The tummy tuck, also known as an abdominoplasty, in an operation that can help improve the appearance of the stomach area on men and women who have excess sagging skin. This often occurs after drastic weight loss or in women who have had multiple pregnancies. The procedure usually takes around four hours and patients are left with a scar above the pubic bone, and another reaching down from the belly button. The scarring is a problem that puts many people off having a tummy tuck, but you have to remember that in a lot of cases you will be looking at tummy tuck pictures soon after the op, and if you look at tummy tuck scars 2 years later pictures you will see the scars do fade quite considerably with time. So when looking at tummy tuck pictures in your surgeon’s office, ask him to show you some tummy tuck scars 2 years later examples if he has them, and this should put your mind at rest. You should also remember although the scars may look quite severe at first, they are in a place where very few people will ever see them.
The recovery time after a tummy tuck will take around 2 to 6 weeks. During the first week you are likely to experience quite a bit of pain so you will need to take painkillers that your doctor will prescribe. You will have to make sure you do not lift anything heavy during this time, as there will also be a lot of bruising. It will probably be at least four weeks before your doctor declares you fit if you do any type of physical work.
Considerations
A tummy tuck procedure is quite a significant operation, so you will need to be in reasonably good health before a surgeon will perform an abdominoplasty. If you smoke you will be told to quit as smoking can cause complications for patients during this type of op due to the general anesthetic that is used. You will probably also be given a special diet to follow for several weeks before the operation that involves eating many nutritious foods. This will help speed up your recovery rate.
If you plan on becoming pregnant in the future, a tummy tuck is not advisable, and your doctor will most likely tell you to wait until you have had all the children you may want.
Some people make the mistake of thinking a tummy tuck is a solution for weight loss, however this is not so because the only weight you will lose after having the procedure is the quantity of loose skin that was removed. A tummy tuck is for those who have already lost weight and need to do something about the excess skin that this sometimes leaves. In the event you are overweight your doctor will probably tell you to first try exercise and a healthy diet, or may recommend liposuction as a surgical solution.
An abdominoplasty surgery does carry certain health risks. These include an adverse reaction to the anesthetic used, the possibility of blood clotting, the surgical site could become infected, and in rare cases patients may develop keloids. For this reason it is very important that you choose a skilled and experienced surgeon when looking into this type of operation.
