Frequently Asked Questions: Body Contouring
Here you can take a deeper dive into questions regarding Body Contouring, Tummy Tuck and Liposuction. Feel free to contact Dr. Elkowitz by telephone or E-mail/Contact us if you have any question we don’t cover here. You never know, we may add your question to the page.
Can I see examples of other patients?
Dr. Elkowitz on Before and After photos
Of course, we love before and after pictures! The Plastic Surgery of New York website, www.plasticsurgeryofnewyork.com, is full of great before and after photos, comparison sliders and tools, and even real patient discussions of their experiences with Dr Elkowitz. There are many more photos and patient discussions when we meet with you at your consultation. Please take a look at our Google reviews either on our website or on Google directly. We are very proud that at the time of the writing Dr Elkowitz has 367 Five Star Google reviews!
Why has the abdomen become a key focus of beauty and confidence in recent years?
Dr. Marc Elkowitz explains that while the face, breasts, and legs have long been celebrated, the abdomen is now central to modern beauty standards. A firm, well-contoured midsection enhances overall proportions and boosts self-confidence. At Plastic Surgery of New York, abdominoplasty transforms under-appreciated abdomens into stunning assets. Over the past decade, extreme thinness has fallen out of favor. Dr. Elkowitz notes a cultural shift toward healthy, natural fullness with toned contours. Today’s ideal is a balanced, athletic abdomen—not emaciated. Patients seeking tummy tuck in New York achieve personalized results that align with this positive, inclusive standard.
What are the three main surgical procedures Dr. Elkowitz uses to create a beautiful abdomen?
Liposuction: Removes stubborn subcutaneous fat, sculpting a slimmer profile while allowing skin to retract naturally.
Mini Tummy Tuck: Targets the lower abdomen, excising excess skin and fat below the navel—ideal for mild laxity and a rapid recovery. C-section scars can be revised, and lower abdominal skin changes and stretch marks can also be removed. This is often combined with Liposuction for significant results.
Full Abdominoplasty: Comprehensive correction including skin removal, muscle tightening, and belly button reshaping for dramatic, long-lasting transformation.
Can I do liposuction instead of an abdominoplasty or a tummy tuck?
Dr. Elkowitz on abdominal contouring-abdominoplasty vs liposuction?
The answer is, they’re different things for different reasons. Liposuction will remove some fat on your belly, but we rely on the skin to contract. Liposuction is great for the sides.
This before and after photo is a great example of where a patient was thinking liposuction, but you could see from the before photo, her problem is extra skin, and all of that extra skin has to be removed, and that requires a tummy tuck.
The scars are well tolerated, we can tighten the muscles, reshape your sides, but you could see from these before and after photos that the removal of the skin is really what was needed.
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How does aging naturally affect the abdomen, and how does abdominoplasty reverse it?
Aging weakens abdominal muscles, reduces collagen, and causes skin laxity—especially after weight loss. Dr. Elkowitz’s full tummy tuck restores structural integrity by tightening rectus muscles, removing sagging skin, and re-draping the abdomen for a firm, youthful appearance that defies time.
At what age is someone a good candidate for abdominoplasty with Dr. Elkowitz?
For a full Abdominoplasty, women are ideally evaluated after completing childbearing (typically mid-20s to 50s+). Men of nearly any adult age qualify if they have significant abdominal concerns, especially after weight loss. With the help of medically assisted weight loss, (Ozempic, Wegovy, Manjaro, Glp-1injectibles) women and men are frequently becoming candidates for body recontouring.
How does pregnancy permanently change the abdomen, and can a tummy tuck fully correct it?
Pregnancy causes:
– Rectus diastasis (muscle separation)
– Stretched, overhanging skin (“muffin top”)
– Stretch marks and belly button distortion
Dr. Elkowitz’s abdominoplasty, repairs muscles, removes all skin and stretch marks below the navel, and reconstructs the umbilicus—restoring a flat, feminine contour.
Should I delay abdominoplasty if I plan to have more children?
In most case future pregnancy will re-stretch repaired tissues. However, Dr. Elkowitz may recommend proceeding after massive weight loss due to hygiene or significant body contour issues. Dr. Elkowitz may also recommend a stage approach. For a woman that plans on having children a skin and fat removal “only” approach may solve a lot of issues for now, and in the future revision with muscle repair can be performed.
Where are tummy tuck scars placed, and how noticeable are they long-term?
Incisions follow the bikini line (below underwear), with a small circular scar around the navel. Dr. Elkowitz uses meticulous closure techniques. Most scars fade significantly and are easily concealed by clothing.
What is a high lateral tension tummy tuck, and who benefits most?
This advanced technique extends incisions laterally and sometimes circumferentially, lifting thighs and buttocks while tightening the abdomen. Dr. Elkowitz often uses this technique for massive weight loss patients with significant hanging skin—delivering a full lower-body transformation. The dramatic results can be seen in the before and after sliders.
How long is recovery after abdominoplasty with Dr. Elkowitz?
Patients generally go home the same day of surgery and any pain is managed with medication, often just Tylenol.
By the second week most patients are standing straight, return to desk work, walking and even light exercise. From there swelling resolves, scars mature and the new shape continuously improves over the next months.
Are abdominoplasty results truly permanent?
Yes. Dr. Elkowitz’s patients enjoy lifelong flatness and tone. Significant weight gain or pregnancy may require touch-ups (liposuction or scar revision), but full repeat surgery is rarely needed.
Can tummy tuck be safely combined with other procedures?
How much does abdominoplasty cost, and is insurance coverage possible?
Why choose Dr. Marc Elkowitz for abdominoplasty in New York?
Can I do liposuction instead of a Brachioplasty?
Dr. Elkowitz on liposuction vs brachioplasty for upper arms?
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As a rule of thumb, if your upper arms are larger, a little bit chubby, or even a little bit of skin hanging, liposuction’s great because it barely leaves a scar, and it usually tightens things up and gets rid of the extra weight that’s pulling things down.
If you look at this photo here, perfect candidate for liposuction, because this patient had a little bit of fullness there, but not like an overwhelming amount of extra skin.
Brachioplasty removes a lot of skin and fat, but it’s primarily when you don’t have that much fat there and you have more hanging skin.
When is a Brachioplasty used instead of liposuction?
Dr. Elkowitz on liposuction vs brachioplasty for upper arms?
Liposuction of the upper arms, which is basically one or two small incisions, we suction out the fat, and generally the skin will contract. Brachioplasty is a totally different thing. That’s when you have a lot of skin hanging. Older people, weight loss, some people just have it. It is something that we feel like liposuction won’t accommodate for the amount of skin hanging. It is too much skin to contract. So, brachioplasty removes all of that skin. As you could tell from these before and after photos, it is dramatic. The post-op results are unbelievable, and it is a dramatic change. The question that patients often have is scarring What I have learned in doing this for so long, over decades, is listen to your patients. For the most part, patients are very happy with the results, and for the most part, patients don’t complain about the scars. So I think it’s a great operation because it gives you such a dramatic improvement on your arms, and the scars, — people just tend not to be bothered by them.
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