If you are interested in getting a better looking stomach, an abdominoplasty is likely what you need. Before you commit to this surgery, make sure you know what to expect afterward while you heal so that you are not disappointed.
Having an abdominoplasty is a great way to get the flat stomach that
you either used to have, or have always wanted. Before you go for it,
you should consider the recovery period. You will not see the expected
results for months after the surgery, and you will need to deal with
some side effects while you wait. Find out what they are before you go
to your appointment.
Most of the time, this surgery is an outpatient kind, but some patients
may need to spend the night in the hospital. If there are any
complications during the operation, you will need to spend even more
time, so be sure to be prepared for this possibility. Most people can
go back to work within one to three weeks, but of course it may depend
on your job environment. If you have a desk job or do not move around
much, you may be able to return in a week, but if your job has you on
your feet or lifting things, it may be wise to wait a few weeks.
You will go home with a gauze cast around your waist in order to keep
the newly positioned skin and tissue in the right place. You will need
to return to your doctor soon after the surgery to get the cast
removed. You can expect to be sore and swollen for a few days after the
abdominoplasty, and will likely need pain medication for several days
afterward. Your doctor will let you know when you can begin exercising
or performing normal daily activities again, but in general it will be
about four weeks until you can.
Be warned that abdominoplasty guarantees that you will have a scar that
does not tend to disappear. It will appear much darker and more obvious
right after the surgery, and it will lighten within months, but it will
never go away. However, most doctors put the incision low enough on the
abdomen that it should not be seen by others unless you are wearing a
particularly low-rise bathing suit.
Now that you know how the recovery period works, you should decide if
you are still interested in an abdominoplasty. Most people find the
results very much worth the surgery, as they will have a flat,
attractive stomach within months. If this is your ultimate goal, it is
time to start looking for a reputable doctor to perform the
abdominoplasty.
