Pregnancies, weight gain and weight loss take a tremendous toll on a woman's figure, especially in the stomach area. Repeatedly stretched and scarred, most women's bellies are loose, oversized and out of shape. But they don't have to be.

     A tummy tuck can help. It can remove the excess skin and tighten up the underlying musculature giving you a flatter, firmer, tighter stomach and a thinner waist as well. There are several popular approaches.

     The most common involves an incision across the lower abdomen, a little above the public area and beneath the bikini line. An incision is also made around the belly button to free it from the surrounding skin. The skin is separated from the abdominal wall and lifted up above the rib cage. Next Dr. Lamb pulls loose tissue from the left and right of the abdomen together, towards the center and sutures it together. This tightens muscles, provides a stronger abdominal wall and makes the waist smaller.

     The skin is then lowered and the excess is removed. A new opening is made for the belly button at the proper position (the old opening is now much too low). The incisions are closed with sutures and a firm elastic dressing is placed over the area.

     After surgery, you will have some soreness and discomfort which can be controlled with medication. You may be up and around in a day or two, but you should avoid overactivity and straining for 3-4 weeks. You may have to wear a light support garment for several weeks.

     By removing the sagging, excess skin and accumulated fatty tissue, you'll immediately enjoy a flatter, firmer abdomen and thinner waist. Although every effort is made to minimize scarring, the scars will be permanent but will fade over time. Within 3-6 months your scars should get flatter, become lighter in color and improve considerably.