Get the flat stomach you want with a tummy tuck It’s no secret that we’re living in an era of body positivity. But if you’ve ever looked in the mirror and felt like something was missing, or if you’re just not sure if you’re as happy with your belly as everyone else is, it might be time to consider a tummy tuck.
A tummy tuck is a surgical procedure that can help remove excess skin from around your abdomen, tighten underlying muscles and tissue, and create a slimmer waistline. It can also lessen issues like stretch marks that can occur after pregnancy or weight loss. Tummy tucks are relatively simple procedures—you’ll spend about two hours in surgery under general anesthesia and then spend two weeks recovering at home before returning for two more weeks of recovery at home. And when all is said and done? You’ll have the new stomach of your dreams!
Read on to learn more about How Do I Get My Stomach Flat After A Tummy Tuck, How Can I Maintain A Flat Stomach After A Tummy Tuck and Tummy Tuck Complications Years Later
How Do I Get My Stomach Flat After A Tummy Tuck
With the ability to transform your entire physique, it is no surprise that a mommy makeover is consistently one of the most in-demand cosmetic surgeries. For patients who have lost a significant amount of weight, experienced physical changes following pregnancy and childbirth, or simply want to improve their figure, a mommy makeover can be extremely beneficial. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Phillip Dauwe has helped numerous Dallas, TX, women enhance their looks with a mommy makeover.
As with any cosmetic surgery, there is a considerable amount of time, thought, and commitment that goes into a mommy makeover. For these reasons, patients often ask what they can do to ensure that their results last as long as possible. To give you an idea of how you can enjoy your mommy makeover results for years to come, it is important to first understand a few basics about the procedure.
What exactly is a mommy makeover?
One common misconception about a mommy makeover is that it is a singular, specific surgery. In reality, a mommy makeover is a customized surgical plan made up of multiple procedures. Some of the procedures most commonly included in a mommy makeover:
- Breast augmentation
- Breast lift
- Liposuction
- Tummy tuck
Should I consider a tummy tuck as part of my mommy makeover?
While all of the above surgeries can produce stunning results, perhaps none gives patients as dramatic an outcome as a tummy tuck. The tummy tuck, formally known as abdominoplasty, is a highly effective surgical technique designed to remove excess skin from the stomach area, tighten the abdominal muscles, and give patients an overall slimmer, more contoured midsection.
If patients have gained and lost a significant amount of weight, whether associated with pregnancy or not, the skin often becomes stretched to the point that it is unable to snap back to its original shape. When this occurs, women can be left with loose, sagging skin that does not respond to diet and exercise. In these cases, a tummy tuck can be the only option for restoring an aesthetically pleasing contour. Dr. Dauwe will often perform liposuction in conjunction with a tummy tuck to remove stubborn pockets of fat and further enhance a patient’s results.
What should I expect from a tummy tuck during a mommy makeover?
It is important to remember that a tummy tuck is a major surgical procedure. The professional team at Phillip Dauwe, M.D Plastic Surgery is committed to providing the most exceptional level of patient service and care, including educating patients and preparing them for the surgical, postoperative, and recovery periods.
A mommy makeover, performed under general anesthesia, usually takes about 4 – 5 hours, but the length of the surgery will depend on the specific procedures being included for each patient. For the tummy tuck portion of a mommy makeover, Dr. Dauwe will strategically place the long, horizontal incision just above the pubic area so it can be easily concealed under a swimsuit or underwear. Excess skin will be excised, and the abdominal muscles will be brought back together if they have separated, which is a condition called diastasis recti. Liposuction may be used to remove fat pockets, and the incisions will be closed with sutures.
The recovery period for a mommy makeover with a tummy tuck can be somewhat lengthy, but preparing ahead of time and following your doctor’s postoperative guidelines can help make it a success. Most patients will be ready to return to work about two weeks after a tummy tuck, as long as their job does not involve strenuous physical activity. While you may see preliminary results almost immediately, the final results won’t be visible for several months, after the swelling has subsided and the body has healed completely.
How Can I Maintain A Flat Stomach After A Tummy Tuck?
Once patients are enjoying their final results from a tummy tuck, maintaining their new look is understandably a major goal. Patients often ask how they can keep their stomach flat for as long as possible. The best ways to keep your tummy flat after a mommy makeover:
- Maintain a healthy diet: Getting plenty of protein and fluids in the immediate postoperative period is essential for quick and complete healing. Patients should continue to eat a balanced diet to avoid future weight gain that can affect their results.
- Exercise regularly: A consistent fitness regimen is essential for patients looking to maintain a trim, slim appearance after a tummy tuck.
- Follow your doctor’s guidelines: Arguably the most important thing you can do to achieve and maintain an ideal outcome after a mommy makeover is to adhere to your doctor’s postoperative instructions. This may include taking prescribed medications, wearing compression or supportive garments, and avoiding certain physical activities. Dr. Dauwe and the knowledgeable team at Phillip Dauwe, M.D. Plastic Surgery will advise you further on what you can do to make the recovery process as quick and easy as possible.
- Avoid weight fluctuations: Significant periods of weight gain or loss, including future pregnancies, can severely compromise the results of your mommy makeover and lead to the need for a second or subsequent procedure. Patients should be finished having children and be within 5 – 10 pounds of their ideal weight, and have maintained that weight for at least six months, before undergoing a mommy makeover.
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Tummy Tuck Complications Years Later
The researchers assessed abdominoplasty complication rates and risk factors using the nationwide CosmetAssure database. CosmetAssure is an insurance program providing coverage for complications related to cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, which are typically not covered by health insurance.
The study included nearly 25,000 abdominoplasties performed between 2008 and 2013, representing about 14 percent of all procedures in the database. Abdominoplasty is done to remove excess skin and tissue from the abdomen, to create a smoother, firmer abdominal profile.
Ninety-seven percent of abdominoplasty patients were women; the average age was 42 years. Sixty-five percent of patients underwent abdominoplasty combined with other cosmetic surgery procedures.
Overall, major complications occurred in four percent of patients undergoing abdominoplasty—significantly higher than the 1.4 percent rate after other cosmetic surgery procedures. (The database didn’t include less-serious complications that can be managed in the clinic). Hematomas (blood collections) were the most common major complication, followed by infections, blood clots (venous thromboembolism), and lung-related problems.
Combined procedures were a key risk factor for complications. Compared to the 3.1 percent rate with abdominoplasty alone, risk increased when abdominoplasty was combined with other procedures: up to 10.4 percent when abdominoplasty was combined with body contouring plus liposuction. After adjustment for other factors, the relative risk of major complications was 50 percent higher with combined procedures.
Other risk factors for major complications included male sex, age 55 years or older, and obesity. Risk was lower when abdominoplasty was performed in an office-based surgical suite, compared to a hospital or surgical center. Dr. Winocour comments, “Surgeons often refer patients with major illnesses, such as heart disease, to hospitals, which may be responsible for this observed trend in complications.”
Diabetes and smoking—two major surgical risk factors—were not associated with a significant increase in complications after abdominoplasty. “That likely reflected Board-certified plastic surgeons’ practice of not offering abdominoplasty to poorly controlled diabetics and recommending strict smoking cessation for at least four weeks before and after surgery,” Dr. Wincour adds.
Abdominoplasty is the sixth most common cosmetic surgical procedure performed in the United States, with more than 117,000 procedures performed in 2014, according to ASPS statistics. The number of abdominoplasties has increased in recent years—partly because of the increased number of patients undergoing body contouring surgery to remove excess skin and tissue after massive weight loss.
The study adds to previous evidence that abdominoplasty carries a higher complication rate than other cosmetic plastic surgery procedures. “Although the overall incidence of major complications is low, such complications can leave a potentially devastating cosmetic outcome and pose a significant financial burden on the patient and surgeon,” the researchers write.
They draw special attention to the risk associated with multiple procedures—especially since nearly two-thirds of patients in the database underwent other cosmetic procedures combined with abdominoplasty. Dr. Winocour and colleagues suggest that some patients at high risk of complications might be better off undergoing staged rather than combination procedures.