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This surgery is ideal for men and women who are in good shape but may have inherently excessive abdominal skin or those who have undergone substantial weight loss causing the abdominal skin to become flaccid. Those who intend to lose a substantial amount of weight should postpone their tummy tuck because it will offset their results. Also, women who intend to have more pregnancies in the future should postpone their procedure since the vertical muscles that are tightened during surgery can separate again during pregnancy.

There are many variations both to the design of the incisions and the technique itself. In some instances, it may be possible to avoid an incision around the navel. When the amount of loose skin is minimal and the excess fat deposits are located below the navel, a short horizontal incision is all that is necessary. This procedure is called a partial, or "mini" abdominoplasty.

During a traditional abdominoplasty, a long incision is made from hipbone to hipbone and a second incision is made to free the navel from the surrounding tissue. The skin is then separated from the abdominal wall all the way up to the ribs to reveal the vertical muscles in your abdomen. These muscles are pulled close together and tightened and then stitched into their new position providing a firmer abdomen wall and a narrower waist. The skin is then stretched down and the extra skin is removed, a new bellybutton is created and the incisions are stitched shut. Sometimes, a tube is inserted to drain excess fluid from the incision.

For optimal results, liposuction may be used or in conjunction with abdominoplasty, to remove abdominal fat. Endoscopic abdominoplasty is another technique for minimizing scars and may be useful when patients have only a mild degree of excess fat and muscle laxity.