Knife Styles

Abdominoplasty - Tummy Tuck

What is it?

An abdominoplasty, more commonly known as a tummy tuck, is a major cosmetic operation that removes excess skin and fat from the lower and middle abdomen and from around the waist area.

A tummy tuck can also be used to tighten the muscles of the abdominal wall, which leaves patients with a tighter, flatter stomach and a slimmer waist.

What can it do for you?

The majority of people who opt for a tummy tuck have an excessive amount of saggy skin and fat around their middle that's been caused by weight gain, massive weight loss or pregnancy.

Many women who have a gastric banding operation (an obesity treatment that restricts the size of the stomach) also have a tummy tuck to deal with all the loose, overhanging skin they end up with after shedding huge amounts of weight.

For most of these patients, the skin and abdominal muscles have been so badly stretched and damaged that exercise and diet alone just aren't enough to deal with the excess skin and fat. In these cases, a tummy tuck can be the only option.

The procedure

A tummy tuck takes about three to five hours under general anaesthetic and patients usually stay in hospital for one or two nights. During the operation the surgeon makes an incision across the lower stomach from hip to hip, about tin below the belly button.

The excess loose skin and fat are cut away from the lower tummy and, if necessary, the abdominal muscles are tightened. This is done by separating the skin from the abdominal wall and lifting a large flap of skin to expose the stomach muscles.

The muscles are pulled closer together to tighten them and then stitched to hold them in their new position. Sometimes surgeons also perform liposuction during a tummy tuck, usually when they're removing the excess skin and fat.

Cost

A tummy tuck costs between £5,000 and £8,000.

Recovery time

You'll be very sore and uncomfortable immediately after surgery, but painkillers will help. You'll be bedridden for the first few days and it's likely that there'll be a drainage tube to remove blood and fluid from each side of your lower stomach.

You'll need to keep your knees and hips bent slightly and pulled up to reduce the strain on your stitches.

For about a month afterwards you'll need to wear an elastic support bandage around your stomach and anti-thrombosis compression stockings on your legs to prevent blood clots from forming.

After about seven to 14 days the stitches will be removed, but you'll still need to wear the support. The surgeons also put in deeper stitches and these are taken out about two to three weeks after surgery.

When you first stand up (or lie) straight, you'll probably feel a tugging sensation on your stitches, but experts suggest you start walking around and doing very gentle exercise as soon as possible.

Not only does this get your body used to your new, tighter stomach, but it further reduces your chances of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

In general, recovery from a tummy tuck is a slow process and dressings are often needed for several weeks, depending on how much skin and fat you had taken away and how well your scars are healing.

While gentle walking is beneficial, experts advise avoiding any strenuous exercise for about four to six weeks.

Most patients return to work about two weeks after their operation and it usually takes about nine months for scars to flatten and fade.

What can go wrong?

Most major surgery, such as a tummyy tuck carries the risk of poor healing and infection, but this can be treated with drainage and antibiotics.

Another complication is an irregular scar; a 'good' scar will run from hip to hip and will be sited under your bikini line. In some cases scar tissue can redden and bulge, but a surgeon can neaten this up at a later date.

You may also experience some loss of feeling on or around your scar.

Another risk is DVT, the formation of blood clots in the blood vessels. But your surgeon will be well aware of this risk, which is why you'll be advised to gently walk around after the operation and wear compression stockings.

How long does it last?

Tummy tucks generally last for several years, but this depends entirely on the lifestyle of each patient. Don't expect results to last if you carry on with an unhealthy lifestyle.

If you follow a healthy diet and generally stay active, the results will last longer.

 


Categories

Articles


Sponsors