Abdominoplasty Surgery — Requirements, Risks and Recovery
What is abdominoplasty?
Abdominoplasty, also known as tummy tuck surgery, helps to reduce belly fat while providing a firmer and more aesthetically pleasing abdominal profile.
Many people follow weight loss practices and exercise to achieve a well-toned and flat stomach. The surgery is ideal when diets and exercise regimens fail to remove unwanted belly fat. It is performed at the cosmetic & plastic surgery centre under a specialist plastic surgeon.
What are the requirements to be eligible for abdominoplasty?
Every medical treatment has a group of criteria to be eligible for it. Similarly, the following requirements you need to fulfil to be a suitable candidate for this treatment:
● Age and skin type of the patient are key factors in this operation.
● Female patients should choose it after starting a family. More precisely, it suits women who have given birth more than once.
● Before a few months of operation, the patient’s body weight should have steadied.
● Both men and women can benefit from this treatment if they have overall good health.
Expectations before, during and after tummy tuck
What should you expect before tummy tuck surgery?
Before taking you to the operation theatre, your surgeon usually asks whether you have certain habits that can affect the surgery. There are a few things you need to go through prior to operation:
● Immediately quit smoking if you have such an addiction since smoking creates obstacles in the healing process.
● A general health check-up is performed including some required lab tests.
● Your healthcare provider checks your medical history and whether you are on medications or not.
● The pre-operative evaluation is also crucial to find out any serious diseases like diabetes, heart problem, lung disorders etc in the patient’s body.
What should you expect during the surgery?
The type of procedure depends on whether you’re getting a full or partial (mini) abdominoplasty. Therefore, it varies from one patient to another under different circumstances.
However, the surgeon initially uses stitches to tighten the loose abdomen skin during the procedure. The shape and length of the incision along the bikini line depend on how much extra skin you have in the abdominal region.
In simpler words, the fat removal method includes the following steps:
● Giving general anaesthesia
● Making cuts or incisions
● Sucking out the excess fat and placing drains
● Stitching the wound
Surgeons may additionally perform liposuction if needed. When combined, it gives the best result.
What should you expect after the operation?
You need to take analgesics (pain relieving medications), antibiotics and sometimes anticoagulants for a few days after surgery. In order to lessen the swelling, you need to put on a fitted jacket called a compression garment.
You must lie with your upper body lifted and knees inclined for the first few days. Your stomach could feel tight, making it challenging for you to stand up straight.
After 2–3 days, light work can be resumed. You may expect a full recovery after 1–3 weeks. As with any procedure, there is a chance for complications to arise.
Risks of abdominoplasty
Abdominoplasty surgery has risks, just like any other type of surgery. With your surgeon, go over the hazards in great detail. After a stomach tuck, about 4–5% of patients experience severe problems.
In general, the following risks arise:
● Swelling, bruising and scarring
● Pain and pang
● Blood clottings or Thrombosis
● Fluid accumulation or Seroma
● Delayed healing process
● Skin tightness in the abdomen
● Infection
Why should you discuss the surgery with your surgeon?
After choosing a trusted plastic surgeon, make sure you ask him/her about your surgery. If you want to know about the treatment procedures, risks and complications, its effectiveness, side effects and most importantly the total expense, you should go ahead and feel free to ask.
It is not advised to avoid even a trivial question (according to you) if you have any doubts. Give a detailed account of why you want to undergo the treatment. Since it is your body, make sure that you figure out every possible detail before making a decision.
What are the advantages of belly fat removal?
The following advantages patients can get:
● Removing stretch marks
● Reducing belly bulge
● Flattening stomach
● Having a firm abdominal wall
● Boosting appearance and self-confidence
As you have reached the conclusion, you better prepare yourself to make the surgery successful. Cheer up!
Conclusion
Abdominoplasty is a specialisation of plastic surgeons. It helps to get rid of the stubborn belly fat that troubles you to perform a healthy lifestyle. It also contours your tummy by giving it the desired shape and tone. Every surgery takes courage, mental and physical strength, the ability to bear the expense and other necessary aspects. You can open up to your surgeon for any clarification.
