A tummy tuck, also referred to as an abdominoplasty, can help reduce the appearance of loose and flabby skin around your abdomen by strengthening the walls of your tummy, as well as tightening your stomach muscles. This surgery removes fat and tightens loose skin around the abdomen and is not meant to be used as a weight loss tool. Tummy tucks are for areas around the abdomen that don’t respond to diet and exercise and can be an ideal solution to achieving a slimmer waistline.

A tummy tuck can be performed as either an outpatient or inpatient procedure, and can be done in many instances under general anesthesia. However, a local anesthetic and a sedative are preferred by a board certified plastic surgeon. The surgeon will begin by making a long incision from hip to hip. The muscles of the abdomen are pulled closer together, tightened and stitched to secure them into position. You will more than likely have dressings and bandages covering the surgery site when you wake up in the recovery room. A drain tube may be used to keep fluid from building up.

What should you expect after an abdominoplasty? The healing and recovery process can take weeks or even months and can be very painful. The most common symptoms to expect during this procedure include muscle soreness, muscle tenderness, fatigue, numbness in some areas, heavy scarring, bruising and redness.

It is important to take the medications that your doctor prescribes after surgery for an adequate recovery. You will probably be given prescription painkillers and antibiotics to help with the muscle soreness and any residual pain. You might have some bruising and swelling around the incision site, but it should heal within a few weeks. It may be difficult to stand or move for long periods of time, so have a comfortable area at home to spend your recovery period. Apply an ice pack to sore muscles and make sure the area is padded so that you can sleep comfortably. Expect to wear loose-fitting clothing that doesn’t constrict your waistline.

The possibility of infection and adverse reactions to anesthetics is always a possibility with any surgery; also with cheek implants, nose reshaping or breast augmentation surgery, for example. Complications like blood clots can pose life-threatening risks in rare cases. There are some other complications that you should think about before undertaking this particular tummy reduction procedure, such as hematoma, belly button death, skin death, excessive scarring, ruptured stitches and excessive bleeding.

As reported by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the national average cost of tummy tucks is $4,500 in 2008, but can go as high as $6,000 to $10,000 when facility and anesthesia fees are included. The ASPS website is a great place to learn more information. You can find it at www.plasticsurgery.org.

The most critical factor for recovery after an abdominoplasty is getting enough rest. You will need to skip workouts for awhile and do only light physical activity. Exercises like Pilates, yoga and sports that require extensive stretching or cardio will need to be avoided for up to two months after your tummy tuck procedure.

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