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COSMETICS ENVOGUE

How Does A Tummy Tuck Look

The tummy tuck procedure is a surgical procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen and waist areas, as well as tightens the muscles of the abdomen. This procedure can also eliminate stretch marks on the abdomen or flanks. Tummy tuck surgery is a good option for those who have loose skin after pregnancy, significant weight loss, or just have an overall sagging belly. During this procedure, the surgeon will make an incision around your navel and remove any excess skin and fat from your lower stomach. The surgeon will then tighten your abdominal muscles with sutures or stitches.

The procedure is usually done under general anesthesia at a hospital or outpatient surgery center. Recovery time for a tummy tuck can be anywhere from 4-6 weeks depending on how much pain you experience during recovery from the surgery itself and how well you follow your doctor’s instructions after leaving their office each day during this time period (such as making sure to rest). If you have any questions about what type of anesthesia will be used during your surgery please let us know so we can answer them for you prior to scheduling an appointment!

Read on to learn more about How Does A Tummy Tuck Look, Signs Of A Bad Tummy Tuck and Tummy Tuck Revision For Loose Skin

How Does A Tummy Tuck Look

How Does A Tummy Tuck Look

A firm, flat abdomen is a hallmark of a beautiful body contour. A tummy tuck, personalized to your needs, can help you improve your abdominal shape for years to come. Learn more about this life-enhancing procedure from the board certified cosmetic surgeons of the ABCS.

What is a Tummy Tuck?

A tummy tuck tightens and reshapes the abdominal area, helping to achieve a more aesthetically pleasing, slimmer overall appearance. Having a flatter, firmer midsection can dramatically improve the way clothing fits and looks, helping you feel more confident and comfortable in your body.

During the procedure, the abdominal muscles are tightened and excess, sagging skin is eliminated, correcting a protruding belly and leaving the midsection flatter and better toned. Tummy tucks are popular procedure for men and women, particularly those whose bodies have undergone dramatic changes from weight loss or pregnancy.

Who Might Benefit from a Tummy Tuck?

The decision to have any cosmetic procedure is personal, and patients choose to have tummy tucks for a variety of reasons. The best candidates are at or near their ideal body weight, are non-smokers in good health, and have realistic expectations about what surgery can achieve for them. If any of the following describe you, a tummy tuck is an option to consider:

  • Diet & exercise have helped you lose weight, but your abdomen still protrudes and lacks tone.
  • Your abdominal muscles and skin are stretched and sagging following pregnancy.
  • After losing significant amounts of weight, you now have loose, excess skin hanging around your belly.
  • You have always had a belly that “sticks out,” even though you are in very good shape.

A tummy tuck can help patients in any of these situations address what they don’t like about their shape and achieve a firmer, flatter abdomen.

A tummy tuck can help create a firmer, flatter abdomen.

How to Choose a Cosmetic Surgeon

When considering tummy tuck surgery, the single most important choice you will make is deciding on a cosmetic surgeon to perform your procedure. Tummy tuck surgery requires specialized training and experience to ensure a safe and successful outcome. When you consult with a potential cosmetic surgeon, make sure you ask how many tummy tucks he or she has performed and about how frequently the surgeon performs this procedure.

SEARCH FOR AN ABCS COSMETIC SURGEON

Always confirm a cosmetic surgeon’s training and board certification. Choosing a board certified cosmetic surgeon ensures that the person performing your procedure has had formal training in tummy tuck cosmetic surgery and that your procedure will be performed in a fully accredited surgical facility.

Finally, look at before and after photos, paying special attention to the results of patients whose bodies look similar to yours before surgery—this will help you get an idea for that surgeon’s aesthetic sensibility.

Types of Tummy Tucks

No two patients start with identical concerns, nor will any two patients share the exact same goals. Your cosmetic surgeon will recommend the type of tummy tuck that will achieve your desired outcome and create natural-appearing results with the least scarring possible.

Signs Of A Bad Tummy Tuck

Abdominoplasty, often called a tummy tuck, is a cosmetic surgery procedure intended to tighten abdominal muscles and remove loose, excess skin. As a result, this procedure is frequently requested following childbirth as part of a ‘mommy makeover,’ or after significant weight loss, which can leave people with sagging, excess skin. In addition, some patients choose to undergo abdominoplasty to reduce skin laxity which is often a result of the natural aging process.

While a tummy tuck can be an excellent solution for individuals hoping to restore their waistline, unfortunately, in some instances, excess skin remains following the procedure. If you are troubled by the appearance of loose skin after your tummy tuck, the following solutions are recommended to help you achieve your desired results.

TONE UP

Although exercise cannot remove excess skin, it can reduce fat and tighten muscles, which may help you appear more toned following your tummy tuck procedure. It is crucial, however, to ensure that you allow your body sufficient time to heal before you introduce strenuous activities. In most cases, this means waiting at least 3 weeks before resuming cardio and six weeks prior to resuming your abdominal muscle exercise routine.

GIVE IT TIME

While it may be difficult, it is important to be patient following your tummy tuck. Abdominoplasty is a major surgical procedure and as such, your body needs sufficient time to heal. The final results of the procedure will not be visible for up to six months as a result of residual swelling. While immediately following the procedure skin may appear tight, gradually, as swelling subsides, it may loosen. Since swelling persists in the lower abdominal tissue for longer, however, it is necessary to wait for this swelling to subside before judging the results.

ENSURE YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE REALISTIC

Patients who are troubled by the appearance of excess skin after undergoing a tummy tuck should first ensure that their expectations for the procedure were realistic. It is important to be aware that even the thinnest of individuals will have some excess skin, which is visible when bending over or sitting down. In fact, this skin is necessary in order to perform these actions. Thus, it is crucial to recognize that the goal of abdominoplasty is correction, not perfection.

CONSIDER REVISION

Once you have healed from your tummy tuck, if you are unhappy with any remaining excess skin, it may be necessary to undergo revision surgery, provided that you have realistic expectations for the procedure.  In some cases, a small amount of loose skin remains above the incision line; this can easily be removed during revision abdominoplasty and it may be best to return to your surgeon, provided that you still have trust in their ability.

If more extensive revision is required, however, and you are not comfortable with your primary surgeon, you may wish to consult with another board-certified surgeon in order to ensure that you achieve your desired results.

Tummy Tuck Revision For Loose Skin

Unfortunately, it is easy to find pictures of bad tummy tuck scars and dog ears on the internet. It is also possible to find ugly belly button scars after a tummy tuck that could not be covered up by tattoos or belly button rings. Seeing the pictures of tummy tucks gone wrong and reading patient tummy tuck reviews and testimonials it makes women who are not happy with their tummy tuck results be extra careful when searching for plastic surgeons who specialize in tummy tuck revision surgery. Women should not only review many tummy tuck before and after pictures, but also find tummy tuck revision photos and reviews from the tummy tuck specialist who they are consulting with.

Although good aesthetic results are planned, there is no guarantee or warranty expressed or implied that these results may be obtained by any plastic surgeon. A person might be disappointed with the results of their tummy tuck, abdominoplasty, body lift, thigh lift or other cosmetic surgery, due to asymmetry, highly visible surgical scar or their location, unacceptable visible deformities, bunching and rippling. The skin near or at the incisions may heal poorly, wounds may disrupt, and sensation can be altered in the areas of surgery or adjacent to it.

TUMMY TUCK REVISION

Tummy tuck scars can sometimes be revised or at least relocated to a less visible location. It is not uncommon for Dr. Younai to see patients who have had their tummy tuck incision placed too high, just under their belly button. These women are often unable to hide these scars under a bikini.

This scar can often be lowered to where it can be hidden under a bikini. Another common complaint is the appearance and the size of belly buttons or the umbilicus after an abdominoplasty. The belly button scar and shape can be optimized with minor revision surgery.

Unwanted bulging and protrusion of the abdomen after a tummy tuck can be caused by several things. First, it is not common for some women to gain weight after a tummy tuck which can cause accumulation of fat in certain areas of the abdomen and flanks.

Second, tightening of the abdominal wall muscles can become undone with either heavy lifting, or weight gain. There are even times when the plastic surgeon might not have performed a complete tightening of the abdominal Rectus Muscles along its entire length. This can also be revised similar to repair of a ventral hernia or incisional hernia.

Smoking or use of Nicotine products can be detrimental to the results of a tummy tuck. Nicotine causes sever chocking of the small and delicate blood vessels that supply blood to the umbilicus and the other areas of the abdominal skin. Therefore, smoking can cause death of the umbilicus or the abdominal wall skin. If this happens, Dr. Younai can possibly revise your abdominoplasty and repair or reconstruct these wounds.

Having said this, it may not be possible to fully correct, revise, or improve upon the result of your tummy tuck. During your consultation, Dr. Younai will review your treatment options for revision tummy tuck procedures, including pros and cons of each procedure, potential risks and complications, recovery course, pre and post operative instructions, and esthetic outcomes. There are also many before-and-after pictures and high resolution images of abdominoplasty available in our photo gallery.

THE PROCEDURE

Tummy tuck scar revision is done with the goal to lower the tummy tuck scar into a position where it can be hidden under a bikini, as well as to make the abdominoplasty scar thin and faint. To fix tummy tuck dog ears a plastic surgeon has to combine scar revision surgery and liposuction of the flanks. Belly button scar revision is performed in order to make the umbilicus smaller and inverted.

At times the entire tummy tuck surgery has to be redone or revised in order to repair stretched abdominal muscles, to remove stretch marks, and to revise the entire tummy tuck scar. This makes tummy tuck revision recovery as long as, or even longer than the original tummy tuck recovery. You can find tummy tuck recovery tips on this tummy tuck specialty website that will help to speed up your recovery time.

COST

Tummy tuck revision surgery cost varies depending on the cost of scar revision, liposuction costs, or even the cost of full tummy tuck revision. The advent of plastic surgery financing can lessen the pain of paying for a tummy tuck revision!

RECOVERY

In order to help get a successful tummy tuck result you should familiarize yourself with tummy tuck post operative instructions and absolutely refrain from smoking or using Nicotine products since they damage abdominal skin circulation and can result in the death of the umbilicus or reopening of your incisions, which is called wound dehiscence.

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