Abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck
Abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, is done to tighten the loose skin of the abdomen and repair the weak muscles of the abdomen.
Indications: abdominoplasty tightens the loose skin of the abdomen and repairs the weak muscles of the abdominal wall (rectus muscle). It is sometimes combined with liposuction to smooth the edges and improve the contour. In general it is considered unsafe to suction the skin that is undermined because this may damage the blood supply of the skin and the skin may die. If the patient suffers from obesity the panniculus of fat is removed at the same time. A mini-abdominoplasty is used when there is localized fullness of the lower abdomen and a less extensive procedure is needed.
Method:the method of surgery is to tighten the skin of the abdomen by undermining the skin and stretching it. Excess skin and fat is then removed. The incision is placed across the lower abdomen but sometimes is like an upside down T. The scars are concealed by clothing. The operation is done under general anesthetic (you are asleep). Often this is an outpatient operation but many patients choose to stay in the hospital overnight. Patients who are obese or have large amounts of loose skin may need a modification of this operation called a panniculectomy.
Problems:all operations have some risk. The risks of surgery are divided into two groups. First those that are seen in all operations and second those that are unique or special for this operation. In the first group, the main risks are swelling, bruising, fluid collections, bleeding, infection, a scar and numbness or change in feeling. The main problem which is special for this operation is the long and sometimes heavy scar. The incision is sometimes slow to heal and crusting or scabbing along the scar may occur for several weeks. This is major operation and the risks of major surgery, such as blood clots in the legs, can occur.
Postoperative care: This is a major operation. The recovery takes at least one to two weeks. Most people are back to work within two to four weeks.
There are many different ways to do this operation and your best advice comes from a board certified plastic surgeon.
For more information see: our abdominoplasty information at E-sthetics
aging • after pregnancy• men• body sculpture• facial sculpture