Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) Overview

It has become a world-wide trend; thin is in. Individuals are seeking diets, exercise and medications just to achieve the figure they have always desired. For individuals who have already lost a lot of weight, they are close to their ideal shape but often have sagging and loose unwanted skin. Most of this excess skin is concentrated around the abdomen.

A tummy tuck or abdominoplasty can help with this issue by removing the excess skin and fat. A tummy tuck also involves the tightening of the abdominal muscles which have been previously stretched out.

A tummy tuck is one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures in the world. Thousands of tucks are carried out each year in Western countries. However, the cost of a tummy tuck in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom can get very expensive. As a result, increasing numbers of medical tourists are traveling abroad for more affordable treatment.

An increasing number of medical tourist destination are sought after in Latin and Central America, offering tummy tuck, liposuction and other body sculpting surgeries to a multitude of US and European patients.

Tummy tuck in Buenos Aires is one of the most trending body contour treatments in Argentina and Latin America. Mexico is also a key plastic surgery destination in Northern and Central America. Tummy tuck in Mexico is the choice of hundreds of US patients struggling with slack tummies, who wish to tone and contour their abdomen.

Brazil is the land of sultry Latin flavors and flawless bodies; after all, there is an entire plastic surgery treatment named after it: Brazilian butt lift. Surgeons in Brazil also know how to sculpt a toned abdomen to show off while soaking up the sun on one of Sao Paolo's spectacular beaches. Tummy tuck in Brazil provides patients the esthetic contour, transforming their tummy into a flatter, tighter and firmer abdomen.

Abdominoplasty is a treatment that needs to be considered carefully beforehand as there are advantages and disadvantages. Surgery is a relatively traumatic experience for your body and it may take some time to recover from it.

Everyone wants to have a flat, attractive stomach and a tummy tuck is a great way to achieve that.

A Good Candidate for Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

A good candidate for a tummy tuck is someone who has lost a lot of weight (both males and females) or a woman who has given birth but not been able to regain her former figure. Abdominoplasty is often combined with liposuction so body contours are more aesthetically pleasing.

Are you planning on losing more weight? If yes, wait until you are close to your ideal size before having a tummy tuck. Are you planning on having more children? If yes, you will also need to wait until after giving birth so your body can adjust to all the changes that it has gone through. To be a good candidate for a tummy tuck, your body weight and shape need to be stable.

Who is a Good Candidate for Tummy Tuck?

· A male or female who is in good physical shape but has excess fat and skin in their abdominal area

· Someone who feels that their abdomen muscles are loose or have been compromised as a result of weight gain

· A person who has lost a significant amount of weight but can’t seem to get rid of the remaining fat on their abdomen

· Someone who has tried all they can to tone their saggy, excess skin

· A woman who has had their skin and muscles stretched by pregnancy

· A woman who is not planning to have more children (subsequent pregnancies will simply separate the muscles that were tightened during surgery)

· An older patients who has saggy skin as a result of aging

· Someone who understands what is involved with each of the tummy tuck procedures available

· Someone who has realistic expectations of what abdominoplasty can help them achieve and who can also accept the limitations of a tummy tuck

· A patient who is within 30% of their ideal body weight and whose weight has been stable for at least six months

Who is NOT a Good Candidate for Tummy Tuck?

· Someone who does not want any scarring. Scarring is a tummy tuck risk and side effect that has to be accepted

· A woman who is planning on having more children. This will compromise their original tummy tuck

· Someone who thinks that a tummy tuck is a weight loss procedure

· A patient who is really unhealthy and/or emotionally unstable

· A patient who is overweight or obese

· Someone who is taking medications that may negatively affect their tummy tuck recovery

· A person who has a condition or illness that will make them a surgical risk

· Someone who isn’t willing to follow the instructions given to them during their tummy tuck preparation

A tummy tuck can help you to finally get the shape you want, especially if you have been working really hard to lose weight for a long time. This is a fairly serious surgical procedure and needs to be treated as such.

Your plastic surgeon will talk to you and examine you to make sure that you are a good candidate for a tummy tuck and not at any unnecessary risk.

Preparing for Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

Your tummy tuck preparation is an important time. This is when you will do all of your research and talk to professionals about the tummy tuck procedures available to you. The most important thing you will have to do is schedule a consultation with a plastic surgeon.

At your first consultation the plastic surgeon will examine your body and talk to you about your reasons for surgery. Be open and honest because it is important that there is good communication between you and your surgeon. Explain what your desired outcome is and ask if this is a realistic expectation. He may suggest liposuction as well as a tummy tuck to help you get the body you want.

You and you surgeon will probably discuss the cost of a tummy tuck during your tummy tuck preparation. This may be a good time to work out a payment plan so that you are not worried about finances later. You need to know what is included in the total cost and what is not so that you can prepare yourself accordingly.

Your health is always the number one concern. While preparing for your tummy tuck, the plastic surgeon will examine your abdomen and analyze the fat deposits and excess skin.

If you do not have enough to warrant a tummy tuck, he may recommend that you undergo abdominal etching as an alternative treatment.

Your plastic surgeon will require a detailed medical history and some standard blood tests to make sure you are fit for surgery. Patients with conditions such as diabetes or heart disease may not be operated on because they pose a surgical risk.

Patients on medications that will adversely affect their tummy tuck recovery will need to consider alternative medications. To ensure that your tummy tuck preparation goes as smoothly as possible, the plastic surgeon will give you detailed pre-operative instructions that you need to follow closely.

Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) Procedure

Contrary to popular belief, there are actually a variety of abdominoplasty or tummy tuck procedures available to patients. While you are preparing for your tummy tuck, you will have a consultation with a plastic surgeon that will recommend and further discourse with you the available options.

This ultimately depends on your physical appearance and what your desired outcome is. Each tummy tuck procedure has associated tummy tuck risks and side effects. Some individuals require extensive work to remove excess skin and fat and are a good candidate for a full tummy tuck (complete abdominoplasty). Other individuals only require a mini tummy tuck (partial abdominoplasty) to remove their excess fat and skin.

There are a few variations on the standard tummy tuck procedure and they include: extended tummy tuck, high lateral tension tummy tuck, and circumferential tummy tuck.

List of Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) Procedures

Full Tummy Tuck (Complete Abdominoplasty): During the tummy tuck procedure, an incision is made from hip to hip. The belly button is temporarily removed. Excess fat and skin are removed and the abdominal muscles are tightened with stitches. The belly button is relocated and stitched into its new location. If there are large fat deposits in the abdomen area, liposuction may also be carried out. A complete abdominoplasty takes 1-5 hours depending on how extensive the work is.

Partial Tummy Tuck (Mini Abdominoplasty): This tummy tuck procedure is similar to the full tummy tuck but takes 1-2 hours. The incision is much smaller and may involve the tightening of the abdominal wall. Excess fat and skin are removed from the lower abdomen and the upper abdomen is pulled down before each section of skin is stitched together. The bellybutton is relocated at the beginning of the surgery and stitched into its new location. Liposuction is used to smooth out contours.

Extended Abdominoplasty: This tummy tuck procedure is very similar to a full tummy tuck but it also involved a lateral thigh lift as well. An extended abdominoplasty improves the appearance of the waist and upper thigh.

High Lateral Tension Abdominoplasty: The difference between this tummy tuck procedure and the standard full tummy tuck is the muscles are tightened in a horizontal line as well as a vertical line. Surgery time is over 4 hours and has very dramatic results. Patients who undergo a high lateral tension abdominoplasty will have a significantly defined waistline and a significantly flatter abdomen.

Circumferential Abdominoplast: This tummy tuck procedure is a combination of an extended abdominoplasty and a buttock lift. A circumferential abdominoplasty is also known as belt lipectomy or body lift and the resulting scar runs in a circumference entirely around the body. It is usually recommended for patients who have lost a large amount of weight.

Risks and Side Effects of Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

Tummy tuck risks and side effects range from mild to severe. These will be explained to you in detail during your tummy tuck preparation. To be a good candidate for a tummy tuck, you need to understand and accept potential issues as an unfortunate aspect of any plastic surgery procedure.

By following the surgeon’s pre and post-operative instructions you can minimize some of these and ensure that your tummy tuck recovery goes smoothly.

Tummy Tuck Risks and Side Effects

-Reaction to the anesthesia:This is a major concern for people undergoing all types of surgery. The reaction can be to both general and local anesthetic and varies widely from person to person

-Belly button death:A rare but potential risk. Make sure your plastic surgeon has had extensive experience performing adominoplasties so that inexperience will not result in belly button death.

-Bleeding:Excessive bleeding can occur during surgery and may continue to a lesser degree while recovering.

-Hematoma:A hematoma is a collection of blood within the tissue and under the skin. It is a common side effect of plastic surgery.

-Seroma:A seroma is the collection of serous fluid within the tissue and under the skin. It is a common side effect of plastic surgery.

-Infection:A risk you take by having any type of surgery. You can get an infection from the tummy tuck procedure or later while you are recovering.

-Reactions to Medications:You will be prescribed some medications after your tummy tuck surgery and it is possible that you may have a bad reaction to them.

-Skin Irregularities:There is a chance that side effects such as puckered skin may develop after having a tummy tuck

-Skin Necrosis:Skin necrosis or skin death is common in smokers because smoking slows down their healing process. If incisions are not provided with enough blood supply, the skin around them will die and patients may require a skin graft later.

-Slow Healing:Some people heal well and others heal slower. This is a very individual tummy tuck risk and side effect.

-Stitches Rupturing:If you are not careful after your surgery, you may snap your stitches and open your wounds before they have properly healed. That is why it is important to rest and relax while waiting for your stitches to be removed.

-Swelling and Pain:One of the most common tummy tuck risks and side effects. Pain medication should alleviate your discomfort and the swelling will eventually subside.

-Development of Blood Clots:The formation of blood clots can be minimized by moving around soon after your surgery

-Permanent Scarring:Scarring is one of the main side effects of a tummy tuck. You will have a visible scar on your abdomen and this will take up to 12 months to flatten out and lighten in color. The plastic surgeon will do his best to make incisions in a natural crease of your body.

Recovery from Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

The tummy tuck recovery depends on each individual. Some individuals simply heal faster than others. There are a number of reasons and factors for this and various things you can do to make your tummy tuck recovery go as smoothly as possible.

If you are a healthy person and closely follow the post-operative instructions that were given to you by the plastic surgeon, your tummy tuck recovery will allow for minimum discomfort. You will need to take care during this time and be sure to rest as much as you can. Your body has just been through a fairly traumatic experience and needs to heal.

Pay close attention to your body in order to quickly pick up on any tummy tuck risks and side effects that may occur. You should let the surgeon know if anything unexpected is happening or if you have any concerns about your recovery.

The first few days of your tummy tuck recovery will be the most trying. You will probably feel a small amount of pain and notice some swelling. Regular pain medication can alleviate this but speak to your plastic surgeon if you think you need something stronger.

Be sure to get plenty of bed rest. You may be able to start walking around in a couple of days. Moving around is good for you because it keeps you healthy and prevents blood clots from forming.

A major tummy tuck procedure will take longer to recover from. If you had liposuction at the same time, it may also add to your tummy tuck recovery. You will need to take 1-2 weeks off of work and refrain from doing anything strenuous for at least a month. Do not engage in activities that will increase your blood pressure or accidentally reopen your wounds.

It takes time for your body to recover from an abdominoplasty, so be patient and you will begin to see amazing results. To help your body adjust to its new shape, your plastic surgeon may suggest you wear a compression garment. This garment can also help reduce swelling and improve blood circulation.

You can wear it under your clothes for 1-2 weeks.

Costs of Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

Many people want to have a tummy tuck but most individuals can’t afford this plastic surgery procedure. A tummy tuck is an elective surgery and it is not usually covered by health insurance. Men and women who want to undergo treatment are required to pay the full price on their own.

All hope is not lost, however. You have the option to travel overseas because the cost of a tummy tuck abroad is much more affordable than in the United States or the United Kingdom. You can save money and have a fantastic holiday while you are preparing for your tummy tuck or recovering from your tummy tuck surgery.

In western countries the costs of a tummy tuck range from $6,000 to $12,000. This can be difficult to justify and a huge expense.

The costs of a tummy tuck abroad ranges from $2,000 to $5,000. If you add flights, transport and accommodation you are still spending less money.

Have you always wanted to travel? Are you interested in visiting exotic locations and experiencing different cultures? Medical tourism is becoming more and more popular and a greater numbers of clinics around the world are catering to these international visitors. Medical tourism offers an extent of affordable plastic surgery destinations that are offering low-cost plastic surgery treatments.

From cultural countries to breathtaking beaches, such as Cancun and Puerto Vallarta in Mexico, lies a plastic surgery haven. Mexico is home to board-certified Mexican and US plastic surgeons who are committed to achieving beautiful results to enhance patient's natural beauty and boost their confidence. Tummy tuck in Mexico is offered at a significantly cheaper cost than in the US and Europe.

Other trending plastic surgery destinations are Brazil, Thailand, Turkey and Spain. Each destination offers equally affordable tummy tuck treatments.

The hospitals are internationally accredited so you are getting the same high quality care you would receive back home. The surgeons are well-trained and speak English. Their goal is for you to be comfortable, healthy and happy. Facilities are offering attractive packages where the cost of the tummy tuck actually includes extras such as aftercare and accommodation.

Click on any one of the clinics offering this treatment to see how much you can save on the cost a tummy tuck abroad!