Category Archives: Tummy Tuck

Heal Quickly from a Tummy Tuck

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A tummy tuck requires a great deal of patience and rest following the surgery. Patients can expect to take as much as four to six weeks off following surgery to allow the body an appropriate amount of time to heal and recover from the procedure. Patients anxious to get back to normal and to start enjoying their newly shaped body can help speed along the healing process a bit by following some basic guidelines.

Get Moving

Moving too much can bad for the healing process, but then so cannot not moving enough.  The body needs gentle and regular movement to stimulate the healing process. Moving around throughout your home – walking around for a few minutes, building up to gentle strolls around the block or through the mall when you’re able to walk greater distances will also help the fluids in the body drain away more quickly.

Rest Frequently

While movement is important, there is also a case for resting frequently to allow the body recuperation time. Make a nest on the couch or on the bed so that it’s easy to relax and nap when the urge strikes. The body will be more worn out than normal as it heals, even after the first week or two, so the patient should plan on getting plenty of sleep at night and during the day as necessary.

Follow Instructions

The doctor will give the patient a list of instructions to help speed along the healing process. Among these will be instructions to avoid certain medications and to avoid the use of alcohol and tobacco. By not following the instructions, healing will be considerably slower and may not occur completely as open sores are common for individuals who smoke or take blood thinning medicines.

Unknown Elements of a Tummy Tuck

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Many women seek out tummy tucks, but while most of them understand the basic process of the tummy tuck to remove excess skin and smooth away lumps and bumps that weight loss and pregnancy may have left behind. But a tummy tuck isn’t as simple as checking in, smoothing out the tummy and then waltzing out again. There is a lot that goes on with a tummy tuck that patients need to be aware of.

Drains for a Tummy Tuck

The first thing that takes most potential patients aback is the presence of drains following the surgery. A tummy tuck surgery removes a great deal of tissue from the body and there would naturally be a great deal of swelling in the healing process. With a tummy tuck, surgeons will put drains in place throughout the abdomen. These skinny tubes help to collect fluids that accumulate in the area and help it drain away. Patients will be required to empty the drains on a daily basis to remove the packets of fluid.

Scarring

All surgery requires a scar remains behind, but a tummy tuck procedure requires a very large scar. After a tummy tuck surgery, the patient will be left with a scar that “smiles” from one hipbone to the other. In some cases, the extended tummy tuck may leave a scar that goes even past the hipbones to smooth out the midsection. While a surgeon will try to keep the scar small enough to fit behind regular underpants and swimsuits, there is a possibility that the scar will be visible following surgery.

Recovery Time

Abdominoplasty requires the surgeon work not just with the skin, but with muscles as well. The abdomen pulls the muscles tight and the skin even tighter. This will make it hard to stand or walk for the first days following surgery, but careful, frequent movement will speed along the recovery time as the body adjusts to the surgery. Still, patients should plan on spending at least two weeks recovering from the surgery before returning to work.

Key Elements of a Tummy Tuck

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A tummy tuck procedure seems straightforward – remove some skin and pull down the remaining skin to make the tummy flat again. But in actuality, a tummy tuck procedure has several elements that are all included to make the abdomen flat and attractive following the surgery procedure – it’s a bit more than yanking on some skin.

Repairing Muscle Separation

The first thing that occurs with a tummy tuck is the spreading of muscles that occurs with pregnancy is corrected surgically. Staples and stitches are used to bring the muscles back together in the abdomen after they are exposed in the surgery. The staples keep the muscles tight and stay in place to create a firm muscle wall that supports the core of the body effectively.

Skin and Tissue Removal

The part of the tummy tuck that most are familiar with is the removal of skin and tissue. The surgeon makes an incision along the base of the abdomen and then another incision along the middle of the abdomen. This section of skin is removed and the belly button is dissected to be moved into a new position on the body. The remaining skin is pulled tightly down to the top of the pubic line where it is stapled into position, creating the flat, smooth abdomen. Before completing this part of the surgery, the surgeon will cut a new spot for the belly button and stitch it into place as well.

Liposuction

Liposuction, the surgical removal of fatty pockets, is often used in a tummy tuck procedure as well. Liposuction removes the bulges of fat that may remain along the sides of the abdomen when the skin is pulled tightly down. Liposuction helps to smooth the waistline and hips into a seamless transition.

 

3 Reasons Insurance May Help with Abdominoplasty

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There is no doubt that cosmetic surgery is expensive, and as abdominoplasty is almost entirely cosmetic in nature, the bulk of the cost will fall on the patient seeking the surgery. There are a few times, however, when medical insurance may help to cover the costs of the surgery should the patient meet specific medical criteria.

Prior to the surgery, the patient should consult with the surgeon to see if any of these conditions are obviously present prior to the procedure. The patient and surgeon would then work with the insurance company to determine the amount of eligibility and provide a letter of predetermination by the insurance company if necessary to ensure all of the insurance requirements are in place prior to the surgery.

Muscle Separation

Excessive muscle separation can be considered a medical problem rather than a cosmetic one in some conditions. Repairing the muscle wall may be covered in certain insurance policies and determining this is done usually prior to the surgery and must be investigated ahead of time to be effective.

Hernia

If the muscle separation has occurred drastically, a hernia may have been produced. A hernia is a breach of the muscle wall by underlying tissues and it can be painful or the patient may be oblivious to the hernia until the surgeon uncovers it on the day of the surgery. A hernia is a medical condition and the surgeon will repair the hernia as part of the overall surgery. The portion of the surgery attributed to the hernia will be subtracted from the patient’s total cost as it often not discovered until the procedure is underway following full payment.

Drooping Skin

If the looseness of skin is excessive, and it folds down onto other skin on the body, there may be a medical rationale for removing a portion of the overlapping skin. If the drooping skin is causing infections, rashes or other medical problems, it may be possible to have insurance cover a portion of the associated costs.

 

 

The Consultation for Abdominoplasty

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The first step of any surgery is a consultation with the surgeon performing the procedure, and this the case with abdominoplasty as well. Abdominoplasty is a major surgery and patients considering the procedure will meet with the surgeon to go over patient expectations, potential surgeon results and the myriad of complications and factors that may reduce risks in the surgery.

Determine Proper Candidates

The first step in the abdominoplasty procedure is to determine if the potential patients seeking the procedure are actually good candidates. Since a tummy tuck is not a weight loss procedure, there are some misconceptions about who is a good candidate for the surgery. The ideal candidate is the woman who has finished having children, is close to a normal weight and has one or several of the following symptoms: excessive or sagging skin on the abdomen, abdominal muscles that are weak or separated, excessive fatty tissue in the abdomen.

The Tummy Tuck Evaluation

In the doctor’s office, patients are evaluated for surgery both standing and laying down. This is in order to see the movement of the skin on the abdomen. The surgeon will likely ask the patient to lay down and feel through the skin and fatty tissue to the underlying muscles to determine the degree of separation. He will ask the patient to stand to see the amount of drooping or excessive skin. Finally, the patient may be asked to bend over slightly at the waist to see the amount of excessive skin in a different perspective.

Once the evaluation is complete, the surgeon will explain to the patient what is reasonable to expect from the procedure and go over medical histories, allergies and prior pregnancies and surgeries as well to understand what he will uncover when the surgery begins. The final element of the tummy tuck consultation will be setting up the appointment for the surgery.

 

Exercise after a Tummy Tuck

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A tummy tuck procedure helps to tighten the abdominal muscles using special staples or sutures. The muscles then heal in a closed position where pregnancy forced them apart during pregnancy. Exercise following a tummy tuck needs to incorporate the healing muscles as well as the overall health of a patient in recovery.

The First Two Weeks

In the first weeks following the surgery, the patient will be on pain medication and have difficulty moving at times as the incision and muscle repair beneath the skin heal. It is dangerous for patients to do any serious workouts at this point due not only to the newness of the wound, but the possibility of disorientation from the pain medication as well. During the first two weeks, patients should be up and moving throughout the home or taking small walks around the block to encourage healthy blood flow. Vigorous activities should be avoided, however.

The Next Four Weeks

After the first two weeks, some of the restrictions on patients are lifted as far as exercise is concerned. Patients are encouraged to walk at a moderate rate to encourage healing and health, but activities that make the heart beat wildly or increase blood flow tremendously should be avoided as increases in heart rate can cause bleeding at the incision site. Moderate exercises like walking or using an elliptical machines are reasonable – heavy weight lifting, swimming and possibly biking should be avoided as they can cause problems with the still healing incision.

After Six Weeks

After six weeks, the incision is healed, all drains have been removed and the patients should feel healthy and “normal” again. At this time, the patient can then ease comfortably back into a more strenuous workout routine. Only after six weeks should patients resume exercises that target the core muscles, however, as crunches or even some pilates or yoga moves could harm the body before that time.

 

Tummy Tucks and Future Pregnancy

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It’s hard to live with the bodily results of a pregnancy if you’re left with a pouchy stomach and pockets of fat on your abdomen, but if you’re planning to have another child, having to live with a belly pouch for some time is simply the way of things. While it is possible to have another child after a tummy tuck – there is no medical reason to avoid becoming pregnant at least – there are some very good cosmetic reasons to wait.

Tummy Tucks and Pregnancy

A tummy tuck surgery repairs the damage done to a body following pregnancy. The surgeon stitches together the abdominal muscles to tighten up the core of the body before removing excess fat and tissue. This leaves the tummy flat and taut. If the patient decides to have another baby after the surgery, the skin and tissue will expand again with the pregnancy and the damage the patient just paid to be rid of will be back in spades.

There is a possibility of another tummy tuck after another pregnancy, but a second round of surgery will not turn out as well as the first one did. Repeat abdominoplasty isn’t a popular surgery and it will not benefit the patient as much as she would like. It is for this reason that surgeons recommend patients be finished with childbearing before signing up for surgery.

Pregnancy and a Mini Tummy Tuck

There is the possibility that young mothers have a mini tummy tuck rather than the full version of the surgery if they plan or aren’t sure if they will become pregnant again in the future. A mini tummy tuck does not require any changes to the abdominal wall – it is a removal of fat, excess skin and tissue. That may make the repeat tummy tuck, if the patient opts for a full version, more effective down the road.

 

Tummy Tuck Precautions for Patients

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A tummy tuck can be a huge relief for women frustrated with the ways that there clothing fits or who are annoyed with the misshapen skin on their abdomen. But before rushing into a tummy tuck procedure, the patients should be sure that they understand what the procedure entails and how to adequately prepare for the surgery.

Plan Ahead

Once released from the surgery center or hospital, it will be hard to walk and patients will need a great deal of rest. Since you won’t be able to go to the store, consider cooking plenty of food that can be heated up in a few minutes or defrosted once you’re home. Buy plenty of basics as well – bread, toilet paper and paper towels so that you don’t run out without a means to get more.

Buy Survival Gear

There are certain bandages that you’ll need as you’re recovering from the procedure, but in addition to those buy plenty of things to keep yourself occupied in the required downtime that you’ll have when you get home. Books, magazines, movies, subscriptions and snacks are all things you’ll enjoy having close at hand once you’re lying in bed or lounging on the couch following surgery.

Bring in Help

Since you won’t be able to move very much or do much other than shuffle around following surgery, consider bringing in outside help to make things simpler for you. This is especially true if you have young children in your home.

You won’t be able to move fast or pick them up for some time, so have a friend come over during the day or ask your husband to take off work so that he can help you around the house as needed. After the first few days you don’t need to worry as much about getting help as you’ll be reasonably self-sufficient, but do take it easy and focus on recovering – not on getting to the grocery store or vacuuming.

 

Tummy Tuck and Age

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While there’s no ideal age to have a tummy tuck or an age that is considered too old for the procedure, there are certain criteria that doctors use to determine if patients will be a good individual to undergo the surgery.

Tummy Tucks and Young Patients

Young patients are not ideal for a full tummy tuck procedure until after they have finished having children. Young individuals who are less than thirty are in the prime years of pregnancy and if they were to enjoy a tummy tuck prior to becoming pregnant, the skin would stretch considerably during pregnancy and possibly undo the work of the surgeons.

Young patients who have lost large amounts of weight or who were not blessed with solid abdomens may opt for a mini tummy tuck where scarring is less intense and the procedure not as substantial. In general, however, patients are encouraged to wait until they are certain there will not be additional children.

Tummy Tucks and Older Patients

On the other end of the spectrum, older patients are often ideal for tummy tuck procedures so long as they still have a nice bit of skin elasticity. A tummy tuck removes damaged skin and leaves a smooth belly behind where the skin was pulled, but most tummy tuck procedures also include liposuction to narrow the waistline and make the new waist blend into the hips beautifully.

Liposuction requires patients have a nice bit of skin elasticity to help draw the skin in after the fat has been removed underneath. Patients who have skin that fails to ‘snap back’ when pinched or pulled are not usually good patients for the full tummy tuck procedure, but the final determination is up to the surgeons of course.

Removing a Tummy Tuck Scar

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A tummy tuck creates an amazing result as far as the flatness of the belly is concerned, but that tightly contoured abdomen has a side effect that can be unpleasant for many women. Usually as tummy tuck scar fades away to a silvery line crossing the lower body just under a swimsuit or a pair of panties. But for some women, the scar that remains after a tummy tuck is unattractive or even painful.

Removing the Tummy Tuck Scar

A tummy tuck scar can be removed or at least lessened considerably through certain procedures. Since surgeons are never sure how a scar will form, it’s impossible to know if the scar from a particular procedure will form a large red keloid result or if it will appear off center or show in a swimsuit despite his best intentions – of course some swimsuits would show practically everything, so tummy tuck patients should take care when buying a two-piece suit.

Laser Scar Removal

Tummy tuck scars can be removed through laser technology. The laser technology burns the scar away so that only a faint line or residual coloration is left. It may take several treatments for the laser scar removal to work fully and patients considering laser scar removal should be prepared to have multiple appointments.

It’s also important for those considering laser treatment to wait until the scar has had a chance to form completely. Often scars can take considerable amounts of time to fully heal and fade. The incision that creates the scar will be healed months before you may even see the dark red start to disappear. As the nerves continue to heal there may be some itching and discomfort from the scar as well. After six months to a year, if scarring remains uncomfortable and highly visible, discuss the possibility of removal with a surgeon.