19 September, 2022 by Dr. Sachin Rajpal

10 Things to be considered before a Tummy Tuck surgery

Do you have saggy or flabby tummy skin? Are you worried about the stretch marks due to weight gain or pregnancy? Are you not comfortable wearing swim suits? If your answer is yes to any (or all) of these questions,  tummy tuck is the solution for you.

Tummy tuck surgery,  also known as abdominoplasty, is an effective option to reduce excess fat and loose hanging skin of your abdomen, and at the same time it can tighten your stomach muscles giving you the tighter, toned attractive looking abdomen.

Tummy tuck: say “bye to bulge”

Many of my patients, whether male or female, no matter how much they involve in physical exercise and diet,their abdominal section carries extra weight, especially in their middle age or older. Tummy tuck is a great solution for these patients.

Tummy tuck surgery is a plastic surgery procedure that removes loose, saggy skin that has lost its elasticity and transforms it into a flatter, smoother, more toned abdominal surface.

It also tightens weakened abdominal muscles, improves the shape of the belly button, creating a defined waistline and a tighter abdomen and enables clothes to fit more comfortably and attractively.

10 important things to know about a tummy tuck

I tell all my patients who are willing for a tummy tuck surgery, it should never be taken lightly and follow all pre and post-surgical protocols.

Following are some of the important points to keep in mind before a tummy tuck procedure so as to have an uneventful recovery:

• The best candidate for a tummy tuck is a male or female in good health. He or she should not be suffering from and chronic uncontrolled disease.
• You will need to stop smoking and stop taking blood thinning medications. If you are a smoker, you should stop smoking at least 2 weeks before and 4 weeks following the procedure to minimize the risk of complications.
• A tummy tuck reduces fat from stomach area only and not other areas of body. Tummy tuck can be combined withliposuction for removal of fat from other stubborn areas.
• Amount of skin removed varies from patient to patient and not everyone has the same amount of laxity. In fact, in somepatients the laxity is present only in lower half of abdomen below belly button where only mini tummy tuck in performed.
• Tummy Tuck should preferably be done once you have completed your child bearing:As during pregnancy the abdominal muscle will stretch and may negatively affect your surgical results
• Swelling, bruising and some amount of soreness/stiffness and discomfort are common in immediate post-surgery period and typically go away within a week or two.
• You can to return to work in a week or so following surgery. Most of the activities can usually be resumed within a period of 1-2 weeks, and exercise after 6 weeks.
• Tummy tuck and Liposuction are not same procedures. Tummy tuck involves removal of lax saggy skin along with tightening of stomach muscles while liposuction is only a contouring procedure by suctioning of fat and does not involve removal of skin.
• The results of a tummy tuck are long lasting! However, losing or gaining a considerable amount of weight after the surgerycould negatively affect your results.
• Cost of Tummy tuck surgery varies with patient: Cost varies with the degree of severity and the center you choose for your plastic surgery.

Who is a good candidate for a tummy tuck?

The best candidates for abdominoplasty are:

• in good health
• have saggy abdominal skin, loose muscle and excess fat which they want to get removed
• within 20-30 % of their ideal body weight
• have had significant weight loss leading to hanging skin of abdomen
• do not smoke
• men are also good candidates for a tummy tuck, especially if they have lost lot of weight.

Are you also interested in a tummy tucksurgery?

To decide and undergo a tummy tuck is an important decision for a woman as well as men. It requires lot of thinking and a strong decision to finalize and to achieve the desire results he or she wants.

If you are also thinking to get a tummy tuck and would like a consult please fill out a form or can give a call to schedule a consultation. Me and my team will take all the time to make sure that all your questions are answered and you are aware about the procedure in detail.