Tummy Tuck

Tummy Tuck

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Whats is Tummy Tuck Surgery? Also known as abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck removes excess fat and skin, and in most cases restores weakened or separated muscles creating an abdominal profile that is smoother and firmer.

Surgery Length: 3 – 6 Hours
Anesthesia: Intravenous Sedation or General Anesthesia
Hospital Stay: —
Stay in Thailand: —
Recovery: Initial swelling subsides 7 – 10 days.
Procedure Cost: —

What Does Tummy Tuck Surgery Do?

A tummy tuck can correct a loose and sagging skin around the abdomen, often caused by:

  • Pregnancy
  • Aging
  • Significant fluctuations in weight
  • Heredity
  • Prior surgery

What it won’t do: A tummy tuck is not a substitute for weight loss or an appropriate exercise program.

Although the results of a tummy tuck are technically permanent, the positive outcome can be greatly diminished by significant fluctuations in your weight. For this reason, individuals who are planning substantial weight loss or women who may be considering future pregnancies may be advised to postpone a tummy tuck.

Also, a tummy tuck cannot correct stretch marks, although these may be removed or somewhat improved if they are located on the areas of excess skin that will be excised, generally those treated areas below the belly button.

Best Candidates for Tummy Tuck Surgery

Ideal candidates for tummy tuck surgery include those who are:

  • Physically healthy and at a stable weight
  • Have realistic expectations
  • Non-smokers
  • Bothered by the appearance of their stomach.

Is Tummy Tuck Surgery Right for Me?

Tummy tuck surgery is a highly individualized procedure and you should do it for yourself, not to fulfill someone else’s desires or to try to fit any sort of ideal image. A tummy tuck is a good idea if you:

  • You have realistic goals about the surgery
  • You are physically healthy
  • You do not smoking

Preparing for Tummy Tuck Surgery

The success and safety of your tummy tuck procedure depends very much on your complete candidness during your consultation. You’ll be asked a number of questions about your health, desires and lifestyle.

Prior to surgery, you may be asked to:

  • Get lab testing or a medical evaluation
  • Take certain medications or adjust your current medications
  • Stop smoking well in advance of surgery
  • Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding

Special instructions you receive will cover:

  • What to do on the day of surgery
  • The use of anesthesia during your tummy tuck
  • Post-operative care and follow-up

Your plastic surgeon will also discuss where your procedure will be performed. Tummy tuck surgery may be performed in an accredited office-based surgical center, outpatient of ambulatory surgical center, or a hospital.

If your abdominoplasty is performed on an outpatient basis, be sure to arrange for someone to drive you to and from surgery and to stay with you for at least the first night following surgery.

Tummy Tuck Surgery Overview

Anesthesia

Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedures. The choices include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best choice for you.

The Incision

A full tummy tuck requires a horizontally-oriented incision in the area between the pubic hairline and navel. The shape and length of the incision will be determined by the degree of correction necessary.

Through this incision, weakened abdominal muscles are repaired and sutured and excess fat, tissue and skin is removed.

A second incision around the navel may be necessary to remove excess skin in the upper abdomen.

Closing The Incisions

Sutures, skin adhesives, tapes or clips close the skin incisions.

Tummy Tuck Surgery Results

Your tummy tuck will result in a flatter, firmer abdominal contour that is more proportionate with your body type and weight.

The final results may be initially obscured by swelling and your inability to stand fully upright until internal healing is complete.

Within a week or two, you should be standing tall and confident about your new slimmer profile. However previous abdominal surgery may limit the potential results of a tummy tuck.

Will There be Scars?

In women who have undergone cesarean section, the existing scars may often be incorporated into the new scar.

Tummy Tuck Surgery Recovery

Following your surgery, dressings or bandages may be applied to your incisions, and you may be wrapped in an elastic bandage or a compression garment to minimize swelling and to support your abdomen as it heals.
A small, thin tube may be temporarily placed under the skin to drain any excess blood or fluid that may collect.

You will be given specific instructions that may include: How to care for the surgical site and drains, medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the potential for infection, specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in your general health, and when to follow-up with your plastic surgeon.

Be sure to ask your plastic surgeon specific questions about what you can expect during your individual recovery period:

  • Where will I be taken after my surgery is complete?
  • What medication will I be given or prescribed after surgery?
  • Will I have dressings/bandages after surgery?
  • When will they be removed?
  • Are stitches removed? When?
  • When can I resume normal activity and exercise?
  • When do I return for follow-up care?

When You Return Home

If you experience shortness of breath, chest pains, or unusual heart beats, seek medical attention immediately. Should any of these complications occur, you may require hospitalization and additional treatment.

The practice of medicine and surgery is not an exact science. Although good results are expected, there is no guarantee. In some situations, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single surgical procedure and another surgery may be necessary.

Following your physician’s instructions is key to the success of your surgery. It is important that the surgical incisions are not subjected to excessive force, swelling, abrasion, or motion during the time of healing. Your doctor will give you specific instructions on how to care for yourself.

Possible Risks of Tummy Tuck Surgery

The decision to have tummy tuck surgery is extremely personal and you’ll have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable.

Your plastic surgeon and/or staff will explain in detail the risks associated with surgery. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure you will undergo and any risks or potential complications.

Possible risks of tummy tuck surgery include:

  • Unfavorable scarring
  • Infection
  • Fluid accumulation
  • Poor wound healing
  • Skin loss
  • Blood clots
  • Numbness or other changes in skin sensation
  • Anesthesia risks
  • Skin discoloration and/or prolonged swelling
  • Fatty tissue found deep in the skin might die (fat necrosis)
  • Major wound separation
  • Asymmetry
  • Recurrent looseness of skin
  • Pain, which may persist
  • Deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications
  • Persistent swelling in the legs
  • Nerve damage
  • Possibility of revisional surgery
  • Suboptimal aesthetic result

These risks and others will be fully discussed prior to your consent. It is important that you address all your questions directly with your plastic surgeon.

Note: It’s very important to ask your plastic surgeon questions about your tummy tuck procedure. It’s natural to feel some anxiety, whether it’s excitement for your anticipated new look or a bit of preoperative stress. Don’t be shy about discussing these feelings with your plastic surgeon.

Tummy Tuck Surgery Terms and Definitions

  • Abdominoplasty: A surgical procedure to correct the apron of excess skin hanging over your abdomen.
  • Diastasis: Condition in which abdominal muscles have separated.
  • General anesthesia: Drugs and/or gases used during an operation to relieve pain and alter consciousness.
  • Hematoma: Blood pooling beneath the skin.

    • Intravenous sedation: Sedatives administered by injection into a vein to help you relax.

  • Liposuction: Also called lipoplasty or suction lipectomy, this procedure vacuums out fat from beneath the skin’s surface to reduce fullness.
  • Local anesthesia: A drug is injected directly to the site of an incision during an operation to relieve pain.
  • Sutures: Stitches used by surgeons to hold skin and tissue together.
  • Tummy tuck: A surgical procedure to correct the apron of excess skin hanging over your abdomen.

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