The Flabby Stomach After Tummy Tuck procedure takes approximately 1-2 hours depending on how much excess skin and fat needs to be removed. Patients are advised not to eat or drink anything after midnight on day of surgery as an IV drip will be started before surgery begins. Anesthesia will be used during surgery, with patients being awake and alert throughout procedure but unable to feel pain due to medication given during operation time period. Usually no drains are needed after this procedure; however if they are required then they will be removed before discharge time day after surgery occurs so patient can take care of herself or himself at home without needing assistance from another person for cleaning purposes only!
The Flabby Stomach After Tummy Tuck is a condition where the abdominal wall has been stretched out by pregnancy, weight gain or other factors. This can result in excess skin that hangs down from the belly button to the pubic area and may be accompanied by fat deposits. Treatment for this condition involves removing excess skin and fat from the lower abdomen and re-contouring it. The resulting scar will be located in the lower abdomen, near the pubic area.
Read on to learn more ABOUT Flabby Stomach After Tummy Tuck, Lower Stomach Pouch After Tummy Tuck and How To Get Rid Of Upper Belly Bulge After Tummy Tuck
Flabby Stomach After Tummy Tuck
Did you opt for a tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, to achieve a flatter, firmer midsection? Abdominoplasty is one of the most commonly requested body contouring cosmetic surgeries and it can provide dramatic results for patients seeking a tighter tummy. But now that your tummy tuck procedure is complete, are you concerned because your stomach is not as flat as you expected? Maybe you still have a protruding belly? Abdominal swelling after a tummy tuck is very typical for a cosmetic surgery this extensive. So don’t feel dismayed that your surgery did not work. Let’s talk about your belly and swelling after abdominoplasty.
What Is Abdominoplasty?
Abdominoplasty targets excess skin and fat and repairs weakened or damaged abdominal muscles to deliver a flatter, tighter, slimmer waistline. This procedure is ideal for patients with loose skin and stubborn fatty deposits after significant weight loss, pregnancy, or due to the natural process of aging. With an incision made just above the pubic line, your plastic surgeon will repair stomach muscles and remove the unwanted skin and fat creating a streamlined, natural-looking contour.
Healing From Abdominoplasty
Abdominoplasty is a major surgery and you will need some time to heal. Most patients can resume normal activities like driving, work, and moderate exercise 3-4 weeks post-op. Tenderness, swelling, and redness generally last for up to four weeks, but for some patients it can be a little longer. After four weeks, most patients report that they feel almost fully recovered, but minor swelling can linger for weeks and months to come.
Swelling After Abdominoplasty Is Normal
It is normal and expected that patients will experience swelling after a tummy tuck. This area is rich with blood vessels and lymphatic vessels (the body’s drainage system), but abdominoplasty surgery will impair the regular functions of these systems, slowing down the drainage and resulting in a fluid buildup, or swelling.
The amount of swelling is dependent on the patient’s natural healing patterns as well as the extent of the surgery. A mini tummy tuck will likely result in less swelling, but adding liposuction to achieve optimal results will increase the likelihood of swelling and more areas of your torso will be affected.
Swelling May Come And Go
The majority of swelling will resolve in the first couple of weeks after your surgery. But it is important to note that healing and recovery is a process and you will likely experience fluctuations in the amount of swelling day to day, or even throughout one day. Diet and activity can affect swelling. For instance, standing for a long period of time can cause fluids to pool and increase swelling, and drinking plenty of water and a healthy diet including plenty of nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables can speed up healing and reduce swelling.
When Will Swelling Go Away?
You will absolutely be able to see a difference in your waistline in the first few days following a tummy tuck, but you should expect to experience some pain, swelling, bruising, and redness for several weeks. The majority of bruising and swelling will resolve in 4-6 weeks, but it could take up to one full year for all swelling to disappear and for you to be able to fully appreciate the final results of your abdominoplasty.
Tips For Faster Healing And To Minimize Swelling
Swelling is unavoidable after a tummy tuck, but these tips will help you minimize swelling and speed up your recovery:
- Get plenty of rest and elevate your legs when possible
- Follow your surgeon’s instructions
- Wear your compression garment
- Stay hydrated
- Move a bit each day (avoid rigorous activity, but gentle walking when cleared by your surgeon will promote healing)
- Eat a nutrient-rich, low sodium diet
A Flatter, Firmer, Slimmer Waistline With Abdominoplasty
Abdominoplasty will target the excess skin and fat that remains even after your best efforts with exercise and healthy eating. Excellent results can be achieved with a mini or a full tummy tuck and by combining your abdominoplasty with liposuction. Abdominoplasty will repair damaged abdominal muscles and flatten and tighten your belly, but it is a major surgical procedure and bruising and swelling are expected. You will notice a change immediately following surgery, but if you still have a small belly in the weeks after surgery, do not worry. Swelling can take several weeks and up to one year to fully resolve. You will have the waistline you desire, in no time at all.
Dr. Adil Ladak is a board-certified and top surgeon in Edmonton, Alberta, and is highly skilled in abdominoplasty and other body contouring surgical procedures. Dr. Ladak is a fully qualified Fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Physicians and Surgeons and his team is committed to providing patients with the facts and education to make the most informed decisions about their appearance and health. To explore all of your options for tummy tuck surgery and for other surgical and non-surgical treatments to help you feel and look your best, visit Alberta Plastic Surgery in Edmonton by booking your complimentary consultation
Lower Stomach Pouch After Tummy Tuck
I have a lower stomach pouch after tummy tuck. I am looking for ways to lose weight and get rid of my lower stomach pouch without surgery. My doctor told me that I will need to lose at least 50 pounds before he can do anything about it. Is there any other way besides losing all this weight?
If you have a lower stomach pouch after tummy tuck, it is possible that your surgeon did not take enough skin from above the pubic area or maybe you have gained some weight since your surgery. It is important that you discuss this with your surgeon so that they can assess your situation and come up with a plan to help you resolve this problem.
As far as losing weight without surgery goes, it sounds like you are already on the right track by exercising regularly and following a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These lifestyle changes should help reduce your waist size over time but if you are still having problems with loose skin after losing some weight, then it may be time to consider laser liposuction or tummy tuck revision surgery.
The lower abdomen (the area below the umbilicus) is a common problem area after tummy tucks. The lower abdominal skin is a very thin layer of skin overlying the rectus abdominis muscle. This muscle is very tight and when it contracts, it will pull on this skin and cause a “pouch” above the umbilicus.
Unfortunately, in some patients this pouch will not go away even after exercise and dieting. It can be treated with liposuction but that does not guarantee that it will resolve completely or permanently.
I would suggest you find another plastic surgeon near you who has experience with treating this problem area to help you determine if liposuction would be an appropriate treatment for your situation.
Lower stomach pouch after tummy tuck
Overtime, the lower abdomen skin can become loose and saggy. A tummy tuck is a very effective way to eliminate this problem. After the surgery, some patients develop lower abdominal bulge or pouch. This occurs because of weakness in the abdominal wall muscles and increased laxity in the lower abdominal skin. In most cases, this can be corrected by using a mesh-based reinforcement technique through a small incision on the side of the abdomen. This technique is called an infraumbilical mesh reinforcement (IUMR). The use of IUMR has been shown to improve the outcome after tummy tuck significantly by reducing the incidence of postoperative complications such as hernia formation and increase patient satisfaction.
How To Get Rid Of Upper Belly Bulge After Tummy Tuck
Upper belly bulge after tummy tuck is a common complaint. The most likely cause of this is your muscles not being strong enough to support the weight of your organs.
The best way to get rid of the upper belly bulge is to strengthen your abdominal muscles. You should also lose some weight and avoid straining or over exerting yourself.
In addition to these measures, you may consider having liposuction done on your back and sides to remove excess fat from those areas. This will help bring more balance between the upper and lower halves of your body. It also helps eliminate places where loose skin can form, which is another common problem after tummy tuck surgery.
There are several reasons for upper belly bulge after tummy tuck:
- Abdominal muscles are weaker after the surgery and may need to be strengthened. It is important to do exercises that strengthen your abdominal muscles, such as sit-ups or crunches. It may take several months before you see improvement.
- Fluid retention can cause swelling in the upper abdomen, which can make it look like a bulge after a tummy tuck. If you have swelling, it will go away over time but you may need to take pain medications until it does go away.
- If there was extra skin removed during your tummy tuck, this can cause a bulge in the upper abdomen because the muscle underneath is now exposed and cannot support the tissue above it. If this happens, then more surgery may be needed to remove more skin from your abdomen and get rid of this bulge once and for all!
I agree with the previous comment. I am a surgeon and have done many tummy tucks, and I feel your pain. This is very common and there are several things that can be done.
First, if you have had liposuction, the skin will not tighten up as much as it did preoperatively. This is because the fat layer is gone and there is no longer a place for the skin to stretch to. This results in what we call “skin laxity” or “loose skin”.
Second, if you have had an abdominal wall lift at the same time as your tummy tuck, this also will not tighten up as much as it did preoperatively because there is no longer a fatty layer above it that was supporting it.
Third, if you gained weight after your surgery then this will definitely contribute to the problem since all of that extra fat will come back to haunt us postoperatively!
Fourth, liposuction alone (without an abdominal wall lift) can produce a similar result when too much fat was removed from certain areas of the abdomen such as around the waistline or umbilicus area (belly button). This results in what we call “tummy bulge” or “pannus” which