Monthly Archives: May 2012

Risks with a Tummy Tuck

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The decision to have a tummy tuck is absolutely a personal one, and while the procedure is exceedingly safe for patients, there is a possibility of side effects or risks associated with this procedure. Of course, this is true for virtually any medical procedure of this scale.

Prior to your abdominoplasty, the surgeon will discuss the possible risk factors in an appointment. That discussion will also include your medical history as well as family history to identify any potential risk factors. This discussion is the time to voice concerns about the procedure or to get more information about risks that may be more likely in your particular case. Among these risks, the following may be discussed in your meeting:

Unattractive Scarring

The scar from a tummy tuck procedure is very large. The incision can sweep from one hipbone to the other, sometimes even farther. While the scar does fade over time, it can be noticeable in certain types of undergarments and bathing suits.

Bleeding

Hematomas, or bleeding under the skin, can occur during the recovery process for the tummy tuck. Excessive bleeding may also occur during the surgery, especially if the patient is a smoker.

Infection

Just as with any incision, there is a risk of infection. The doctor may prescribe antibiotics following the procedure to help combat any lingering infection risks.

Numbness and Nerve Damage

It is common to experience some numbness and tingling in the area of the incision. Nerves were cut during the surgery process and as they heal you may experience numbness or no feeling in the area, tingling sensations, itching and even some pain.

Swelling

Swelling is common after abdominoplasty surgery, but the swelling may persist for some time following the procedure. The surgeon will leave drains in place to help remove excess fluid during the healing process.

Abdominoplasty Recovery with Small Children

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Having a tummy tuck procedure can be life changing. Returning your figure to the correct contours and shape is impressive, but the recovery from the surgery can be especially challenging for patients with young children at home. During the first year following surgery, a tummy tuck is not considered an appropriate surgery, but once the body has returned to normal following the pregnancy and delivery, a tummy tuck is a great way to finish shaping the parts of the body diet and exercise can’t seem to touch.

Tummy Tuck and Childcare
The most influential aspect of a tummy tuck for mothers with young children is the amount of physical labor required during the recovery process. Young children need time with their mother, of course, but having a major abdominal surgery makes it extremely challenging to lift toddlers in and out of cribs, out of car seats, out of high chairs and away from trouble when they find it.

Those considering a tummy tuck who have young children at home should make it a point to arrange childcare to help with the physical lifting and moving that young people require. For many, having daycare or a nanny during the day solves many of these problems, but there is still the night care and weekends that may present a problem.

Plan Ahead and Prepare for a Tummy Tuck
The best preparation for a tummy tuck with little ones at home is a solid offense. Start planning the surgery well ahead of time and arrange for a family member to come and stay to help with the children around the clock – especially if your partner has to go to work during the day or is a heavy sleeper at night.

Wait until your children are old enough to know that climbing in your lap won’t work well for a week or so and that you’ll be unable to lift, carry or play vigorously for weeks. Fortunately, this is always tempered when children hear that their favorite aunt or grandmother will be in town instead to help out.

Tummy Tuck and a Hernia

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One of the most common combined surgeries is that of a tummy tuck and hernia procedures. While a hernia can be uncomfortable and even painful, it is something of a silver lining for women considering having a tummy tuck as the surgery to correct the hernia makes the cost of the tummy tuck procedure more affordable as the two procedures are simply combined.

In the hernia procedure, the surgeon will open the tissues and skin of the midsection to reveal the abdominal wall. This is where a muscle separation has led to a hernia. The surgeon will then repair the hernia by pushing the offending tissue back behind the muscle wall and stitching the muscles together.

This is normally part of a tummy tuck procedure as well, and the surgeon may then go on to stitch all of the muscle wall together to correct any additional separations. Finally, the actual tummy tuck procedure will take place. The surgeon will cut away a large swatch of skin, pull the remaining tissue down over the lower abdomen and stitch it in place. He will complete the surgery by moving the belly button correctly.

Finally the surgeon will stitch up the patient again and the surgery will be complete. The nicest thing about the hernia is not just the excuse if gives the patient to go ahead and pursue a tummy tuck, but the hernia surgery also allows the patient to pay out of pocket for just the portions of the surgery not associated with the tummy tuck procedure.

The Ideal Timing of a Tummy Tuck

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There are lots of reasons to have a tummy tuck procedure and there are lots of good reasons to have the surgery as quickly as possible – the benefits of looking fit and restoring your natural contours is chief among them – but before rushing into surgery, be sure to stop and consider the timing of your procedure carefully.
Pregnancy
While we’d all like to think that the effects of pregnancy are gone six weeks after giving birth, sadly the body takes a considerable amount of time to restore the body’s natural rhythms. The hips alone can take up to a year to return to their normal position. The extra baby weight may take as long as a year to lose as well as it can be sticky, especially for nursing moms.
Young Children
After the first year of motherhood, a tummy tuck seems like an excellent idea. You have a better idea of how your body is restored, but there is still a concern. Before embarking on a tummy tuck procedure, consider the ages of your children. When you return home from the surgery, will you have a lot of demands on your body? You won’t be able to lift or even move well. Deciding to go ahead with the surgery means that you should carefully consider having extra help at home at virtually all times to make the healing process more comfortable for everyone.
Lifestyle
A tummy tuck procedure is a major surgery and the recovery takes a considerable amount of time. Scheduling the surgery at an inopportune time in your work or social life can make things more challenging for the recovery. Plan to be away from the office or workplace for a minimum of two, possibly up to six weeks.

How to Recover Correctly from a Tummy Tuck Procedure

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Recovering from a tummy tuck procedure should be a combination of fun as you watch your new body unveiled, but also one of patience and care as there will be certain limitations and amounts of discomfort. With a tummy tuck procedure, the surgeon will go over the recovery requirements prior to the surgery in most cases so that you can prepare ahead of time. Be sure to heed his advice so that your procedure is successful complete with a fast recovery.

Plan Your Recovery

Recovering from a tummy tuck procedure isn’t a small matter. There are weeks of recovery time required and often you aren’t highly mobile. This means that you’ll need to be well prepared ahead of time, much like you might have been prior to the birth of your children. In preparing for the tummy tuck, be sure to buy plenty of food, include lots of water bottles and even a nice stack of books and movies. After all, you’ll be doing a lot of resting and reclining as you heal. Plan to have a friend or family member available as well to help you as necessary during the first week of recovery.

Buy Compression Garments

Before your surgery, ask your doctor if you need to purchase your own compression garments. These items are specially designed to help hold your skin in place and add additional support to your midsection as you’re healing. In some hospitals, the doctor provides the belts and compression garments. In other areas, you are expected to buy your own. It is far easier to buy these items ahead of time to have them waiting when you get home. Wearing the right compression garments will help you heal more quickly from the surgery and make the process more comfortable as well.

 

 

Tummy Tucks and Fat

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Often losing weight or having children leaves the midsection with unpleasant pouches of fat. While you may be a healthy weight, the unflattering pockets of fatty tissue won’t disappear with exercise and they don’t seem to be fading, no matter how much you’ve dieted. If you’re trying to lose those last few fatty pockets on your midsection, there are two ways to make a difference – liposuction and a tummy tuck.

Liposuction for Fat Deposits

Liposuction is the ideal solution for fatty deposits, but with one caveat. A liposuction procedure uses cannulas to suck out fat from the body. The skin then tightens and the area is smooth and contoured correctly. Liposuction works beautifully on parts of the body where there are small pockets of fat to be reduced and contoured. It does not work as well on areas of the body where the skin is not able to bounce back and smooth out correctly. Often, with severe weight loss and baby weight, this is case on the abdomen.

Tummy Tuck for Fat Deposits

A tummy tuck procedure, on the other hand, is ideal for removing both the fatty pockets and the loose skin as well. In a tummy tuck procedure, the surgeon cuts away a large fan of skin along the lower midsection. He then tightens the muscles under the skin as necessary before pulling the remaining skin down smoothly over the abdomen. A wide incision is left along the pubic line, but over time this scar fades. The abdomen that remains is smooth, sculpted and free of the bulges that fatty deposits and loose skin can leave behind.

Determining which procedure is best for unsightly bulges or awkward lumps of fat is usually a case of your skin condition more than anything. Skin that does not snap back quickly is not suited to liposuction. But skin that is easily reshaped and not stretched saves the patient a great deal of recovery since liposuction is more suitable.

 

Two Things You’ll Need Before a Tummy Tuck

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A tummy tuck is a daunting surgery to be facing, even if it’s a great choice for toning and reshaping your body. Before you arrive in the hospital for the day of your surgery, you’ll need to plan ahead carefully to be sure that you have all of the necessary things to make the day of the surgery as well as your recovery as comfortable as possible.

A Good Friend

Perhaps the most important thing you’ll need on the day of the surgery is a good friend or family member. When you have your surgery, the surgeon will be using anesthesia. Once you wake up, you’ll be uncomfortable from the surgery as well as under the influence of the anesthesia, which makes you groggy. You will need a friend or family member to take you home and help you over the first days of your recovery. If you don’t have a friend or family member suited to this, you can arrange to spend some time in a recovery center where nurses and assistants will help.

Loose Clothing

During the surgery, the doctor will place drains in your abdomen. The drains will help to reduce swelling, but they may be in place for days, perhaps even weeks after the procedure. During this time, the abdomen will be uncomfortable from the surgery as well. Rather than wearing pants, even sweatpants, with a waistband that can aggravate the midsection, loose dresses are comfortable to wear and easier to handle when it is time to empty drains and get dressed.

Tummy Tuck and a Hysterectomy

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While it is not medically advisable or permissible for a surgeon to perform a tummy tuck procedure while a patient is delivering a baby, another common procedure, the hysterectomy, involves an almost identical incision as a c-section, and this is an excellent time for a patient to undergo a full tummy tuck.

To coordinate a tummy tuck and hysterectomy, the patient will need to work with two different doctors. The surgeon performing the hysterectomy will need to be informed and consulted with in regard to the patient’s choices for the tummy tuck procedure. The plastic surgeon will need to coordinate with the attending surgeon so that the two procedures can occur back-to-back in the operating room.

For the patient, the surgeries blend well together. The surgeon performing the hysterectomy will make the necessary incision to open the abdomen and remove the uterus and perhaps surrounding tissues. While the incision is open, the surgeon will then step in after the uterus is removed to widen the incision as necessary, tighten the muscles and underlying tissue of the abdomen and dissect the belly button.

He will then pull the skin down along the abdomen dramatically before trimming off the excess portions. The skin will be repositioned on the abdomen, the belly button will be replaced correctly in a new incision and the incisions will all be stitched carefully.

Normally the recovery time for a hysterectomy is almost the same as the recovery time for a tummy tuck. This makes the processes a good match to be performed together and it is essentially a way to get a “two-for-one” procedure. Even if the procedure are performed at the same time, however, the patient will be required to pay for the non essential part of the procedure.

Tummy Tuck with a C-Section

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A cesarean surgery, or c-section, seems like an ideal time to have a tummy tuck. After all, the tummy tuck procedure and the c-section deal with the same areas of the skin and have an almost identical incision. Using the same surgery, anesthesia and recovery room just seem like a logical idea for a tummy tuck, and many women request the tummy tuck along with the delivery. Most, however are disappointed.

Childbirth via cesarean is not an elective procedure. In the vast majority of cases, the c-section delivery is medically necessary for the mother or the baby. A tummy tuck procedure, on the other hand, is not a medically necessary procedure. Most doctors refuse to perform the two surgeries together for medical reasons.

When a baby is born, the mother has been pregnant for nine months. The hormones of pregnancy have contributed to the shape of the mother’s body and immediately after delivery an entirely new flood of hormones appear ready to continue to change and adapt the mother’s body to motherhood. These hormones along with the overstretched muscles of pregnancy and the swollen uterus make it virtually impossible for a surgeon to perform a full tummy tuck.

While there is no full tummy tuck procedure available with a c-section, many surgeons are more than willing to make a “wide incision” to remove all of the scar tissue that remains after the surgery, especially if a mother has had previous deliveries. With a wide incision, the surgeon is able to perform what amounts to a very mini tummy tuck. A bit of extra skin is removed to help the tummy smooth out as it heals although there will still be scarring and a raised ridge from the surgery that can only be helped with a fully tummy tuck procedure.

Tummy Tuck or Liposuction?

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In the world of cosmetic surgery, there are roughly two options available when it comes time to contain your tummy. While there are various kinds of tummy tuck procedures and some new and emerging forms of liposuction, these remain the two most popular procedures for removing fat and smoothing down the midsection. Of course, deciding between the two is often the biggest obstacle facing patients.

The Skin of the Abdomen

Neither a tummy tuck nor liposuction is considered a weight loss procedure. Both procedures offer a contouring option for patients looking for a smoother midsection, and the skin of the stomach makes a large difference in which procedure you ultimately choose. If the patient’s skin is loose, sagging or has scars and stretch marks, choosing liposuction will do very little to make an improvement as the skin will simply sag more. A tummy tuck, on the other hand, will remove the damaged skin.

The Placement of Tummy Fat

Strangely enough, the positioning of the fat on your abdomen has a lot to do with the choice of procedure. If you have a large amount of fat around the center of your belly – circling your belly button, for instance, the tummy tuck is the best option to smooth down the midsection. A few extra pounds of fat around the lower abdomen, on the other hand, can easily be removed with liposuction, provided the skin is elastic enough to snap back into position correctly.

While some patients choose between liposuction and a tummy tuck, still others realize that the best benefits come from having both procedures. A tummy tuck removes large sections of damaged skin while the liposuction helps to smooth out the skin around the newly reshaped midsection.