Is a Cosmetic Surgery Tummy Tuck For You?

What is a cosmetic surgery tummy tuck? What is abdominoplasty?  What is a tummy tuck? Are you considering a cosmetic surgery tummy tuck procedure? Do you know what it involves?  Do you know whether you would be suitable for this type of surgery?  And do you know how your body could look afterwards if you were to have abdominoplasty tummy tuck surgery?

Discover the answers to all of these questions and more …

Cosmetic Surgery Tummy Tuck Procedure

A cosmetic surgery tummy tuck procedure or abdominoplasty, is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of fat and skin from the abdomen area together with the tightening of the abdominal muscles, leaving it looking much flatter.

This procedure usually requires a general anaesthetic, however it can be performed with a sedative and a local anaesthetic.  A local anaesthetic is not usually recommended bearing in mind that the operation can take anything between 2 and 5 hours.

A long incision is made from one hip bone, across the abdomen, to the other hip bone. The incision lies straight along the bottom of the abdomen, but just above the pubic area, and then the ends of the incision curve up to the hip bones at each end.  The incision actually resembles a slightly elongated banana shape. Indeed, if you were to place this bracket ) on its side, that would be more like the shape of the incision.

Then another incision is made to release the belly button from the abdominal tissue.

The skin is pulled away from the wall of the abdomen, right up to the bottom of the lower rib, thus revealing the rectus abdominis muscles (the muscles that run vertically down the abdomen).

The abdominal muscles can separate at the midline area, sometimes as a result of pregnancy which can stretch the muscles open, and sometimes it is purely as a result of aging.  The laxity of these muscles will reduce muscle strength, producing an appearance of overall abdominal sagging, known medically as rectus diastasis.

When the damage to these muscles is severe, it is irreparable if it is not caught early enough, but then it can only be put right with surgery.  However, if exercise is continued in the early stages, the problem can potentially be avoided.

During a full abdominoplasty surgery procedure, the surgeon can re-stitch the abdominal muscles back closer together, resulting in them being tightened with a neater smaller waist. The abdominal skin is then pulled down, the excess flap is removed at this point, and the two sides of the opening are then repositioned and sewn in place along the original incision.

Amazingly the belly button will look natural despite being relocated through the overlying taught skin.

Often, the appearance of stretch marks (especially those beneath the belly button) can be drastically improved, indeed if not actually eliminated as many are removed along with the excess skin. The appearance of any remaining stretch marks below the belly button are also much improved as the skin is pulled taut over the abdomen.

Suitable Cosmetic Surgery Tummy Tuck Candidates

A cosmetic surgery tummy tuck may be the option for you if the skin and fat in your abdominal area are somewhat saggy.

Excess skin or fat in the abdominal region, which is constantly resisting any amount of exercise that you can throw at it, will make you an ideal candidate for a tummy tuck. Even better, if you have a fairly good level of fitness and are in reasonable shape.

If this region of your body has excess skin which has been stretched over a period of time either due to pregnancy or just being overweight and then having lost the weight, no amount of exercise will change the way it looks.

Ultimately exercise can tone the muscles in the abdomen but it won’t change the way the covering layer of skin actually looks.

Most abdominoplasty candidates are women who no longer intend to have more children and whose previous pregnancies were the cause of their stretched abdominal muscles.  Stretched to the point of no return that is.  Or those who are obese and whose skin elasticity has dramatically reduced.

So, candidates can include women whose muscles have become weak through pregnancy and whose skin and muscles refuse to return to their original shape, condition and even location. They can include patients who have lost weight as a result of dieting and exercising, and who have been left with an excessive amount of loose skin in the abdomen.

Again, some older patients whose skin has lost its elasticity may opt for this procedure too.

A permanent scar, across the full width of the lower abdomen will be visible but will fade in time. The incision and resulting scar however, is in a location that  is easily concealed with clothing.

Abdominoplasty can improve body appearance and contour, resulting in an improvement in self-confidence also. Realistic expectations are vital – a tummy tuck will not necessarily make you look 20 years younger for example, however it will give you a flatter, firmer, a smoother contour and your clothes will definitely fit a whole lot better.

Different types of abdominoplasty procedures can be performed, depending on the area of the excess skin and fat a patient has, and the quantity involved.

Abdominoplasty Alternatives:

Circumferential Tummy Tuck

This involves more extensive surgery than a normal abdominoplasty procedure as the incision will span the entire circumference of the patient’s lower torso.

This method is primarily used on patients who have lost a massive amount of weight and are left with a considerable amount of overhanging loose skin around their lower body.

Mini Abdominoplasty (Mini Tummy Tuck)

This is also sometimes referred to as a mini tummy tuck, and is usually for those who have a relatively small amount of loose skin or excess fat and stretch marks above the pubic area or below the navel.  This method used special instruments to minimize the size of the incision made.

The abdominal muscles are not usually tightened in this procedure however, so it is often combined with tumescent liposuction for patients with limited laxity of the abdominals but with excessive fat on the hips and thighs.

The mini abdominoplasty (mini tummy tuck) is generally the solution for those who have only a small tummy issue.

Dermolipectomy

This procedure involves the removal of excess skin and fat, and the naval being repositioned.

Endoscopic Tummy Tuck

There is also the option for an endoscopic tummy tuck procedure.  It is an abdominoplasty procedure performed with an endoscope, which is basically a lighted tube with a miniscule camera at one end.

Endoscopic tummy tuck surgery involves incisions being made along the pubic bone and in or around the navel also, so the scarring is well concealed and barely visible. And it is often referred to as a ‘scarless tummy tuck’

This method will tighten the abdominal muscles with far less visible scarring due to the fact that excess skin is not removed.  The surgeon will use longer instruments to access the abdominal muscles and he will then suture them together to restore a tight abdominal muscle area.

Panniculectomy Surgery

This is another procedure to remove the fat from the abdominal region, however it only removes the “apron” of fat left hanging after weight loss and it doesn’t involve the repair to the abdominal muscles.

It removes the long overlap of skin in the lower abdominal area which often occurs in morbidly obese or super morbidly obese people who have subsequently lost a vast amount of weight, but still have the stretched and loose skin.

Without removing this excess of loose skin, the individual is at risk of developing persistent and chronic skin conditions such as ulcerations, or necrosis and the subcutaneous adipose tissue can become inflamed.

Reverse Abdominoplasty or Reverse Tummy Tuck

This procedure involves an incision being made along the fold between the breasts in an inverted V shape. It is usually performed in conjunction with cosmetic surgery such as a breast lift or augmentation.

Vertical Scar Abdominoplasty

This type of abdominoplasty procedure is reserved for patients who need to have a substantial amount of excess skin and fat removed by using a midline vertical incision together with an incision in the lower abdomen.

Prior to a Tummy Tuck Procedure

An initial consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon is critical prior to an abdominoplasty procedure.

The surgeon will require complete details of your medical history, previous surgery and pregnancies, together with any prescribed medications.

Obviously a physical examination is necessary to determine how much loose skin and excess fat will need to be removed.

During the examination, the surgeon will also determine your skin tone and state of your muscles whilst you are both standing erect and laying down. The surgeon’s assistant will probably take some photos during this examination for proof of improvement after the operation.

As soon as you’ve decided this procedure is for you, and you are booked in, you will be given a list of instructions of do’s and don’ts with regard to food and drink, natural and prescribed medications and smoking.

After Abdominoplasty

Because this type of procedure is considered a major surgical operation, the recovery can be lengthy and painful. Generally speaking, a minimum of three weeks is required before returning to a normal routine or even to work, dependent on whether work is light or heavy after abdominoplasty surgery has been performed.

After abdominoplasty, the abdomen is most likely to be very swollen and pretty sore over the first couple of days. Undoubtedly you will be prescribed some narcotic pain relief initially and this will be followed with non-narcotic pain relief after a few days.

The wound will initially appear quite shocking, and the scars can look visibly worse rather than better during the initial months after abdominoplasty, and they may even take up to 9 months before fading in colour and flattening slightly.

Obviously the scar will always be there, but it can easily be hidden with clothing. Some oils can help to fade a scar, but always check with the surgeon first before applying any cream or oil.

It is important to take care of your body after adominoplasty surgery and to ensure that the results can be long lasting.  If pregnancy or massive weight gain follow this type of surgery, it is likely that the benefits will be eliminated and the surgery will need to be repeated.

The strain of excess bodyfat is one of the most common causes for sagging skin, followed closely by pregnancy, but as the skin loses its elasticity over time – this too can be a reason for sagging abdominal skin.

Tummy Tuck Risks

There are a few potential complications and tummy tuck risks involved in abdominoplasty surgery.  Existing underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, poor circulation or lung or heart disease can add more risk to the already risky situation of having a surgical procedure.

Potential risks involved are:

• Loss of tissue.
• Infection.
• Blood clotting in the lungs.
• Bleeding from beneath the skin flap.
• Anaesthetic risk.
• Seroma – a collection of a fluid pool beneath the skin.
• Hematoma – collection of blood pool beneath the skin.
• Lack of healing – which can ultimately result in further surgery.
• Death.

Abdominoplasty Cost

As insurance companies as a rule, do not cover the abdominoplasty cost, so no doubt, if you are considering this type of procedure, then you will need to have a rough idea of how much it will cost.

The abdominoplasty surgery costs involved can vary enormously, as they depend on the amount of skin and fat being removed, the length of time required to perform the procedure, whether or not the operation can be performed in a surgical office suite or whether it needs to be performed in a hospital and then whether or not the patient is required to stay overnight in a hospital.

Abdominoplasty prices therefore can vary from possibly $3,000 to $8,500.  This cost includes the anaesthetist’s fee, the facility fee, and the surgeon’s fee also.

The more highly qualified the surgeon, the higher his fees will be.  It is of the utmost importance to choose a board-certified plastic surgeon who has extensive abdominoplasty experience, as rigorous training and education is enforced upon board certified surgeons. Be aware that it is only board-certified abdominoplasty surgeons who will be able to offer you the highest level of safety and the best results.

Invariably, you will find that cosmetic surgeries offer financial help, advice and payment plans to assist with the cost for tummy tuck surgery.

It is always a good idea to do your research before committing to a cosmetic surgery tummy tuck operation, and certainly read some tummy tuck before and after stories and check out the tummy tuck pictures too.  The internet is an ideal place to do this.