Tummy Tuck Surgery Overview
The abdomen is one of the most critical parts of the body when it comes to appearance. It is an extremely visible indicator of one’s lifestyle, diet, and physique. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most difficult parts of the body to sculpt. Many people exercise and diet to try and lose weight, only to find out that while their arms and thighs have reduced in size, the abdomen has stayed somewhat the same.
Fortunately, there are options such as the tummy tuck surgery available to the public.
What is a tummy tuck?
The tummy tuck, in essence, is a procedure that is done to make the abdomen, or the tummy, firmer by eliminating excess fat, loose and sagging skin, and tightening the muscle and fascia of the abdomen.
This procedure is very popular for women, especially after pregnancy and childbirth, when the excess skin and fat brought about by pregnancy is left behind. People who have undergone severe weight loss also employ the tummy tuck to get their excess skin removed.
While mostly done as an aesthetic procedure, tummy tucks also have a practical purpose. This procedure is well-known to have given patients more physical freedom. Excess fat and skin can severely hinder a person’s ability to do physical activities, and through the tummy tuck, these activities can once again be done without hindrance.
Tummy tuck procedure
The procedures of the tummy tuck vary, depending on the kind of tummy tuck that needs to be done.
Complete tummy tuck first requires a large incision to be made from one side of the hip to the other, usually above the pubic area. Another incision is made to free the navel from the rest of the abdominal skin. The muscles and fascia that need to be treated are revealed by detaching the skin from the abdominal wall.
Once revealed, the muscles are then tightened by sutures, and the excess skin and fat are removed. The belly button is placed in a new hole and sutured, and liposuction is employed to refine the whole look. Compression garments, or dressings, are used to preserve the appearance and until excess fluid has drained out.
A partial tummy tuck employs almost the same set of procedures, but only to a lesser extent. Smaller incisions are made, and the detached skin isn’t as much as one done in a complete tuck. Abdominal skin is stretched down, and the excess is removed in order to give a tightened appearance.
Extended tummy tuck does the same procedures as complete tuck, with the addition of improving the waist, and reaching the upper thigh, in order to give a more general improvement.
Possible risks, and projected recovery time
One of the biggest risks in the tummy tuck is infection. Because of the size of the incisions, the area is very susceptible to bacteria. It is highly recommended that patients diligently follow the surgeon’s instructions, especially when it comes to medication.
Other risks include asymmetry, swelling, bruising, and reopening of the incisions, which happen when patients do excessive physical activity before the area fully heals.
Recovery time can take from anywhere between two weeks to two months, depending on the amount of work done, and the physiology of the patient.