What to Expect From a Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)

PHOENIX, AZ, January 01, 2012 (Press-News.org) Excess skin in the abdominal area is common after weight loss or pregnancy, frustrating many patients who have worked hard to keep their bodies healthy and attractive.

Abdominoplasty, more commonly known as a "tummy tuck," is a valuable solution in these situations. Tummy tucks are designed to precisely remove excess skin and fat from the abdominal area, tightening loosened muscles and the connective tissue that covers them in the process. The result is a toned, flatter stomach area that patients can be satisfied with.

Types of Tummy Tucks

Depending on your needs, there are various types of tummy tuck procedures, each one aiming to correct specific problems. Some of the most common procedure types include:

- Standard abdominoplasty - Aims to tighten both the muscles and the skin of the abdominal wall.
- Mini-abdominoplasty - Only repairs the skin of the lower abdominal wall.
- Extended abdominoplasty - Goes beyond the abdomen to tighten skin in your flanks and sides as well.
- Saldanha Lipoabdominplasty - Uses liposuction to help shrink the abdominal area, requiring a less extensive undermining of the skin.

Some patients choose to combine their tummy tuck with other body contouring procedures to produce a more dramatic overall effect. After multiple pregnancies, many mothers include abdominoplasty as part of their mommy makeover.

The Abdominoplasty Procedure

In general, all tummy tuck procedures are performed under general anesthesia in a hospital or outpatient setting. For major abdominoplasties or combined procedures, an overnight stay might be necessary.

Once the anesthesia is administered, your plastic surgeon will make an incision. Most surgeons customize the placement of your incision line so the resulting scar is hidden by undergarments or swimwear. If you have excess skin and fat above your navel, a separate incision may be required around your navel in order to achieve the best results.

Pregnancy often causes diastasis, or the separation of the two primary muscle walls that make up the front of your abdomen. If this is a factor in your surgery, the muscles will be tightened and reconnected using sutures. Excess skin and fat is then removed to complete the surgery.

Recovering from Your Tummy Tuck

You will probably be unable to stand completely upright for about a week after your abdominoplasty. This is normal. Allow yourself plenty of downtime during this initial week to allow your incisions to properly heal. You also might experience a feeling of weakness in your stomach muscles as they repair themselves after the trauma of surgery.

Although every patient's body heals at a different rate, you can expect to return to work - as long as it is not a physically strenuous job - after 1 to 3 weeks. Mild exercise can be resumed after around a month. In order to make sure you are healing at a normal rate, keep in touch with your cosmetic surgeon and follow all of the post-operative instructions he or she has provided you with.

If you live in the Phoenix or Glendale areas of Arizona and would like more information about what to expect from a tummy tuck, please visit the website of experienced cosmetic surgeon Dr. Paul Angelchik, MD at http://www.doctorangelchik.com/.