Abdominoplasty

Posted on Friday, March 23rd, 2012 by Dr. Babak Dadvand

Reason for Abdominoplasty:
Abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, is a surgical procedure designed to tighten the stomach muscles as well as get rid of the excess skin and fat. The cause of the looseness is usually either from pregnancy or weight gain and loss. Our “6-pack” muscles are two long muscles that run next to each other from the ribcage to the pubic area. When someone becomes pregnant or gains a moderate amount of weight, the distance between the muscles increases. Once the pregnancy is over, or the weight comes off, the distance between the muscles gets smaller but usually not back to before. This is like wearing a corset that is too loose and is partly responsible for the bulge that most people complain about. In addition to the looseness in the muscles, the skin has usually been stretched as well. Some tell-tale signs of this are stretch marks.

Once these changes have occurred, it is impossible to tighten the skin and bring the muscles back together on your own. In a tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, the muscles are sutured back together and the excess skin and fat is removed. Sometimes, conservative liposuction of the waists can also be done to improve the contour.

After Abdominoplasty Surgery:
After surgery, patients usually take one to two weeks off from work. You will have two drains in place for 7-14 days. You will have an abdominal binder for 4 to 6 weeks. This just helps with giving extra support in the early postoperative period. Patients are encouraged to walk the day after surgery to minimize the risk of blood clots, but strenuous activity and exercise is delayed for 6 weeks.

Results:
This is one of the most satisfying surgeries because the results are very dramatic and cannot be achieved through any amounts of diet and exercise.

To read about mini tummy tucks, please go to my blog: Full or Mini Tummy Tuck.

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