You may be a tummy tuck candidate if you suffer from any of the following conditions:
– Extra skin or fat resulting from pregnancy or massive weight loss
– Stretch marks or incision scars
– Pockets of accumulated fat in the abdomen
– A lower abdomen bulge resulting from weakened ligaments
– Weak abdominal muscles
The Procedure
A tummy tuck is a procedure that minimizes the appearance of the conditions mentioned to create a more youthful, yet natural abdomen. The procedure takes roughly three hours and doctors use general anesthesia to make the procedure as comfortable as possible for the patient. The excess skin and fat is removed and the ligaments and muscles are tightened. The resulting scar will appear just under the bikini line. Some patients choose to combine a tummy tuck procedure with other cosmetic procedures, such as liposuction or breast augmentation, because the incision can be used for both of these procedures.
After The Procedure
The recovery period ranges from a few hours to an overnight stay. The incision will drain for several days after the operation. As with most procedures requiring anesthesia and subsequent pain medication, you can expect to feel groggy for several days and should plan to be out of work for 1-2 weeks. You may experience moderate pain for the first few days after surgery, but you should not have trouble walking. You should resume most of your normal activities after three weeks. Most of the sutures used will dissolve, so there will be few that need to removed during the healing process.
What to Expect
The results of this procedure should make your abdomen flatter, more contoured and tighter. The appearance of your abdomen will look more natural the further you get into the recovery period.
If you are in the Palos, Illinois area, contact Dr. Susan Schneider for more information regarding a tummy tuck procedure to see if it’s for you.
