Do you have loose skin on your stomach that causes you to feel self-conscious? Maybe you have some stubborn fat and loose skin on your abdomen that just won’t go away. Sometimes traditional methods like exercise don’t solve the problem no matter how many endless hours you spend working out. If you have to deal with this frustration and feel that you’ve tried everything you can, a tummy tuck may be the solution for you. This is just one of the many procedures we offer here at Bella Forma CSC & Medspa in Duluth, GA to help you achieve the contoured, smooth abdomen you desire.
You may wonder exactly what this procedure is and what its key benefits are. In this article, we’ve provided the answers to those questions for you to help you make a decision. We’ll also discuss who qualifies as a candidate to help you see if you are ready to discuss the procedure further.
What Is a Tummy Tuck?
A tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, is a surgical procedure that removes excess or loose skin on the abdomen to minimize its appearance. Many times excess fat is also removed along with the skin. This procedure can also restore separated or weakened abdominal muscles.
Conditions Treated
There are many causes of excess or loose skin in the abdominal area, such as genetics, significant weight fluctuations, drastic weight loss, aging, pregnancy, and prior surgeries like appendectomies or caesarian sections. These factors can put undue pressure on the skin and also cause you to have weakened and even separated abdominal muscles.
Weakened or separated abdominal muscles can cause other unwanted conditions, such as:
- Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)
- Lordosis (sway back)
- Ventral hernias
- Back pain
If you are experiencing loose or excess skin in the abdominal area or conditions caused by weakened stomach muscles, abdominoplasty can provide a viable solution.
How It Works
You want to have a consult with the doctor before deciding to proceed with a tummy tuck. During this consult, you will discuss your medications, health conditions, prior surgeries, and expectations. The doctor will perform a physical exam and use all the information gathered to decide whether you are a candidate and which type of tuck is best for you. At this appointment, the doctor will also answer all questions regarding the procedure and process.
During the surgery, the doctor will place you under general anesthesia. After you are sufficiently anesthetized, the surgeon will then make an incision between your pubic hairline and belly button, disconnect the skin from the tissue underneath, suture the abdominal tissue, and cut away any excess skin. This allows the surgeon to remove up to 10 pounds of stomach fat. The surgeon will then close the incisions and allow you to recover.
Types of Abdominoplasties
There are various types of abdominoplasties that can be performed depending on how much excess skin and fat needs to be removed. The location of the excess skin and fat will also play a big role in which type of tuck is best for you. The most common types of abdominoplasties are partial/mini-tucks and full tucks. Here at Bella Forma, Dr. Jahno also performs a revolutionary form of abdominoplasty known as the Brazilian Tummy Tuck.
Partial/Mini Tuck
A mini tuck, also known as a partial/ mini-abdominoplasty, is typically done on people who have fat deposits located below the belly button. During this type of procedure, the surgeon does not often move the naval. This causes the procedure to only take up to two hours depending on the patient’s personal case.
Full Tuck
During a full tuck, also known as a complete abdominoplasty, the surgeon will cut the abdomen from hipbone to hipbone. He or she will then contour the tissue, skin, and muscle as needed to provide the projected end result. Your naval will be moved during this surgery, which can cause it to take longer than a mini tuck.
Brazilian Tuck
There is a specialized form of abdominoplasty that we perform called the Brazilian Tummy Tuck. Through this procedure, Dr. Jahno combines excess skin removal with tumescent liposuction for the ultimate balance and aesthetic symmetry.
Tumescent liposuction involves providing local anesthesia to a large amount of subcutaneous fat and using a small blunt-tipped needle to suction fat cells out of the body. This type of liposuction is less invasive to the body than traditional liposuction. By combining these two procedures, a larger amount of fat is removed compared to a traditional abdominoplasty.
What Are the Key Benefits of a Tummy Tuck?
Though abdominoplasty does provide cosmetic improvements, there are also several medical conditions that it can remedy. There are many benefits to abdominoplasty, such as restored abdominal muscles, improved posture, better aesthetics, longevity, aid with weight loss, and even correction of medical conditions.
Restored Abdominal Muscles
After multiple pregnancies, extreme weight loss, and sometimes serious injuries, the muscles in the stomach can become distended. Many times they can also physically separate from one another. Unfortunately, exercise and diet alone cannot help to restore the muscles back to their original position.
Through abdominoplasty, we can surgically tighten weak abdominal muscles and even bring the separated muscles back together. Because we will also remove excess fat and skin, the abdomen will be flat and pleasingly contoured once again.
Improved Posture
The stomach muscles are a large portion of the body that help to support the spine. Therefore, bodily posture suffers when these muscles are weak, causing drooped shoulders, an extended neck, and a slumped appearance. Abdominoplasty tightens the muscles, allowing them to support the spine properly once again and resulting in a more upright posture.
Aesthetics
Having loose skin, excess fat, and distended abdominal muscles can cause anyone to feel self-conscious and unhappy with the appearance of their stomach. Abdominoplasty addresses and eliminates all these issues, resulting in a tight, contoured, and smooth abdomen.
With the addition of the tumescent liposuction performed in the Brazilian Tuck, you will achieve excellent aesthetic symmetry and balance in your end result. Your clothes will also fit better, which will help to boost your overall confidence and self-esteem.
Longevity
The results of an abdominoplasty are considered permanent; however, this depends on future pregnancies as well as weight fluctuations. If the patient exercises routinely, has a good diet after the procedure, and does not have too many pregnancies, then the results can last for a lifetime.
Weight Loss Aid
Studies have shown that abdominoplasty can actually aid patients with weight loss after the procedure. One reason is that eliminating excess skin and tightening weak muscles can make exercising easier and less painful. This makes it much easier to lose weight and maintain it after the procedure.
Correction of Medical Conditions
As mentioned above, abdominoplasty can treat a number of medical conditions caused by the weakening and separating of the abdominal muscles. These include Stress Urinary Incontinence, Lordosis, and ventral hernias.
Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)
SUI is a bladder control problem that happens when there is too much pressure on the urethra and bladder. It is characterized by uncontrollable leakage induced by sudden, forceful actions like sneezing, coughing, exercising, and even laughing. Though this is normally treated without surgery, there are some patients who need more care if their case is more severe.
Studies have indicated that abdominoplasty can help patients with recovery from this condition, especially if they have not had a caesarian section. During the abdominoplasty, the surgeon will use soft tissue near the pelvic area to create a slight bladder obstruction and reduce incontinence.
Lordosis
Lordosis, also known as swayback, is caused by the combination of carrying excess skin and weakened abdominal muscles. It is characterized by an exaggerated inward curvature of the spine, which usually causes some back pain. Because the abdominoplasty will tighten and strengthen the abdominal muscles, the spine can be supported. This allows the patient to stand up straighter, eliminating the inward curvature and diminishing or even alleviating back pain.
Ventral Hernia
A ventral hernia is formed when the intestine or abdominal tissue breaks through the abdominal wall and forms a sack or pouch. It is caused by pressure on the skin and weakness of the abdomen because of drastic weight loss, a caesarian section, or an appendectomy. Once one hernia forms, there is a high chance that it can recur.
Abdominoplasty can address the underlying symptoms that cause a ventral hernia. Surgeons can often combine an abdominoplasty procedure with a hernia correction procedure, strengthening the abdominal walls and preventing future occurrences of ventral hernias simultaneously. This will also reduce your medical costs and recovery time.
Who Is a Candidate for a Tummy Tuck?
Just as with any surgical procedure, you want to make sure that you are a candidate before you proceed. This involves making sure you know what conditions, medications, or past procedures would exclude you from candidacy.
Who Qualifies as a Candidate
If you are an adult male or female who is bothered by the appearance of your abdomen or is suffering from a condition caused by weakened or separated abdominal muscles, then abdominoplasty will definitely benefit you.
Another important qualification is your physical condition. Because of the nature of the procedure, you must be physically healthy to avoid any complications. You also should be at a stable weight, as fluctuating weight before and after the surgery can greatly impede the results.
Finally, you should be a nonsmoker and have realistic expectations of what abdominoplasty can do for you.
Who Does Not Qualify as a Candidate
Though it does get rid of excess skin and fat, abdominoplasty is not a weight loss procedure. If you are seeking a surgical solution for weight loss, then you are not a candidate for abdominoplasty.
Besides personal expectations, there are several conditions that can prevent a patient from being a candidate for abdominoplasty. These conditions include:
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Chronic heart disease
- Drastic weight fluctuations
- A history of kidney ailments
- Smoking
- Pregnancy or planned pregnancies
- A body mass index (BMI) over 30
- Significant scar tissue from a previous surgery
Of course, it is important that you have a consult with one of our doctors to discuss any of these conditions. Because each individual is different, these conditions may not necessarily exclude you from being a candidate.
Achieving the Abdomen You Desire
We know how important it is for you to be able to feel confident in your own skin, which is why it is our aim to help you achieve that goal. If you have any further questions about the tummy tuck, call Bella Forma CSC & Medspa in Duluth, GA for a free consultation. We will be more than happy to help you on your journey to the abdomen you desire. We look forward to hearing from you!
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