Tummy Tuck Surgery? 5 Facts You Must Know Before Going Under the Knife!

Abdominoplasty is more commonly known as ‘tummy tuck’, a surgical procedure that removes extra skin and fat from your lower abdominal area and repositions your belly button. A tummy tuck should tighten or reinforce tummy wall muscles that have become weak.

1. How it is done – General anaesthesia is used in this surgery, which could take anywhere from two to 25 hours. Cosmetic surgeons make two incisions. The first one is across your lower abdomen, above your pubic area, and the second is made to release the belly button from tissues surrounding it before skin is separated from your abdominal wall. The abdominal muscles will be pulled and stitched into a new position. Excess skin is cut, and fat deposits are eliminated. The surgeon can make a new belly button and stitch it back into its right place before the remaining skin is pulled down before getting stitched together.

2. Other procedures may be conducted with a tummy tuck – Some patients choose to have liposuction on the same day as their tummy tuck procedure to contour their body and remove their flanks or the so-called, ‘love handles’. Your procedure may include a reduction of your mons pubis, too, especially if the area is too bulky and may cause a protruding appearance after a tummy tuck.

1. A mini tummy tuck may be right for you, too – The mini tummy tuck is like traditional abdominoplasty, except that it removes only the skin and fat from the lower abdomen and there is no loose or excess skin over the belly button. In this procedure, the skin is separated from your abdominal wall before the extra fat and skin are removed. The remaining skin is pulled together, then stitched.
2. You may need to stay at a hospital – After a tummy tuck, you may need to prepare yourself to stay for two nights at the hospital where you can rest and be monitored for infections. Like any other surgery, a tummy tuck will come with certain risks, like swelling, bruising, temporary numbness, and fluid collection. Bruising, swelling, and any form of discomfort should go away in seven to 14 days.
3. You may need to take time off of work and strenuous exercise – You need to give your body enough time to heal, so you need to take a break from two to three weeks and avoid playing any sports and doing any exercise for two to 12 weeks.

Elite Surgical is a leading healthcare provider of both cosmetic surgical and non-surgical treatments with clinics in London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Milton Keynes, Liverpool and Yorkshire.