Tummy Tuck
Despite having reached their ideal weight and exercising regularly, many women find they cannot eliminate a bulging abdomen after pregnancy. Men and women who have lost a great deal of weight may still have excess skin in the abdominal area that keeps them from having the flat, tight appearance they hoped for.
Although liposuction can remove excess fat, only abdominoplasty can remove the fat, eliminate sagging skin, and tighten abdominal muscles to produce a flatter abdomen. If fat deposits are a problem below the navel only, partial abdominoplasty may be a better choice.
An incision is made from hip to hip just above the pubic area and another around the navel to free the navel from the surrounding skin. Abdominal skin is loosened from the underlying tissue all the way to the ribs. The underlying abdominal muscle is stitched together to tighten the abdominal wall and provide better waistline definition. The skin is stretched downward and the excess skin is removed. The navel is repositioned in a new opening.
In most cases, patients are released to go home the same day as the surgery. Pain medication is prescribed for the first few weeks.
Though the abdomen will be swollen and walking may be uncomfortable, moving around as soon as possible improves recovery. It is recommended to sleep with a pillow under your legs for the first week to allow flexion at the hip. A compression garment, which is a specialized piece of elastic clothing, is worn for 4-6 weeks to ensure that the skin adheres correctly to the underlying tissue and the desired shape is achieved.
For either procedure, a drainage tube may be placed to prevent fluid accumulation for the first few days.