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Overview of Procedure
Tummy tuck surgery is a body contouring procedure is to improve the stomach area by extracting loose skin and fat, and then tightening the muscles of the abdomen. This procedure, also known as abdominoplasty, offers a solution to individuals who have loose skin in the abdomen area as a result of weight loss, age, pregnancy, or heredity.
The Right Candidates
Candidates for tummy tuck procedures must be over the age of 18 and have excess abdominal weight. Many women have abdominoplasty surgery to aid weight loss after weight gain during the menopause. Tummy tuck candidates will wish to recontour the stomach and achieve a slimmer waist.
Risks and Side Effects
Allergic reaction to anesthesia, bleeding, unwanted scarring or continuous scarring, infection, redness, temporary numbness.
Surgery
The first step of abdominoplasty procedures is a detailed consultation with your plastic surgeon, who will discuss with you the method he or she will use, your goals and desired end results. After an anesthesia is administered, an incision may be made around the naval or a small horizontal incision just under the naval, depending on the amount of skin there is to be extracted. In either case, plastic surgeons are always careful about placing incisions in locations that will minimize visibility. Excess skin and a small amount of fat are then surgically cut out. In some cases, abdominal liposuction may be used in conjunction with the tummy tuck, to remove excess amounts of fat in the abdomen. Disolving stitches or removable stitches may be used to close the incisions, in which case the patient may or may not be required to return to the hospital to have the stitches removed. This procedure is outpatient, which means that the patient can return home the same day, unless advised otherwise by your doctor.
Average Duration of Tummy Tuck Surgery: 2-5 hours
Recovery
Tummy tuck recovery can take 1-3 weeks. Bruising and swelling are to be expected. Wearing a compression garment for the first several weeks will help reduce swelling and increase circulation.
As long as strenuous activity is avoided for the first three weeks following the operation, patients should be able to return to work about a week after the procedure.
Results
Tummy tuck results will be visible a few months after abdominoplasty surgery. Tummy tuck scars may take up to 6 months to fade but this varies from patient to patient.
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