There are times when you realize -that all your diet and exercise efforts are in vain, and maybe even though the scales show a lower number of pounds, the appearance of your tummy remains the same. To get rid of unwanted and stubborn weight, a solution that is right for you is the surgery called abdominoplasty.
What is abdominoplasty?
Abdominoplasty is a surgical procedure performed to alter the appearance of the abdomen. It aims to flatten the abdomen by removing excess fat and skin from the abdominal area and repairing abdominal wall muscles that have been damaged by pregnancy, age or lack of physical exertion.
Abdominoplasty is especially popular among people who have experienced pregnancy, massive weight loss, or who for other reasons have a protruding abdomen with weakened muscles that affect the contour of the body. Most patients report a significant improvement in self-esteem as a result of this procedure.
Advantages and disadvantages of abdominoplasty
The main advantages of abdominoplasty include:
- Restores the appearance of a flat abdomen;
- Significantly improves appearance and evens out the physique;
- You will have a more youthful body.
There are also some disadvantages you should consider, such as:
- The appearance of a scar (located in the bikini area, easily covered);
- A new pregnancy could influence the results of the surgery, so it is more advisable to undergo this procedure when you no longer want children.
Who is recommended to undergo abdominoplasty?
Have you reached a point where no matter how much effort you put into getting rid of the extra weight, it’s all in vain and you don’t notice any improvement? Or the number on the scale is low but you can’t get rid of the belly fat? These and the following few reasons indicate that you may want to consider a tummy tuck:
Age, heredity, childbirth, previous surgeries, or weight fluctuations have left you with extra skin on your abdomen, muscle weakness, or both.
You are a non-smoker. Smoking slows the healing process and increases the risk of postoperative complications. If you smoke, you should quit at least 6 weeks before surgery.
You have a stable weight. Slender people with extra fat concentrated in the abdominal area and excess skin in the lower abdomen are the best candidates for this procedure. If your weight falls into the obese range and you have a significant amount of intra-abdominal fat surrounding your internal organs, you may need to lose weight before considering a tummy tuck. If this seems impossible, there are surgeries such as gastric sleeve or gastric bypass that help you reach a normal weight in a much shorter time.
You no longer want children. Muscles repaired during abdominoplasty could be affected again in the event of an eventual pregnancy.
If you are in good general health, have a positive attitude and realistic expectations, you are most likely a good candidate for this procedure.
Recommended article: Gastric sleeve – What it is, advantages, how much weight loss, diet after gastric sleeve.
How is abdominoplasty surgery performed?
In this surgical procedure, your surgeon will remove your loose abdominal skin and tighten your abdominal muscles with sutures. First, he will mark your abdomen to indicate the location of the incisions, the center of your torso and the location of your repositioned belly button.
A solution of lidocaine (a local anesthetic) and epinephrine (a vasoconstrictor that controls bleeding by constricting blood vessels) will be injected. The incision will be made, depending on the type of abdominoplasty chosen.
The surgeon will loosen the skin from the abdominal wall to the rib cage and then use sutures to pull the abdominal muscles into a tighter position. After the abdominal muscles have been sutured, the surgeon will remove excess fat by liposuction or other methods. The abdominal skin is then stretched over the incision line and the excess skin is removed.
Next, the surgeon will mark the placement of the belly button. Although the skin around the belly button has been moved, the belly button almost always remains in the same place. The final step is to close the incision.
Recovery after abdominoplasty
After abdominoplasty surgery, the average recovery time is 2-3 weeks.
Immediately after surgery, the abdominal incision and adjacent areas will be covered with surgical dressing. Drainage tubes may be placed to drain any excess blood or fluid that may accumulate intra-abdominally.
After surgery, you will likely experience moderate pain that can be easily controlled with pain medication. Swelling and bruising in the surgical area is normal.
Your doctor may also prescribe antibiotics to decrease the risk of infection and a series of blood thinners to reduce the risk of a blood clot.
During the first 6 weeks after abdominoplasty you will need to be cautious and avoid positions that put tension on your incision line to prevent the wound from reopening.
The results are long lasting if you stay at a constant weight.
Abdominoplasty also comes with a number of possible complications, including:
- Accumulation of fluid under the skin, which is called seroma. Drainage tubes are left in the surgery to help reduce this risk. In other cases, the doctor may remove the fluid after the procedure using a needle syringe;
- A slow cure. Sometimes there are areas along the incision that don’t heal as expected or start to separate. It is possible to take antibiotics during and after the operation to avoid the risk of infection in this case;
- The scar left by the abdominoplasty incision is permanent but easily hidden by placement along the bikini line. Its length and visibility vary from person to person;
- Changes in skin sensitivity. Sometimes during the procedure, repositioning of abdominal tissues can affect nerves in the area and you may feel numbness or reduced sensitivity.
Aesthetic surgery and cosmetic surgery improve the aesthetics of various parts of the body, aid in weight loss, delay the effects of ageing and, why not, combat depression and self-dissatisfaction and help restore self-love.
VenArt Clinic helps you to maintain your health, youth and beauty for a long time to come! Find out more in the plastic surgery section of our clinic.
