Who is the Right Candidate for Tummy Tuck Surgery?

Men and women who have loose skin, excess fat, and bulging stomach muscles are appropriate candidates for this procedure. After a large weight gain, or pregnancy, a tummy tuck is often required to flatten your abdominal muscles as this cannot be accomplished by exercise alone. For simple removal of fatty deposits, abdominal liposuction might be a better alternative.

What about Weight Loss Before and After Surgery?

The ideal candidate for abdominoplasty is a patient who is at or very near to their ideal weight. If you need to loose weight, it is advised that you do so before your procedure to achieve the maximum results from the surgery.

Should I have Liposuction or Abdominoplasty?

Liposuction is able to remove fat but it cannot remove excess skin or tighten muscles. Liposuction is the more appropriate procedure if you simply need to have small fatty deposits removed from your stomach area. If you also need to have your abdominal muscles tightened, and excess skin removed, then a tummy tuck is the right procedure for you.

Will Abdominoplasty Leave Noticeable Scarring?

The scars from the surgery will be located along the bikini line and possibly around the navel. The procedure is done to minimize scaring and most scars can easily be hidden wearing as little as appropriate swimming attire.

Can a Tummy Tuck Remove Stretch Marks?

Any stretch marks which are below the navel are generally removed in the process of abdominoplasty. However, those about the navel often will appear less noticeable after your surgery because of the stretching of the skin.

Can I have a Tummy Tuck if I plan on having Children?

Abdominoplasty is best performed on women who have finished having children. The reason for this is that pregnancy will stretch out the abdominal muscles again and to achieve a flat stomach again another procedure will be required. However, if you have lost a lot of weight and have hanging skin issues, then you may be a candidate even if you plan on becoming pregnant in the distant future. If you plan on becoming pregnant in the future, you should discuss this with your plastic surgeon.

How long is the Surgery?

Generally the surgery takes about two hours to perform.

What Type of Anesthesia is used?

Your surgery will most likely be performed using general anesthesia.

How long is the Recovery from Tummy Tuck Surgery?

The recovery period generally takes several weeks. You should plan on missing work for at least one or two weeks following surgery. You will then be required to be on a modified exercise plan for at least six weeks.