Plastic surgery procedures might seem relatively new, but
the practice dates back 4,000 years, where it became common in ancient India,
before spreading to other parts of the world, including the Greek and Roman
empires.
One of the newer plastic surgeries is abdominoplastys,
commonly referred to as tummy tucks. As a provider of tummy
tucks in Minneapolis, we’re well versed in how these procedures work,
thanks to over 30 years of performing them. The history of tummy tucks,
however, dates back many, many years before that.
Tummy tucks: The
beginning …
Abdominoplasty procedures first came about in the late
19th Century, and were used to help alleviate enormous umbilical hernias that
caused large skin flaps. These skin flaps were excised in order to fix the
umbilical hernias.
The removal of skin flaps and the increase to the
patient’s appearance quickly garnered attention – along with other forms of
body contouring – and the procedure continued to gain attention through the
early 20th Century.
The first tummy
tuck
The first tummy tuck (then called a “dermolipectomy”) was
performed in 1890 by two French doctors. In the United States, the first tummy
tuck was done a few years later at John’s Hopkins in Baltimore, and the
procedure was called a “transverse abdominal lipectomy.” However, the incisions
were done in a transverse manner, which was followed by the abdominal pannus
being removed. This caused the patient to lose their belly button.
In 1905, two French doctors performed the first successful
abdominal lipectomy that kept the belly button intact, and four years later, a
German doctor used vertical and horizontal flap incisions so belly button
removal was avoided.
Advancement of
tummy tucks
Plastic surgery is considered to have advanced
considerably over the rest of the 20th Century, thanks in part to proper
sterilization and anesthesia techniques. Thus, patients were allowed to take
advantage of advances in cosmetic surgery technology.
Today, tummy tucks are performed to help remove larger
C-section scars, tighten abdominal muscles, remove excess abdominal skin and
properly place the belly button.
Looking for a Minneapolis
tummy tuck surgeon? Call Dr. Richard S. Werner MD today at 952-929-1812 or Click
Here to Request a Free Consultation.
