Restore And Optimize Contour

For an abdomen to be beautiful it needs to be more than tight; it needs to have a beautiful contour or shape.  Dr. Cook provides each patient who is considering abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) a detailed assessment of the factors that will contribute to a beautiful contour.  These factors include the distribution of tone in the abdominoplasty procedure, the distribution of fat in the classic compartments of the abdomen, flanks, and hips, the effects of deep structural tone on waist definition,  and the patient’s own patterns of nutrition and exercise.

Many abdominoplasty techniques leave the patient with an abdomen that is tight in the middle but loose on the sides.  The overall visual effect is disappointing in a way that is similar to that achieved by a face lift that is pulled tight in the wrong direction.  In order to avoid this Dr. Cook uses a variation of the high lateral tension abdominoplasty technique as pioneered by Dr. Ted Lockwood.  In this technique the distribution of tone is shifted in an oblique direction with significant benefits to the flanks, waist, and upper thighs.  We describe this technique more fully later in this section of the website.

The fat of the abdomen, which lies between the skin and the deep fascia and muscles, is arranged into a number of compartments.  The relative distribution of fat in these compartments varies from person to person and is largely influenced by genetics and by whether that person was heavyset in his or her early years.  An accurate map of these compartments will serve as a guide for the sculpting of these compartments during the abdominoplasty procedure.  It is important to note that some abdominoplasty techniques do not allow for liposuction to be carried out with safety during the procedure.  This will significantly limit the power of the result.  The high lateral tension technique maintains adequate blood supply to the undermined area of the abdomen so that liposuction can be an integral part of the procedure.

The tone of the deep fascia and muscles of the abdominal wall (the rectus and oblique muscles) manifests itself in the external shape of the abdomen.  The beautiful contours of the mid body of a well-trained athlete are a direct result of the superb tone and function of the abdominal muscles.  A more comic example is seen in the cartoon of the out-of-shape middle aged man at the beach who tightens up his abdominal muscles when a beautiful woman walks by.  We have already discussed how the tone of the abdomen is disrupted when a diastasis or gap develops between the situp muscles in the midline.  Surgical repair of this disruption will actually tighten the waist and provide more of an “hourglass” figure.  One common shortcut of certain abdominoplasty techniques is a tightening of the muscles below the umbilicus, but a disregard for the muscles above the umbilicus.  This reduces the work for the surgeon but at a distinct cost to the long-term result.  Almost without exception, if the lower abdomen is tightened and the upper abdomen is ignored, the patient will be left with an unsightly upper abdominal bulge.  Beware of so-called “mini” procedures; they usually produce mini results!

Above all other procedures in plastic surgery, the abdominoplasty procedure allows the patient to enhance the quality of the long-term result of the surgery.   A patient who develops and maintains optimum patterns of nutrition and exercise will have a better recovery from surgery and a better long-term result than a patient who ignores these important factors.  One of the most gratifying aspects of our work at the Whole Beauty Institute™ is our ability to leverage the power of the surgical procedure by motivating our patients to make changes in personal habits that will lead to long-term improvement in health and well-being.  In general the patient who adopts improved habits of nutrition and exercise in order to prepare for the surgery will maintain these habits for the long-term.  One reason for this is the positive visual feedback that the abdominoplasty provides.  Many patients report that they have repeatedly “fallen off the wagon” when they have tried diet and exercise programs because they can’t do much to improve the shape of the abdomen.  After the surgery is completed, the beautiful contour will initiate a renewed commitment, since there is now a beautiful shape to maintain.  We see this positive feedback cycle at work in many of the surgeries that we perform, but it is perhaps the abdominoplasty procedure that is the very best example.

There is one important aspect of abdominal contour that no current surgical technique can impact.  In some patients a major cause of abdominal disproportion is intraabdominal fat, which lies deep to the muscles of the abdominal wall.  When some patients gain weight they disproportionately store fat within the abdomen.  This pattern of weight gain is determined largely by genetics, but also by nutritional factors.  It is a particularly dangerous form of weight gain, since it seems to be accompanied by a significant increased risk of heart disease.  Once the patient commits to surgery, it can serve as a wonderful motivator to lose this dangerous fat before the abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) procedure.  As the patient loses weight the skin will hang looser.  While this might have discouraged the patient in the past, since he or she knows that the abdominoplasty will correct the loose skin, it will be easier to accomplish the desired weight loss.  There is no question in our minds that for our patients who have used the abdominoplasty as a motivation to lose the deep intraabdominal fat, the surgery has been a life-altering, even a life-saving procedure!

Restore and Optimize Function

A properly-toned abdominal wall is more than beautiful; it is a key element in the dynamic balance of the mid-body.  The muscles of the front part of the abdominal wall help to maintain posture and proper position of the spine.  When these muscles are weakened or altered in position, the spine tends to shift into a position of exaggerated curvature, which often results in back discomfort.  The importance of the anterior muscles is well known to physical therapists, who often work to strengthen and optimize the mechanics of these muscles in patients with back pain.

The gap that develops between the rectus or sit-up muscles in the front part of the abdomen after significant weight fluctuation or pregnancy will derange the proper balance of the mid-body.  Once the muscles are out of position, no amount of exercise will be able to restore completely normal function.  Patients with a gap between the muscles often experience discomfort and a sense of being unsupported.  The abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) operation allows for these muscle to return to their normal position of function.  The patient experiences a sense of better control of his or her abdominal tone.

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How The High Lateral Tension Abdominoplasty Became My Preferred Technique And Remains So To This Day

By John Q. Cook, M.D.

As a plastic surgeon who is interested in refining abdominal contour, I divide my practice into two eras: the time before I used the high lateral tension technique and everything since then.  In the earlier era, the abdominoplasty procedure frequently left me a little disappointed.  I could tighten the skin of the abdomen, but I didn’t feel I necessarily was creating a beautiful shape, such as I might be able to do with a face lift or a breast lift.  Often the results seemed expressionless, lacking in form.

My exposure to Dr. Ted Lockwood changed all that.  Dr. Lockwood, who passed away at an all too early age, was one of those rare surgeons who change the fundamental principles of an operation.  Prior to his contribution, most abdominoplasty surgeries were all about a very strong vertical pull on the skin in the middle of the abdomen.  Many surgeons felt that liposuction could not be combined safely with abdominoplasty, so the ability to contour the fat compartments was limited.  Indeed with these techniques, with their wide undermining and extreme vertical pull on the skin, the circulation to the skin could be compromised if liposuction was a part of the procedure.

Like most abdominoplasty techniques, the high lateral tension abdominoplasty allows the surgeon to tighten the support of the muscles of the abdominal wall and to remove excess abdominal skin.  There are several important departures from traditional technique:

The direction of pull is changed from an exclusively vertical direction to one that slopes out to the sides.  This allows the surgeon to regulate the tension of the entire abdomen, not just the portion near the midline.  As a result the tightening produces an abdomen with better balance.

The repair occurs at three levels, not two.  All abdominoplasty techniques tighten the skin and (where needed) the deep muscles of the abdominal wall.  In the high lateral tension abdominoplasty a fascial layer that sits under the skin but above the deep muscles is also tightened.  This helps to distribute the tension in a different way so that it tightens the waist and lifts the upper thighs.

The scars sit at a lower more discrete level near the midline than what is seen with many abdominoplasty techniques.  As the scars move out to the sides of the abdomen, they can be designed to run up toward the hips along the line of a French-cut swim suit or they can sit lower, according to patient preference.

Because the amount of undermining is limited, liposuction can be combined with the high lateral tension abdominoplasty with a greater degree of safety than with other techniques.

In the years since I learned the fundamentals of this technique from Dr. Lockwood, I have worked out a number of variants to accommodate a range of body shapes and patient goals.

Why doesn’t every plastic surgeon use this technique?  A good question, in my opinion.  The procedure is a bit more complex technically.  It also takes longer to perform that most other techniques, due to the multiple layers of repair.  Since the procedure is more time-consuming and more sophisticated, it is more expensive than other procedures.  If the competition is on price, the high lateral tension procedure will be at a disadvantage.  On the other hand, if the competition is on quality of artistic outcome, this procedure is a winner.

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Who Can Benefit From Abdominoplasty?


View Dr. Cook's Gallery People come to see Dr. John Q. Cook at the Whole Beauty Institute™ for consultation regarding abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) for a variety of reasons.  We have a wide range of techniques that are based on the principle of the high lateral tension abdominoplasty that can help to solve many specific problems of abdominal contour.

Changes After Pregnancy

Perhaps the most common reason that people come to us for abdominoplasty is to correct the changes in the tone and shape of the abdomen that have come about as a result of pregnancy.  Some women are fortunate in this regard; they can carry several pregnancies, yet the abdomen returns to its original shape each time.  A more common pattern it that the skin, fascia, and deep muscle support of the abdomen lose their tone in a more permanent way.  Good habits of nutrition and exercise are always helpful, but may be insufficient to restore a beautiful abdominal contour.

Women with post-pregnancy changes are typically delighted by the improvements that result from the abdominoplasty procedure.  The tone of the skin and the mid-level fascia of the abdomen are restored, zones of excess fat are contoured, and the abdominal muscles are returned to a position of optimum function.  Since the breasts are often altered by pregnancy as well, many patients who come to us for abdominoplasty are also interested in surgery to restore breast tone, position, and volume (breast lift, breast augmentation, and breast reduction).  For convenience the breast and abdominal procedures often can be combined into a single operation.  We recommend that a woman should undergo abdominoplasty only when she is fairly certain that there will not be any future pregnancies, since the stretching of the abdomen that comes about as a result of pregnancy, will undo a good portion of the benefits of the surgery.

Changes After Previous Surgery Of The Abdomen

There are patients who experience a significant loss of deep structural support after they have undergone hysterectomy, caesarian section, or other abdominal surgeries.  These patients frequently remark that they are unable to maintain their previous abdominal tone despite a strict regimen of situps and other abdominal exercises.  The problem may be a widening of the space between the rectus muscles (diastasis) or a more general loss of support.  Very often, the three layer repair that occurs with the high lateral tension abdominoplasty can restore good tone to the abdomen.  There are often powerful physical benefits for these patients, since the abdominal musculature is intimately involved in posture and back comfort.  Restoration of the normal dynamic balance of the abdominal muscles significantly improves the patient’s quality of life.

Abdominoplasty To Correct Abdominal Scars

It may be possible to remove or diminish scars from previous abdominal  surgery when an abdominoplasty is carried out.  The amount of skin removed with an abdominoplasty varies from patient to patient.  In some patients there is sufficient looseness to the lower abdomen that all of the skin below the umbilicus is removed.  Any scar that exists in this area will also be removed.

Abdominoplasty For Patients With Significant Weight Loss

We also see quite a few patients who were once heavy, but who have successfully lost significant amounts of weight as a result of improved nutrition and exercise habits.  Some patients come to us after they have undergone bariatric surgery in order to lose weight.  Often patients who have lost a large amount of weight are frustrated by the poor tone and loose skin that remain in the abdomen despite their very best efforts.  They are disappointed that beyond a certain point the abdomen may be thinner, but actually look worse as the overhang of the skin becomes more pronounced.  For these patients the abdominoplasty procedure can serve as a wonderful reward for their efforts.  When a beautiful shape is restored to the abdomen, it will serve as a powerful motivator to maintain healthy habits of nutrition and exercise.

Abdominoplasty After Liposuction

Poor tone of the skin and intermediate layers of the abdomen may also exist in a patient who has undergone overly aggressive liposuction.  Some surgeons seem to feel that liposuction is a contest to see how much fat can be removed.   This is typically not a contest in which the patient wins!  The primary purpose of liposuction in any form (classical, ultrasonic, Vaser®, or any other variety) is to obtain a beautiful contour.  When liposuction is used primarily as a means to lose weight, the result will almost always be disappointing.  Although the bulk of the fat will be reduced, the skin will now hang loose.  Patients who experience this sort of post-liposuction looseness in the abdomen or in other regions can be restored to balance with a well-performed abdominoplasty or other body contour procedure.

Abdominoplasty For Patients With Midbody Fat Excess And Loose Skin

Patients who have a relative excess of fat in the mid-body regions (the abdomen, flanks, and hips) and who have diminished skin tone are particularly well-served by the combination of liposuction with removal of excess skin from the lower abdomen.  Dr. Cook provides several versions of this combination, but all are influenced by the basic concept of the high lateral tension technique; limited skin undermining other than in zones that are to be removed allows for liposuction to be carried out with a reasonable level of safety.  Patients with a classic mid body excess may be very trim in other areas, such as the arms, legs, and face, so a mid-body sculpting of this nature can restore a pleasing artistic balance to their physical form.  Dr. Cook carefully examines patients with mid-body excess to determine whether the true problem is intraabdominal fat, since this must be addressed with diet and exercise. 

Abdominoplasty For Patients Who Have Gradually Lost Abdominal Tone

The abdomen is not immune to the forces of time and gravity.  There are some patients who come to us who have maintained a trim physique and good nutritional habits, but who experience a gradual loss of abdominal tone, sometimes over several decades.  The situation is similar to that of the patient who seeks a face lift due to a loss of tone in the cheeks or a breast lift (mastopexy) due to a gradual settling of the breast.  Surgical rejuvenation of abdominal tone can be very beneficial for these patients.

Abdominoplasty For A Variety Of Physiques

The abdominoplasty operation can be applied to men and women with a variety of physiques.  One particular type of patient who deserves special consideration is the woman with a fuller, curvaceous physique who is pleased with all her body lines except those of the abdomen.  Often this is because the abdomen has been stretched by the cycle of pregnancy.  With the high lateral tension technique it is possible to bring the abdomen into artistic balance with the rest of the body.

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Specific Abdominoplasty And Other Body Contour Procedures That Dr. John Q. Cook Performs


View Dr. Cook's Gallery Dr. John Q. Cook provides a wide range of surgical techniques to his patients.  This allows him to design an individualized operation to meet each patient’s specific needs. Dr. John Q. Cook frequently combines techniques of liposuction with the various body contour surgeries described in this section of the website.  Please visit the liposuction section for more information.

The High Lateral Tension Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)

The reasons why Dr. Cook prefers this abdominoplasty technique to others are outlined in detail earlier in this section of the website.

Pattern of Incision
In the classical form of this operation, Dr. Cook designs the scar so that it sits low in the bikini area then curves up toward the hip bones.  There is no set pattern to the length of the scar; it is determined during the consultation, when Dr. Cook notes the degree of looseness in various zones of the abdomen.  In most cases Dr. Cook can design the pattern of incision so that the scar will sit within the pattern of the patient’s preferred swimsuit or underwear.

Surgical Technique
During the surgery Dr. Cook will make incisions according to the pattern that he and the patient have mapped out. Next he will undermine the skin and underlying fat in the zone that he plans to excise.  He will then undermine a much narrower section in the center of the abdomen that surrounds the umbilicus and continues up to where the abdomen ends at the ribs.  He then frees the umbilicus from its attachment to the skin but leaves it attached internally.  This provides a good view of the gap that has developed between the rectus muscles, so that Dr. Cook can restore the muscles to their proper position with precision and security.  A complete repair of the muscles is performed, both in the upper and in the lower abdomen.  This complete repair is very important, since it prevents the unfortunate bulge that develops in the upper abdomen when only the lower muscles are repaired.   Dr Cook will now determine the optimum amount of skin and fat that he will remove from the lower abdomen.  This may involve just a portion of the lower abdominal skin or when there is significant looseness the resection may extend to the old level of the umbilicus or even above that.  Once the excess skin and fat is removed, the upper and lower borders are brought together so that the scar lies along its planned path along the swimsuit line.

Three layers of support
The high lateral tension abdominoplasty involves a three layer restoration of abdominal support.  The deepest layer involves the sutures that bring the rectus muscles together.  Next is a firm layer of tissue known as the superficial fascial system, which forms a layer of support between the skin and the muscles.  This layer is extremely important for the quality of the result in that it helps to tighten all of the outer layers of the abdomen.  The final layer is the skin.

At the time of closure two important steps are carried out.  The new location of the umbilicus is marked on the skin and the umbilicus is reattached to the skin at that point.  Liposuction is carried out in portions of the abdomen as well as in the flanks.  The opportunity to carry out liposuction at the time of the abdominoplasty is an important advantage of the high lateral tension technique.

The Extended High Lateral Tension Abdominoplasty

For patients who have extensive looseness that involves not just the front of the abdomen but the waist and flanks as well, the extended version of the procedure can be very helpful.  The scar starts low in the abdomen, then curves up toward the hip bone, and then extends toward the back.  Recovery is similar to the classical operation.

The Low Scar Variant Of The High Lateral Tension Abdominoplasty

Current fashion emphasizes a relatively low cut to swim suits and other clothing.  Dr. Cook has modified the classical operation to meet the needs of patients who wear their clothes at this level.  The incisions are designed so that the scar sits at a lower level than it would with the classical high lateral tension abdominoplasty.

Posterior Body Lift And Outer Thigh Lift

For some patients there is significant looseness of the body that extends all the way around to the midline of the back.  Usually these patients have lost significant weight.  For motivated patients a beautiful shape can be obtained around the entire mid body  (front, sides, and back) with a two stage procedure.  In the first operation Dr. Cook carries out a high lateral tension abdominoplasty.  After the patient has recovered from the first procedure Dr. Cook carries out a posterior body lift, which begins where the abdominoplasty left off and ends at the midline in the upper buttock region.  Dr. Cook has found that the recovery from this two stage procedure is much easier that when the front and back of the body lift are carried out in a single massive operation.

The Superficial High Lateral Tension Abdominoplasty

Some patients have lost tone at the level of the skin, but not at the level of the deep fascia and muscles.  For these patients Dr. Cook follows the pattern of the high lateral tension technique for the skin excision, but he does not need to put stitches at the deepest level of the muscles.  This results in a much easier recovery for the patient.  Just as in the full technique a precise tightening is accomplished in the outer layers, the superficial fascial system and the skin.  Liposuction can be combined with this technique as in the full operation.  For most patients Dr. Cook will reposition the umbilicus, but when he removes only as small amount of skin, the umbilicus maintains its original position.

Liposuction (Lipoplasty) With Lower Superficial Abdominoplasty

This operation is ideal for the patient who desires liposuction to correct areas of resistant fat in the abdomen and the waist, but who has moderately diminished skin tone in the lower abdomen.  Liposuction alone by any technique in a patient such as this will further destabilize the skin tone and potentially result in unattractive wrinkles or folds.  Fortunately there is a good solution to this dilemma.  Dr. Cook will carry out a liposuction procedure using the Vaser® or other advanced technology and adjust the skin tone with a limited removal of skin in the lower abdomen.  The scar sits low and in many cases can be kept relatively short. 

Recovery is much easier than with the more extensive abdominoplasty techniques.

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Plastic Surgery Procedures That Dr. Cook Combines With Abdominoplasty

We perceive the contour and curves of the abdomen in relation to the curves and contours of other zones of the body, particularly the hips, the thighs and the breast.  True beauty is obtained when all curves of these areas relate to each other in a harmonious way.  Plastic surgery at its best can help to optimize this harmonious interplay.

Perimeterplasty: Abdominoplasty Combined With Lipoplasty Of Nearby Areas

 In this approach, Dr. Cook uses advanced techniques of liposuction to adjust the curves of the outer thigh, the inner thigh, the hip, the waist, or other nearby areas at the time of the abdominoplasty  so that there is an optimized balance of the lines that form the perimeter of the body.

Abdominoplasty Combined With Breast Surgery

Life events that stretch and alter the shape of the abdomen often exert similar effects on the breast.  Two common examples of this are pregnancy and the cycle of weight gain and loss.  Breasts may lose or gain volume or lose their pleasing tone.  For some patients, the breasts may droop so severely that they affect body mechanics and posture.

Dr. Cook frequently combines abdominoplasty with various forms of breast surgery to restore a pleasing state of visual harmony.  This in turn gives the patient a positive visual feedback that will serve as a wonderful motivation to maintain optimum habits of nutrition and exercise.

Dr. Cook considers his patients’ needs on an individualized basis.  During your consultation you will discuss your goals with Dr. Cook.  He will help you to select from the wide range of breast surgery procedures that we offer our patients:  breast augmentation, breast augmentation combined with breast life (mastopexy), structural mastopexy, and breast reduction.

Medial Thigh Lift / Inner Thigh Lift

When the tone of the inner thigh is significantly reduced, liposuction will not be of benefit, even when there is a significant accumulation of fat in the area.  From a structural standpoint this is very similar to the situation that faces the patient with an excess of fat in the lower abdomen but who also has a loss of skin tone.

With the medial thigh lift technique, Dr. Cook tightens the skin of the inner thigh through an incision that is hidden in the crease where the upper thigh ends.  Dr. Cook uses a variant of the technique for this operation that was developed by Dr. Ted Lockwood, the originator of the high lateral tension abdominoplasty.  In this technique a layer of fascia that exists beneath the skin is securely anchored to the deep tissues.  This takes tension off the skin and avoids the wide scars and distortion that may develop after other thigh lift techniques.

The medial thigh lift can be combined with an abdominoplasty or other body contour procedures.

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Preparation For Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) And Other Body Contour Surgeries

As part of our detailed evaluation of you during the consultation, we pay careful attention to your habits of nutrition, exercise, and smoking.  The quality of your recovery from abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) and other body contour surgery is directly related to the stability of these habits.  We have also found that the best long-term results come about when excellence in surgical technique is amplified by our patients’ optimum healthy habits.  Our commitment to you extends beyond the operation itself.  We will provide you with guidance during the preparation phase for your surgery so that your pattern of exercise and nutrition are optimized.

Does this mean that we only operate on patients who are trained athletes?   Of course not!  Body contour surgery can provide wonderful benefits to people with a wide range of physiques.  There are patients with fuller, more curvaceous physiques who exercise regularly and have good nutritional balance.  They are happy with their overall form and are only interested in improving the abdominal contour.  These patients tend to be delighted with the results of abdominoplasty.

What doesn’t work is surgery that is performed on a patient who has an unstable pattern of habits, whose weight cycles up and down dramatically, and who goes from one fad diet to another.  It is better for that patient to obtain a sensible and stable pattern of habits and bring his or her weight to a level of stability that can be maintained over the long term.  For some people this will take a few months; for others it may take a year or more.  With this healthy foundation, the patient can proceed with the surgery, knowing that she will have a smooth recovery and obtain long-lasting results.

We have found that the majority of patients who adjust their habits in preparation for abdominoplasty and other body contour surgeries maintain these beneficial habits over the long term.  Many patients who have lost tone in their abdomen are frustrated by the lack of response to diet and exercise.  Once the new abdominal tone and contour is established with the abdominoplasty procedure, a virtuous feedback cycle is established.  The patient is delighted with the new look of the midbody and because of this is highly motivated to maintain the result with balanced nutrition and exercise.   One patient recently said to us, “Now when I do sit-ups I actually see an effect!”

Smoking is the enemy of healing, and this is particularly true in abdominoplasty and other body contour surgeries.  Our patients quit smoking well in advance of surgery, so that the circulation can come into proper balance.  This is easier to do than it sounds, since the desire for the surgical result serves as a powerful motivation to stop smoking.  We are delighted that the significant majority of our patients who were smokers prior to their surgery have not returned to smoking after the surgery.

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The Surgical Procedure: Abdominoplasty, Abdominoplasty Combined With Liposuction, Abdominoplasty Combined With Breast Surgery, Medial (Inner) Thigh Lift, Posterior Body Lift

Dr. John Q. Cook carries out the majority of his elective surgeries at a high quality outpatient surgical facility not far from the Chicago office. Dr. Cook has selected this facility because of the skill of the anesthesia team and the highly experienced staff who take care of our patients in the operating room and the recovery area.

The specific anesthetic technique allows for an unusually quick recovery from surgery; in most cases, the post-anesthesia “hangover” is avoided.

Most of our patients who undergo abdominoplasty are met by our caregiver at the surgery center and transported to an elegant boutique hotel near the Chicago office.  There are several advantages to this approach.  The overall recovery is enhanced by the knowledge that an experienced caregiver is in charge for the first evening of recovery.  With our hotel patients we utilize devices that gently massage the calves; this significantly reduces the risk of forming blood clots in the leg.  The majority of our patients will leave the hotel the morning after surgery and recover from surgery at home for the following days.  Some patients prefer to stay at the hotel for several days, and this can be easily arranged.  Since the hotel is close to the office, our clinical team will visit patients the morning after surgery at the hotel; this is much more convenient for the patient than coming to the office for the first visit after surgery.

In some cases, abdominoplasty can be combined with gynecological surgery or general surgery such as hernia repair.  In this case the surgery will be at Rush University Medical Center.  Dr. Cook will work in conjunction with one of his Rush colleagues in the Departments of General Surgery or of Obstetrics and Gynecology.  Patients with this type of combined surgery will spend one or several nights at Rush University Medical Center, a leading academic medical center, widely recognized for the expertise of its medical and nursing staffs.

Regardless of where your surgery is performed, our staff will make sure that you are well prepared for the abdominoplasty procedure.  We will help you to optimize your habits and physiology as you prepare for the surgery and will guide you through the recovery process.

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Recovery From Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck), Abdominoplasty Combined With Liposuction, Abdominoplasty Combined With Breast Surgery, Medial (Inner) Thigh Lift, Posterior Body Lift

A smooth and pleasant recovery from abdominoplasty and other body contour surgeries is directly related to the preparation that you make in the weeks leading up to your surgery.  Our team prides itself in the quality and depth of our preoperative teaching.  We will provide you with many helpful suggestions that will make your recovery an optimum experience.

For most of our abdominoplasty and other body contour surgery patients we make use of a device known as the pain pump.  This device delivers a controlled amount of local anesthetic to the area of surgery so that your need for pain pills is significantly reduced.  This allows you to achieve normal activity levels more quickly.

Due to our extensive experience with the abdominoplasty procedure we have many practical suggestions that will help you and your caregivers in the recovery phase.

Please Contact the Whole Beauty Institute™ For Further Information or for an Appointment

Dr. John Q. Cook and the entire team of the Whole Beauty Institute™ hope that this information has been helpful to you.  Please contact us by email or phone for further information or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Cook at either our Gold Coast Office near Chicago’s Water Tower or our North Shore Office in Winnetka.

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