Every doctor I see is using different terminology, is this normal?

I need a tummy tuck with the vertical incision but nobody is calling that an anchor cut or a fluer de lis. I am so confused is it the same thing? One doctor refused to do my abdominoplasty without also doing lateral thigh which he explained would extend the incision all the way around my body. He was not calling that a belt lipectomy or lower body lift or butt lift? What is the difference ?

I believe it is all the same thing.  I am having the lower body lift, breast aug and arms done next month.  What I learned is that the lbl includes the lateral thigh lift, mons lift and the butt lift as well.   I believe the belt lipectomy is a higher scar, where your belt would wrap around you, and the lbl has a lower scar line that can be hidden more easily.

I need a vertical incision as well with my tummy tuck and my doctor referred to it as just a vertical incision.  I know it is also called the anchor cut and the fleur de lis, but those terms are also used to describe the breast lift as well.

Get your doc to give you details of what he's proposing.  The 360 degree cut can be referred to as a lower body lift, circumferential body lift, belt lipectomy.  As has been said, it should include tummy  tuck with muscle repair, mons lift, outer thigh lift and butt lift.  There's also an extended tummy tuck which extends the incision longer than normal, but doesn't go all the way around.

And yes, every surgeon uses slightly different terms, so it's really important to have them explain and describe exactly what they're talking about.

Many plastic surgeons have their own terminology for different procedures, especially when they are "customized" for the individual patient. A Tummy tuck(TT) can be an extended one, feur de lis, horizontal with vertical cut, panniculectomy, no muscle or diastasis repair,etc. Having knowledge of different variations helps when you talk with your plastic surgeon. Most patients lose weight differently and have different requirements to achieve their goals.

Dr. Edward Jonas Domanskis is Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery

1441 Avocado Avenue, Suite 307

Newport Beach, California 92660

949.640-6324/1.888.234-5080(Ca)

Website: http://www.surgery-plastic.com

Assistant Clinical Professor of SurgeryWOS-Plastic,University of California (Irvine) Orange County’s Physician of Excellence/America’s Top Physicians/Top Doctors Plastic Surgery- 2005/2006/2007/2008/2009/2012/2013

President,American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons www.ASBPS.org Non-Toxic, No Nanos Skin Care- www.ORGANODERM.com Scar Therapy-www.ScaRxtape.com

The two doctors I saw for consults both drew on a figure exactly what they were going to do, including showing me where the drains would be, where the incisions would be, and where lipo would be done. They also drew arrows to show what direction the skin would be pulled.

Instead of being worried about the words I'd be looking at the diagrams to make sure they are offering you what you want to have done.