Top 10 most popular cosmetic procedures in U.S. – Surgical – 3. Tummy tuck aka abdominoplasty

Number of procedures in 2011: 149,410
An abdominoplasty is a procedure that removes excess or sagging abdominal skin. Generally, a horizontal incision is made above the pubic area or above the belly button, depending where the loose skin resides. To tighten the abdominal wall, the surgeon brings loose underlying tissue and muscle together with sutures. Risks include bleeding, infection, tissue loss along the incision or fluid buildup under the skin.