Tummy Tuck: Tighten Your Belly For Good

If you’ve had children, lost a large amount of weight, or have always struggled with a less-than-perfect mid-section, then a tummy tuck may be the answer you need.

While diet and exercise play a large role in how your stomach looks and feels, sometimes it’s just not enough. Sometimes you have extra skin that has to be surgically removed. Make sure to do a bit of background research, so you can make an informed decision about whether or not this surgery is right for you.

Definition
A tummy tuck involves operating to reveal a taut, tight stomach. The doctor will remove excess skin from the area and sometimes liposuction is needed to get rid of fat from the belly. Also known as abdominoplasty, this operation is ideal for women that have decided not to have more kids. As a result, you will have the confidence to wear form-fitting tops or show off a firm belly in a two-piece bathing suit.

Process
Before beginning an operation, it’s vital to find a board-certified surgeon that has extensive experience with doing a tummy tuck. The procedure requires the doctor to make a horizontal incision from hip bone to hip bone.

Then he will cut the navel area and separate skin from the stomach walls. This will reveal your muscles. The surgeon will sew muscles together, eliminate extra skin and reposition everything so that it’s nice and tight. He will then stitch the area and re-attach the navel.

Side effects
Although a tummy tuck is a very common procedure, there are some side effects that can occur as a result of the surgery. Some women experience bleeding, infection, blood clots and more. Many times, these issues can occur because the patient fails to carefully follow the doctor’s instructions. Furthermore, pre-existing issues such heart disease can also make you more likely to have complications after this operation.

Healing
For the most part, recovery time after a tummy tuck can take a few weeks before you start to feel like yourself again. Everyone is different and for some, additional hospital time is needed. You should expect to feel sore after this procedure and swelling is common.

You may also need to wear certain garments to help with swelling. As far as pain, your doctor can prescribe medication to help ease your discomfort. The incisions will leave scars, but the look and feel of them will fade as the weeks go by.