You can contour the body a number of ways, from losing weight to building muscle. When you’ve spent months or even years focusing on these things without impressive results, you may be motivated to turn to other, more effective methods. A tummy tuck is a surgical procedure that can help you achieve fast results when you want to look slenderer and more defined. If you’ve wondered about the details of the abdominoplasty procedure, let’s look at some of the pros and cons.
What is Involved in a Tummy Tuck Procedure?
During this procedure, a cosmetic surgeon will remove excess fat, tissue and loose skin from the area of the body around the stomach and abdominals. It can also be used to tighten up muscle tissue. This isn’t the same thing as liposuction, which involves a small incision to suction fat out of the body. Material is physically cut from the body, and the remaining skin is then reattached for a smoother look.
The Pros of a Tummy Tuck
- Your results can be customized based on what you’re looking to achieve. You can work with your doctor to come up with a surgical plan. Some people are interested in the removal of excess skin after losing weight, but it can also be used to create defined abs, repair damage after having children, remove stretch marks, etc.
- While many of the desired effects of a tummy tuck include cosmetic benefits, a tummy tuck can alleviate back pain that is caused by carrying around excess weight.
- You can improve your overall health with a tummy tuck. By removing excess skin and fat, this reduces your risk of things like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea and gallbladder disease.
- A tummy tuck can strengthen your core, which can then improve your overall flexibility and posture.
- After pregnancy, many women experience a condition called diastasis recti. This is when the abdominal muscles are pulled and stretched during pregnancy, to the point where they actually separate. Women who have diastasis recti usually continue to have a bulging or sagging stomach long after they have given birth. This condition can be treated during a tummy tuck procedure.
- Urinary incontinence is also something that can occur after a pregnancy. The muscles around the bladder will stretch, resulting in urinary leakage. A tummy tuck can help tighten the muscles around the pelvic wall and bladder to rectify this problem.
Cons of a Tummy Tuck
- This is a more invasive procedure that can take some time to recover from. It usually takes a few weeks to move around normally again, but some people don’t feel completely like themselves for 12 full weeks.
- Recovery can be painful and uncomfortable. You may feel a tightness or experience swelling as a result of your tummy tuck. Your doctor will likely give you some sort of pain medication as part of your recovery instructions. It’s ideal to take your medication before you start to feel sore, instead of waiting for pain to set in.
- There will be some degree of a scar left behind after a tummy tuck. Most surgeons attempt to locate a tummy tuck incision very low on the body, so it won’t be visible above your waistline. Your clothing should cover it. There are products like creams and ointments that you can use during recovery to prevent the formation of an unsightly scar.
- You need to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle in order to retain the results of your tummy tuck. If you gain weight, it may appear like your tummy tuck never happened. Pregnancy can have the same effect. It’s recommended that you wait to have a tummy tuck until you’re done having children.
- The cost of a tummy tuck is usually paid out of pocket. Most insurance companies will not cover this procedure.
If you would like to learn more about the pros and cons of a tummy tuck and how this procedure can change your life, reach out to our knowledgeable team here at Boutinic Aesthetics. We are happy to answer any questions that you have, and we can schedule you for an initial tummy tuck consultation if you would like.
