Tummy tuck surgery or abdominoplasty is a clinical procedure to drown the excess fat and skin accumulated around your lower abdomen, tighten your loose abdomen muscles and reposition your naval. Nowadays, more and more individuals are considering a tummy tuck surgery to get back into shape within weeks. The operation is usually performed after administering general anesthesia; a standard tummy tuck surgery is like all other surgeries and normally takes four to five hours.
Mostly women opt for a tummy tuck surgery after pregnancy, as pregnancy leaves women with a slightly disfigured stomach caused by accumulation of excess fat around the lower abdomen which also stretches the skin and loosens up the abdominal muscles. Sometimes lack of exercise and abnormal eating habits also is the reason for accumulation of fat around the lower abs, even men may require a tummy tuck surgery because of lack of exercise or irregular eating habits.
A tummy tuck surgery can be simple or more complicated than regular surgical procedures depending upon a particular case. After administering dose of anesthesia the surgeon makes two incisions, first to loosen the area around the naval and the second to lift the naval free from the tissues. In the next step of the tummy tuck surgery the skin is lifted up to expose the abdominal muscles.
The muscles are then stitched into a new position giving the patient a new waistline. After that, the skin is stretched back, excess skin removed and stitched again. Finally the surgeons create a new naval as the old one would be far too down.
After the tummy tuck surgery most patents dont need continual medical attention and are relieved from the hospital while some have to stay overnight or for a day or two more. The operation leaves a swollen and painful abdomen for the first couple of weeks, you’ll need pain relievers for the same Unless you have strong abdomen you’ll need two to four weeks before you can get back to work and the scars may take six to nine months to completely disappear.
What is abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)?
An abdominoplasty is a procedure that flattens your abdomen by removing extra fat and skin and tightening muscles in your abdominal wall. This surgical procedure is also known as a tummy tuck.
It is a major surgery, so it is important to educate yourself, thoroughly analyze your own situation, and take your time arriving at a final decision. A tummy tuck should be the last resort for people who have exhausted all other measures, and the procedure should not be used as an alternative to weight loss.
Who are the best candidates for an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)?
A tummy tuck is suitable for both men and women who are in good general health overall and are at a stable weight. It is best to be a non-smoker.
A tummy tuck should not be confused with a liposuction (the cosmetic surgery used to remove fat deposits), although your surgeon may choose to perform liposuction as part of a tummy tuck. Women who have muscles and skin stretched after several pregnancies may find the procedure useful to tighten those muscles and reduce that skin. A tummy tuck is also an alternative for men or women who were obese at one point in their lives, and still have excessive fat deposits or loose skin in the abdominal area.
When should you avoid an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)?
If you’re a woman who is still planning to have children, you may want to postpone a tummy tuck until you’re through bearing children. During surgery, your vertical muscles are tightened. Future pregnancies can separate these muscles and cause a hernia.
Are you still planning to lose a lot of weight? Then you do not want to consider a tummy tuck until your weight has stabilized.
It’s important to note that a tummy tuck causes scarring on the abdomen. This scar is usually long and might be noticeable . If this is something you don’t want, you may want to reconsider.
Your doctor will discuss all these options with you when you go for the consultation. You and your surgeon will discuss the results you want, and the surgeon will determine the appropriate procedure during your consultation.
How is an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) done?
Depending on the results you want, this surgery can take anywhere from one to five hours. Your situation also will decide whether you have the surgery as an in-patient or outpatient procedure. You will receive general anesthesia, which will put you to sleep during the operation. It’s important to have someone with you who can drive you home. If you live alone and you’re sent home after the procedure, you also will need someone to stay with you at least the first night after the surgery.
- Complete abdominoplasty: This option is for patients who need the most correction. The incision (cut) is made low on the abdomen, at about the same level as your pubic hair, and usually extends from hip bone to hip bone. Your surgeon will then manipulate and shape the skin and muscle as needed. You will also have an incision around your navel (belly button) with this procedure, because it’s necessary to free your navel from surrounding tissue. Drainage tubes may be placed under your skin; these will be removed in a few days as your surgeon sees fit.
- Partial or mini-abdominoplasty: Mini-abdominoplasties are done with shorter incisions and are often performed on patients whose fat deposits are located below the navel. During this procedure, your belly button most likely will not be moved. Your skin will be separated between the line of incision and your belly button. This type of surgery may also be performed with an endoscope (a long tube with a small camera on the end). This procedure may take up to two hours, again, depending on your situation and needs. As with the complete abdominoplasty, you may have drainage tubes after surgery.
- Circumferential abdominoplasty: This surgery includes the back area. When there is a lot of excess fat in the back as well as the abdomen, you may have either liposuction of the back or circumferential abdominoplasty. The latter procedure allows for the removal of both skin and fat from the hip and back areas, which improves the shape of your body three-dimensionally.
After your partial or complete tummy tuck, your incision site will be stitched and bandaged. Your surgeon may have you wear an elastic bandage or compression garment after surgery. If so, it’s very important that you follow all of your surgeon’s instructions on wearing this garment and caring for the bandage. Your surgeon will also instruct you on how to best position yourself while sitting or lying down to help ease pain.
If you are exceptionally physically active, you will have to severely limit strenuous exercise for four to six weeks. Your doctor will advise you on this as you go through the healing process. You may need to take up to one month off work after the surgery to make sure that you recover properly. Again, your doctor will help you determine this.
How should I prepare for an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)?
Smoking can increase the risk of complications and delay healing. If you smoke, you will have to stop for a certain period as determined by your doctor. It is not enough to just cut down on smoking. You must completely stop using all forms of nicotine — gum, patches, and e-cigarettes — for at least two weeks before surgery and for two weeks after.
Make sure you eat well-balanced, complete meals. Do not try to diet excessively before the surgery. Proper nutrition plays a key role in healing properly.
As part of your pre-operative consultation, your surgeon may instruct you to stop taking some of your medications and dietary supplements for a certain period before and after the surgery. You must let your surgeon know if you are taking any blood thinners.
Make sure you set up the safest, most comfortable recovery area to meet your needs before you undergo the surgery. Your home recovery area should include:
- A supply of loose, comfortable clothing that can be put on and taken off very easily.
- A telephone within easy reach.
- A hand-held shower head and bathroom chair.
What are the complications and side effects of an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)?
As expected, you will have pain and swelling after surgery. Your doctor can prescribe a painkiller if needed, and will instruct you on how best to treat the pain.
Soreness may last for several weeks or months. You may also have numbness, bruising, and overall tiredness for that same time period.
As with any surgery, there are risks. You may have an increased risk of complications if you have poor circulation, diabetes, heart, lung, or liver disease, or if you smoke. Complications can include:
- Scarring
- Hematoma (bleeding)
- Infection
- Seroma (accumulation of fluid)
- Poor wound healing
- Loss of skin
- Blood clots
- Numbness or other changes in sensation
- Risks related to anesthesia
- Changes in skin color
- Long-lasting swelling
- Fat necrosis (death of fatty tissue located deep in the skin)
- Wound separation
- Asymmetry (unevenness or lopsidedness)
Return to living after an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).
Generally, most people love the new look after they’ve undergone this procedure; however, you may not feel like your normal self for months after the surgery. You’ve gone through a tremendous amount to make this happen. It is a big commitment, emotionally, physically, and financially. It is very important that you follow proper diet and exercise to maintain your new look.
Does insurance cover an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)?
Insurance carriers usually do not cover elective, cosmetic surgery. But your carrier may cover a certain percentage if you have a hernia that will be corrected through the procedure, or if you have had surgery for weight loss. It’s extremely important that you begin communicating with your insurance company early on, and that you discuss your insurance concerns with your surgeon.
In most cases, your surgeon will write a letter to your insurance carrier, making the case that the surgery is medically necessary, if it applies to you. Insurance may only cover certain portions of the surgery, so make sure you get details. With any cosmetic surgery, this may affect future insurance coverage for you, and your premiums may increase.
Five things to consider before getting a tummy tuck
No area of the body is more frustrating than the stomach. As we go through normal physical changes, such as childbirth, weight fluctuations and the aging process, excess skin and fat find a way to accumulate around our middle. Unfortunately, as many people find out, exercise and diet can prove to be unsuccessful at reclaiming the curvaceous waist of our youth.
The abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, is an extremely successful surgical procedure, designed to sculpt the waistline and smooth the stomach. The surgical technique can also repair damaged and weakened abdominal muscles, further tightening the stomach and ensuring long-term results.
As with any surgical procedure, it is important that a prospective patient do their homework to fully understand both the potential positives and risks of the procedure. Even though the tummy tuck surgery can prove to be beneficial for many men and women, there are stringent recovery requirements and potential complications that must first be considered. For these reasons, the abdominoplasty may not be right for everyone. Before committing to the abdominoplasty procedure, consider the following five tummy tuck facts:
A tummy tuck requires significant downtime
A tummy tuck is a major surgical procedure that will require weeks to heal. The technique includes an incision, running from hip to hip. Patients should expect their recovery to take two to three weeks. At the beginning, you will be fatigued, swollen and sore. It is normal to have moderate pain during these first several days, although this will steadily improve. It is vital to allow yourself time to focus on rest and healing. More than simply taking time off from work, abdominoplasty patients will need assistance with household chores and children. Strenuous physical activities will also need to be postponed for at least four to six weeks.
Expect to be at a stable weight before your tummy tuck
An abdominoplasty is a wonderful way to sculpt the figure and shape the body. However, the surgical procedure is not a replacement for weight loss. It is important that you be close to your desired weight for six to twelve months before undergoing a tummy tuck. Most surgeons will recommend patients be between 10-15 pounds from their goal weight. This is important as gaining or losing additional weight can undo the contoured shape achieved through your surgery. Weight fluctuations can stretch the abdominal tissues and can require a revision procedure to restore the benefits of the initial procedure.
A tummy tuck will leave a permanent scar
Although the tummy tuck is one of the most valued and effective cosmetic surgery procedures performed today, the incision will leave a scar along the abdomen. This will run along the horizontal incision line, stretching from hip to hip, right above the pubic bone. While the scar will fade a bit over time, it will remain visible for years to come. An experienced plastic surgeon will carefully place the incision, ensuring the scar is well-concealed under clothing, underwear and swimsuit bottoms.
Surgical drains will be in place for the first week or two
After surgery, drains are put in place to eliminate a buildup of blood or fluids, keeping swelling down and ensuring proper healing. In many cases, surgical drains are placed following an abdominoplasty. Although temporary, these will require attention and care. Prior to surgery, your surgeon will discuss the need for drains and how to care for them, including any limitations on bathing. In most cases, the drains are painlessly removed in seven to ten days, however, they may need to stay in place for two weeks or longer.
Full healing can take up to a year
The benefits from your tummy tuck will not be immediately noticeable. In fact, over the first several weeks, redness, bruising, stiffness and swelling are common. This will slowly resolve over the next four to six weeks and the results will start to show. However, residual swelling can linger for six months or longer. A temporary numbness or a loss of sensation along the incision line is normal, but will slowly resolve. While you should be feeling close to your old self after a few months, it can take a full year before the stomach has finished healing and the complete results of surgery can be seen.
Whether you are thinking about a full abdominoplasty or a mini-tummy tuck, take your time and only put your trust in a board-certified plastic surgeon. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) offers a variety of tools to get you started towards your abdominoplasty, from informative animations to before and after photographs. Do your homework, then schedule a consultation appointment with an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon. With proper research and an experienced aesthetic provider, you can achieve the flat, taut abdomen you have been longing for.