By Dr Yv Rao , Cosmetic/Plastic Surgery
Also known as an abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck surgery is a form of cosmetic surgery in which excess fat and skin are removed from the abdomen and the muscles in your abdominal regions are tightened. It is not similar to liposuction and it is possible for liposuction and the tummy tuck surgery to be performed at the same time.
Procedure-
The procedure will be conducted after the patient is administered with general anaesthesia. The surgeon will then remove excess fat and skin from your abdomen by making a small cut just above your belly button. He will then put a small elastic bandage to help heal better. However, a number of variations of tummy tuck surgery are possible. Some of them include:
- Complete abdominoplasty
- Partial abdominoplasty
- Extended abdominoplasty
- High lateral tension tummy tuck
- Floating Abdominoplasty or FAB Technique
- Circumferential abdominoplasty
- Combination procedures
Recovery-
- Pain Medications- Pain medications are administered so that you can resume normal activities as soon as possible. However, it may still take several weeks or even months to do so.
- Take care of the bandage- It is just as important to follow the doctor’s instructions on how to clean and put on the bandage as otherwise, you may get an infection.
- Avoid Nicotine- It is advisable that all forms of nicotine are avoided during the recovery period.
- Maintain proper postures while sitting and lying down- It is crucial to follow your doctor’s instructions when it comes to sitting and lying down as he will recommend certain postures which will give you less pain as compared to others.
- Heavy lifting should be avoided- Lifting heavy objects, whether a part of your work or not, should be religiously avoided till the recovery period comes to a close.