Pop culture wants us all to lose weight. Just flip the channels and you can find reality shows about regular folks and celebrities losing weight. You are bombarded with infomercials for exercise equipment, miracle pills to burn fat and diet systems and gyms all wanting you to join their club. Low carb, no carb, lite, sugar-free ... these are the buzzwords of our time.

However, you did it ... you've lost the weight. Congratulations!

But, looking down you see a limp flap of skin that used to be filled with fat and now looks more like a deflated balloon than your tummy. This is a common problem for people who have lost a considerable amount of weight and there is a solution - abdominoplasty, also known as the tummy tuck.

Significant weight loss is not the only reason for abdominoplasty. Pregnancy is also hard on the elasticity of the skin and can eventually leave it stretched out and unattractive. If you are finished having children, a tummy tuck can solve your saggy skin problem.

If any of these descriptions sound like you, then you may need a tummy tuck. Now, what exactly does this procedure do?

Through a horizontal incision across the lower part of the abdomen and then around the belly button, the surgeon removes excess skin and any fat pockets remaining. The surgeon then shortens the abdominal muscles, tightening them. In some cases, liposuction is used in conjunction with the tuck to remove excess fat. While the procedure may remove stretch marks and scars from weight gain or pregnancy, the surgery itself may leave behind a significant scar that will always exist under your bikini line but will fade with time.

It may be possible to have a mini-tuck instead of a full one. If you are within ten percent of your ideal weight and consulting with the surgeon shows you are a good candidate, the less invasive mini-tuck will work. A full tummy tuck is necessary for anyone who is twenty percent or more away from an ideal body weight.

There are a few things to consider before going through with surgery. Have you lost all the weight you possibly can through diet and exercise? This procedure is considered major surgery - it may take between one and five hours under general anesthesia - so it should be the final step in a good healthy plan. A commitment to healthy eating and exercise after the surgery ensures that it was money well spent.

If more children are in your future, hold off on the tummy tuck. As described above, abdominal muscles are tightened. As the belly expands during pregnancy, the tightened muscles separate leading to more problems and erasing the effects of the tummy tuck.

If you have decided that you do need a tummy tuck, it is important to consult with a plastic surgeon and let him or her evaluate you as a candidate for the procedure. Always make sure the surgeon is experienced and qualified and do some research. Check out his/her experience with tummy tucks, seek out referrals and look at pictures. Again, this is major surgery so do your homework.