Tummy Tucks and a Hernia

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Rebecca

A hernia is painful, but it is also an excellent opportunity for a tummy tuck procedure. There are many similarities between the tummy tuck and the hernia procedures, and it simply makes sense to blend the two procedures together into a single operation if at all possible.

In a hernia surgery, the doctors create an incision, repair the muscle wall where the hernia is located and then close the incision again. In a tummy tuck procedure, the same is true, but this time the surgeon opens up the abdomen, repairs and tightens the abdominal wall to repair the hernia and then removes the extra skin from the abdomen before closing the incisions again.

Following a tummy tuck procedure, patients are able to enjoy a flat stomach with improved muscle tone and condition. With a hernia, the patient must recover from the same sort of incision and pain to the muscle walls, but she does not get the added benefit of the flatter, fitter stomach.

Perhaps the best benefit of all to doing a hernia and a tummy tuck procedure at the same time is the application of insurance. Insurance will cover the cost of the hernia procedure, or at least the portion of your procedure covered by insurance. Usually this is about fifty to seventy percent of the total operation costs – a nice chunk of the tummy tuck procedure that you don’t have to pay for out of pocket.

While insurance doesn’t typically cover cosmetic surgery, it will still cover the costs that overlap between the two surgeries including anesthesia, the surgery center and some of the surgeon’s time for repairing the hernia itself. It is essentially two birds with one stone.

Reducing the Cost of a Tummy Tuck

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Rebecca

While a tummy tuck is a popular surgery with outstanding results, it is also an expensive procedure. The tummy tuck procedure is not covered by insurance as it is considered cosmetic in nature, and the tummy tuck itself requires an extended surgery time and general anesthesia – all of which run the cost of the surgery up. There are ways to reduce the costs of your surgery some, however

Travel for a Tummy Tuck

If you have flexibility, consider traveling for a tummy tuck procedure. Not only will the tummy tuck be less expensive if you travel just a few miles outside of major cities, usually, but you can find even better deals if you’re willing to travel to other countries to have the tummy tuck surgery performed. This is usually done in the form of a gloried vacation.

Often these surgeons are trained in the same rigorous medical fields as surgeons in the United States and they have had ample experience as well. Because the overhead is far lower in other countries – in particular the lawsuit insurance that American doctors have, the prices are lower overall. Research the possibilities and then look for discounts offered by accredited surgeons in other nations or cities.

Have Your Tummy Tuck Off-Season

There is a season for plastic surgery, and if you book during the season you’re going to be paying premium rates. Normally this season is the time period around the holidays when vacation time is plentiful for recovering from the surgery. If you book in the off-season for surgery, you may find that the surgeon has more flexibility with his pricing.

Should I Get Abdominoplasty?

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Rebecca

Abdominoplasty, or a tummy tuck, is a popular cosmetic surgery procedure designed to reduce or remove the excess skin and tissue that can be left behind following extreme weight loss and pregnancy. While it is highly effective, abdominoplasty is not the right surgery for everyone. Truly only you can decide if it’s worthwhile to proceed with the surgery.

Are you finished with pregnancies?

The first question to ask yourself is regarding pregnancy. If you’re not interested in becoming pregnant in the future, there is little or no chance of your abdomen stretching again and ruining the effects of the tummy tuck. Of course, if you are thinking or even considering additional pregnancies, it is best if you wait to have the abdominoplasty procedure as the skin you’re tightening will simply stretch out again to accommodate any new pregnancies.

Are you healthy?

Your current health and lifestyle has a lot to do with the tummy tuck procedure. Ethical surgeons won’t proceed with the tummy tuck procedure if you’re not in good health. Patients looking to have a tummy tuck procedure should be at a healthy weight and not smokers. The patients should be free from any serious medical conditions as well. Discuss any concerns with your doctor during your initial consultations for the surgery and be honest to protect your health overall.

Are you going to lose weight?

Finally, while you need to be close to a healthy weight to proceed with the surgery, if you’re planning to lose additional amounts of weight after the tummy tuck, the results of your tummy tuck may not be as sharp as they would be otherwise. Be sure you’re at a stable weight and comfortable with your appearance before proceeding with the tummy tuck.

Losing Weight with a Tummy Tuck

Posted on July 14, 2012 by Rebecca

A tummy tuck is fascinating to watch if you’ve ever managed to catch one of the plastic surgery shows on television. While a bit gruesome for those sensitive to blood and tissue, the tummy tuck procedure requires the surgeon to cut away a large portion of skin from below the navel. It’s not just skin that’s cut away during the procedure. The fatty tissue under the skin that has been stubborn and resistant to diet and exercise is removed as well.

Then the surgeon pulls the remaining skin down over the abdomen, reattaches the belly button and closes the incision. All told, the patient who elected the tummy tuck procedure has lost a few pounds and more than a few inches. It would seem to the casual observer that a tummy tuck is a great way to lose some weight.

Outside of the fact that a tummy tuck is a very major surgery and not suitable for losing the three pounds it actually removes, the tummy tuck procedure should only be performed on women who are already at or close to a healthy body weight. Performing a tummy tuck on a patient with excess body fat is not only dangerous, but it complicated as well. The result is not as exceptional as you may like either as the surgeon is not able to remove fat from all areas of the abdomen, just the fat that is attached to the layer of skin removed.

When it’s all said and done, while the tummy tuck procedure does remove a fair portion of damaged skin and some fatty tissue with that skin, it is not a weight loss procedure. Surgeons will recommend or even require you to lose weight prior to the surgery so that you’re at a healthy and ideal body weight before the procedure. This is not just for your health, but so that you’re satisfied with the end result as well.

Pros and Cons of Abdominoplasty

Posted on July 12, 2012 by Rebecca

Abdominoplasty, or a tummy tuck, is an outstanding procedure for those looking for a specific outcome and willing to handle the recovery that is required following the surgery. Understanding the pros and cons of a tummy tuck is critical to determining if the procedure is a right fit for you.

The Pros of a Tummy Tuck

Most patients seek out a tummy tuck because they want to remove the stretch marks and loose skin left behind by either rapid weight loss or pregnancy. With the tummy tuck procedure, you’re able to tighten the abdominal muscles that may have been loosened by pregnancy while also removing excess skin and pulling it down flat. The smooth tummy is the ideal, and since extra skin and fatty deposits can’t be handled with diet and exercise, this is truly the only way to regain a stubborn figure following pregnancy.

The Cons of a Tummy Tuck

Of course, a major surgery like a tummy tuck has a list of cons as well. The tummy tuck procedure leaves a dramatic scar across the bottom of the abdomen. This makes many women cautious about the procedure, especially if they did not have a caesarean delivery that left a scar of its own. The tummy tuck procedure also requires a lengthy recovery period – up to six weeks as the skin and muscles heal following the surgery.

Ultimately a tummy tuck is a personal decision for those weighing the individual pros and cons. Wanting the flat tummy means putting up with a scar and recovery time. But recovery times draw to an end and scars fade, while the results of the tummy tuck are permanent.

Celebrities and Tummy Tucks

Posted on July 7, 2012 by Rebecca

While it’s easy to spot the celebrity who has had a face lift or rhinoplasty, it’s quite a bit harder to pinpoint which celebrities have had a tummy tuck. Not only are the scars carefully hidden away behind most swimsuits and under garments, the fit and firm tummy of the celebrities who showcase their bodies on the red carpet and in photographs in magazines are kept that way through hard work.

The Celebrity Tummy Tuck

Many assume that celebrities have tummy tucks soon after the birth of their children. This would account for how quickly the models and actresses shrink back down to a tiny size and reclaim their killer abs. Women outside of the spotlight have a much harder time making their stomach totally flat again after a baby.

While there is no proof that this is the case – the routines of the rich and famous are rather carefully guarded secrets after all – it would stand to reason that at least some of the celebrities have tummy tuck procedures soon after giving birth. The tight abdominal muscles alone are a cause for suspicion. Many of these celebrities showing off envy-worthy bodies so soon after having twins, for example, make it reasonable to assume something else is going on behind the scenes.

Tummy Tucks and Tight Abs

Pregnancy separates abdominal muscles quite dramatically. While exercise can tighten them back up to a certain extent, in many cases, the muscles are stretched beyond what exercise can recover. In a tummy tuck procedure, the abdominal wall is surgically tightened before the skin is pulled down flush over it. If a mother of a three-month-old baby suddenly appears with six-pack abs, it’s almost a sure bet that she didn’t do all of that work with yoga and protein smoothies.

Healing From Abdominoplasty

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Rebecca

Abdominoplasty, or a tummy tuck, is one of the most invasive forms of cosmetic surgery, but it has astonishing results. The procedure for a tummy tuck requires a great deal, but once the procedure is complete, the midsection is smooth and firm with only a single scar remaining to heal.

With abdominoplasty, the surgeon makes a large incision across the lower portion of the abdomen, curving between the pubic bones. He then removes a large area of skin and tissue before tightening the muscles and pulling the remaining skin flush over the midsection. The surgeon then closes up the incision, leaving two or possibly three drains in place to help reduce swelling.

Once the patient is home from the surgery, the healing begins. In the first few days following the procedure, the drains will accumulate fluid. They will need to be emptied regularly as they fill. Moving will be a challenge for the patient as the incision will cause discomfort. The tightened muscles of the midsections will make it challenging to stand straight up as well.

Over the first days, the pain will gradually become reduced, however, as the incision heals. Moderate movement will help the muscles to gradually loosen and become more pliable. The movement will help to body to rid itself of excessive swelling as well as speeding healing.

Approximately two weeks following surgery, the incision from the abdominoplasty is primarily healed, although it will take six weeks to heal completely. Movement should be much easier for the patient and all drains will be removed by the surgeon to allow the body to heal completely. This is the point that many patients return to a mild work environment. Complete healing occurs in about six weeks following surgery.

Tummy Tuck and Expectations for Drains

Posted on June 29, 2012 by Rebecca

The most unusual part of a tummy tuck for many patients isn’t the surgery itself. That is expected and prepared for. What is unusual is the drains put in place after surgery. Normally following abdominoplasty surgery, two drains are put in place to help reduce the fluid that can accumulate around the incision and abdomen.

The drains aren’t pretty, of course, but they do serve an important function. The drains reduce swelling and discomfort following surgery and help you to recover more quickly. The trick with the drains is learning how to function while wearing them and what to expect with the required steps.

Form and Function of Tummy Tuck Drains

The tummy tuck drains will be attached to your body. Thin tubes will run inside the incision from your surgery and the drains will have to be removed by your doctor anywhere from two to fourteen days following surgery. During this time, the drains will accumulate fluid from your body. You’ll be responsible for emptying the drains by pulling off a bulb and squeezing out the fluids. You’ll then replace the bulbs and wait for them to fill again to empty.

Handling Drains from a Tummy Tuck

Most patients handle the drains easily, although they can be an inconvenience. The drains will need to be pinned to something on your body to hold them in place. They may be pinned to the waistband of loose pajama or sweat pants or perhaps to the top of a binder worn following surgery. Disguising the drains can be tricky, but it is often done with hoodies, sweatshirts, loose dresses or loose pajama pants. What’s most important is that you remain comfortable so that you can focus on recovery.

Types of Pain Medication Used for Abdominoplasty

Posted on June 28, 2012 by Rebecca

There are a few options for pain medication that the doctor will discuss with you prior to the surgery. For a full abdominoplasty, it’s likely that the doctor will require general anesthesia for patient safety during the surgery. Full anesthesia will require you to sleep during the surgery under the care of medical professionals. There are some risks to anesthesia that the doctor will discuss with you prior to surgery.

Partial abdominoplasty, or a mini tummy, may require the full anesthesia or the doctor may be comfortable with a local anesthetic. The local anesthetic will numb only the area where the surgery is performed, leaving the patient awake during the process. Following the surgery, the patient will be sent home with a pain medication to ease the healing process as much as possible.

Expectations for Pain Medications

Following abdominoplasty, pain medications will make it easier to handle the discomforts from surgery. There are, however, side effects and warnings that come with the pain medication. Patients on pain medications may not be able to nurse young children and they will have limited mobility and cognitive function as well, depending on the strength of the medication they are using. Be sure to discuss the choices with your surgeon prior to surgery to find the best solution for your individual needs.

Once you’re finished using any sort of prescribed pain medication, it’ natural to move to over the counter medications we normally use for aches and lingering discomfort. Be careful, however, about the medications you choose. Aspirin products, for example, can thin the blood and make it more likely that you’ll experience excessive bleeding or slower healing. Discuss your options with your surgeon prior to taking any over the counter medications after abdominoplasty.

Realistic Expectations for a Tummy Tuck

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Rebecca

A tummy tuck is often touted as a magical cure all for what ails your midsection, but there are some realistic outcomes that may not match what you’ve seen on commercials and pictures. The realistic expectations for a tummy tuck are still amazing expectations, but they aren’t miraculous.

You Won’t Look Like a Model

Unless everything on your body is thin, toned and fit but your stomach, you’re not coming to come out of surgery looking like some sort of underwear model. Your stomach will be smoother and trimmer, but it’s not going to have a six-pack and you’re not going to develop a tan during surgery either.

You’ll be Swollen (Very Swollen)

You’re not going to be able to see the results, realistic or otherwise, for some time after the surgery. For the month following the surgery, you’ll be hugely swollen and not able to see the results you’re going to have permanently. Of course, you’ll be able to get a good glimpse of the results through the swelling, but you certainly won’t look the way you’re hoping right off the operative table.

Your Stretch Marks May Linger

While some patients may be able to see all of their stretch marks disappear, others may have to deal with some stretch marks even after the surgery. Stretch marks can linger, depending on where they are on the body, after surgery. Of course, the smooth body surface will be free of pouchy, lingering skin, but the faded silver marks may still remain.

Abdominoplasty and Pain Medication

Abdominoplasty, or a tummy tuck, is a full-blown surgical procedure that requires anesthesia and continuing pain medications as well. The pain medications can have an impact on the recovery following the surgery as well as the surgery itself.

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