Do I need a tummy tuck?
Tummy tuck is most often done on women from 30 to 60 years of age. It removes the excess tummy skin resulting from excessive weight loss or after pregnancy. It is a procedure to improve the body shape and should not be done as a weight loss procedure.
Who will decide that I need a tummy tuck?
It is entirely your own decision. Plastic surgeon can only guide you in what can or cannot be expected from a tummy tuck procedure.
Are there different types of tummy tuck?
Yes. The type of tummy tuck depends upon the amount of excess excess skin to be removed. A ‘mini abdominoplasty’ removes skin between the belly button and the pubis. Sometimes this much is not enough and a bigger procedure is required. In such cases the belly button has to be relocated. The belly muscles may
Does tummy tuck require anesthesia?
Every operation requires some kind of anesthesia. In some instances the facelift can be done by giving sedatives to keep the patient drowsy and numbing the area (local anesthesia). However, most often it is quicker and safer to do the procedure under general anesthesia.
Does tummy tuck require hospital admission?
The patient can be sent home about 4 hours after the procedure. However it is safer, especially after general anesthesia to keep the patient in hospital overnight. The duration of hospital stay also depends on other medical conditions of the patient.
Will I have problems in pregnancy after tummy tuck?
No. Women who have had abdominoplasty experience no problems during subsequent pregnancies. However the benefit of improved shape obtained by surgery is partially lost.
What will the scar look like after tummy tuck?
The scar is generally a thin line extending across the lower abdomen. This is generally covered in conventional clothing or even bathing suits. However the scar in some cases may be more prominent or even painful.
What is the down time after tummy tuck?
Patient generally needs to be admitted for 2 days. Drain tubes are placed during surgery to collect the extra oozing. These remain for about a week. She has to wear an abdominal belt for 2 weeks. Patients generally return to active work after 3 weeks.
How long will the effects of tummy tuck last?
If the patient continues to have a healthy lifestyle, the effects are generally life long.
What can go wrong during a tummy tuck?
In the immediate post operative period there may be breathing difficulties, clotting in the leg veins, excessive bleeding or hematoma formation.
Later on there may be poor healing of wound, wound break down, infection, umbilical retraction or umbilical necrosis.
In the long term there may be poor scars that are painful and tender, the patient may be dissatisfied with the result, or there may be numbness or change in feeling of the tummy skin.
Serious complications are clots in leg veins, pulmonary embolism, or even death.
Some patients may need revision or redo surgery to correct a complication.
What other procedures can be done with a tummy tuck?
Liposuction, thigh lift, buttock lift and breast lift are sometimes combined with a abdominoplasty procedure