Summer is quickly approaching, and you may already be thinking how you will look in a bikini. You may have even lost a few pounds to see if that made your tummy flatter. Unfortunately, if you’re like most people, it didn’t make enough of a difference.
Why Losing Belly Fat Is Hard
Losing belly fat takes a lot of work and dedication. You must eat the right foods, avoid alcohol, and exercise intensely and consistently to lose the fat and keep it off. Most people do not have the time or the energy to do all of this for the rest of their life, or for as long as they want a flat, tight belly.
The Tummy Tuck Solution
A tummy tuck is the best solution for people who want to look beautiful in a bikini, but don’t want to put in the work. With a simple procedure, people will have the flat and tight belly they want.
When you decide to have the tummy tuck procedure, you will meet with a plastic surgeon who will examine your abdominal area to determine how much skin and fat needs to be removed.
After reviewing your medical history to ensure you are a candidate for surgery, the plastic surgeon will make an appointment for the procedure.
The tummy tuck procedure is not a long one (about two to five hours), but it is surgery. The first step is to administer anesthesia.
General anesthesia is used because of the invasiveness of the procedure. This means it’s important to have someone available to drive you home afterwards. If you do not have a loved one available to drive you home, schedule a transportation service.
After the anesthesia is administered, you will fall asleep in a few minutes. You will be unaware of what is happening during the entire procedure.
The next step is to make the incision. When someone needs a full tummy tuck, a horizontal incision is made between the pubic hairline and belly button. The length of the incision depends on how much skin needs to be removed. The scarring from the incision is completely hidden underneath the panty line.
The only scarring that may be seen afterwards is if the plastic surgeon needs to remove excess skin from the upper abdominal. This incision is made around the navel. The scarring is usually faint, and most people are not bothered by it. You will know whether this needs to be performed before the procedure, so you can make a decision about it.
Once the lower incision has been made, the plastic surgeon will lift the abdominal skin. This is where the abdominal muscles are, and if they need to be repaired, this is when it will happen.
For those who have excess skin above the navel, the plastic surgeon will pull down the upper abdominal skin. The excess skin is trimmed, and then the plastic surgeon will put the abdominal skin back with sutures.
Since the belly button may be gone after trimming and suturing, a new belly button opening can be placed where it looks best. After creating a hole for the belly button, it is popped through, and sutured in place.
The final step is to close all of the incisions. This includes using sutures, tapes, clips and/or skin adhesives. The plastic surgeon determines what will work best for recovery.
The flatter, tighter abdominal area is noticed right away. Full results are not seen until swelling goes down after recovery.
Recovering from a Tummy Tuck
Following the plastic surgeon’s recommendations during recovery is crucial. An infection can occur if patients do not care for themselves as the abdominal area heals.
Some general recommendations include:
- Some patients may have a tube placed under the skin to drain the excess fluid from the incision site.
- A compression garment must be used during recovery.
- Recovery can take up to two months but can take as little as two weeks.
- Patients should refrain from strenuous activity.
- Patients should avoid lifting heavy objects.
- Most people return to work by the second week of their recovery, but only with the plastic surgeon’s permission.
Recovering from a tummy tuck isn’t difficult. Most patients use the time to catch up on much needed sleep and relaxation.
Get a Tummy Tuck Just in Time for Summer
The perfect time for a tummy tuck is the winter and spring. By the time you’re fully recovered, it will be time for you to show off your amazing body in your bikini.
Contact Suffolk Plastic Surgeons, PC. now to schedule a consultation. Our team of experienced plastic surgeons can perform a tummy tuck procedure before it’s time to make your summer body debut. Call us at 631-364-0333 to speak to one of our scheduling specialists.
