Tummy Tuck - Procedure Explained

When the look and shape of the abdomen starts to change due to excess fat or skin, a tummy tuck can be performed to improve the appearance of the abdomen. During the procedure, a surgeon removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen. In addition, the connective tissue that is present in the abdomen can be tightened while the skin that remains is repositioned to give the area an improved tone. Let’s examine why a tummy tuck, AKA abdominoplasty, is performed and take an in-depth look at the surgical procedure.

Tummy Tuck – Reasons Why it is Performed

Patients might make the decision to undergo a tummy tuck to address the issue of excess skin and fat that is located around the area of the bellybutton. In addition, there are multiple reasons why the skin can develop poor elasticity and excess fat as well as a weak amount of connective tissue in the abdomen. Some of the most common reasons include a significant change in the weight of the person, the aging process, pregnancy, and a previous abdominal surgery (such as a C-section).

Tummy Tuck – What it Can Accomplish

As mentioned earlier, a tummy tuck is able to remove excess skin and fat that is loose on the body as well as tighten the connective tissue in the area. The procedure might be able to remove stretch marks in the lower abdomen that are located below the bellybutton. It is not able to address any stretch marks that are located outside of this area.

Patients who had liposuction to remove fat from the abdomen might want to have a tummy tuck due to the fact that liposuction removes fat located just under the skin as opposed to removing excess skin.

Tummy Tuck – When Not to Have the Treatment

There are some patients who are not ideal candidates for the treatment, and they include someone who still wants to become pregnant in the future or has a plan to lose a significant amount of weight. In addition, a person who had previous abdominal surgery that caused the formation of a significant amount of scar tissue might not be an ideal candidate for the procedure.

Tummy Tuck – Procedure Examined

The surgeon will administer general anesthesia at the start of the procedure so the patient will be unable to feel any pain.

A traditional tummy tuck is when the plastic surgeon creates incisions in the targeted section of the body in order to remove fat and skin that is located between the pubic hair and the bellybutton. The skin and fat are removed in either an elliptical or oval shape and then the connective tissue (fascia) that is located over the muscles of the abdomen is tightened using permanent sutures. The total amount of excess skin that is scheduled to be removed will help to determine the length and shape of the incision.

The surgeon will also need to reposition the skin that is located around the bellybutton. In addition, the bellybutton is brought into place through a small incision so it can be sutured into its normal position.

Tummy Tuck – Recovery Steps

Once the surgery is completed, the incision in the abdomen and the bellybutton will likely be covered with a surgical dressing. The surgeon might also place small tubes where the incision was created, and leave them in place for several days, to drain any excess fluid and blood from the body.

The patient will need to start walking the first day after abdominoplasty to prevent blood clots from forming. Any pain can be treated with pain medication provided by the surgeon.

An abdominal binder, which is a garment that provides support for the abdomen, will need to be worn for about six weeks after the surgery. The binder is necessary to support the abdomen and prevent the buildup of fluid.

Finally, the patient has to avoid any positions with the body that might strain the incision line as this can potentially reopen the wound.

Tummy Tuck – Risks and Results

Some of the most common risks of a tummy tuck include swelling, bleeding, an infection, accumulation of fluid under the skin (seroma), scarring, damage to fatty tissue deep within the skin, poor wound healing, and a change in the sensation of the skin in the abdominal area.

Once the excess fat and skin are removed, the surgeon is able to strengthen the abdominal wall, so the abdomen gains a look that is slimmer and more toned in appearance.

There can be some results that are visible immediately after the surgery, but it can take around six months for the swelling to resolve enough to see the final results. When it comes to the length of the results, a tummy tuck is considered to provide permanent results as long as the patient maintains a stable weight. If the person experiences a great amount of weight loss or weight gain, the skin can start to stretch and even become loose again on the body.

- MA