All You Ever Wanted To Know About Tummy Tucks

It is not uncommon to have perfect strangers walk up to you with unsolicited advice when you are pregnant. They will tell you of how they are suffering from flabby tummies and that kangaroo pouch since their babies were born. For some women, this could scare them through their pregnancies in anticipation of getting back into shape. Most women with normal vaginal births are able to bounce back with a more or less flat tummy. However, those who have had to undergo a C-section tell a different story.

For those who have gone through a C-section, it is difficult to get that pre-pregnancy taut tummy back again. At times, no amount of dieting and rigorous exercises helps. This desire for a flat tummy can also effect those who lost a considerable amount of weight or have misshapen tummies due to sagging skin. Drastic weight fluctuations results in this kangaroo pouch since the skin loses its elasticity and is just unable to bounce back to its original shape.

Fortunately, most of these issues can be remedied with an abdominoplasty or a tummy tuck. Dr. Stephen R. Kay will be happy to help you eliminate that kangaroo pouch and get back your pre-pregnancy shape.

Here are some commonly asked questions regarding tummy tucks:

Am I a good candidate for a tummy tuck?

If you have some loose, sagging skin, loose muscles and also excessive fat, you can opt for a tummy tuck. Most of the patients are women trying to regain pre pregnancy shape. It is advised to be done with all your pregnancies before opting for a tummy tuck so that you do not ruin your results. You are an ideal candidate if you are within 20 percent of your ideal body weight. Additionally, if you have had bariatric surgery or otherwise lost significant amount of weight, abdominoplasty is a good option for you.

How long would the procedure take?

Usually the amount of time required for the procedure depends upon the expertise of your surgeon and the amount of surgery that is required. In most cases, this would be about 2 to 3 hours.

What are the scars from a tummy tuck like?

The scars from the tummy tuck surgery are permanent but these fade with time. The appearance as well as the length of the scar varies from patient to patient.

Are the tummy tuck results permanent?

Even though the results of a tummy tuck are permanent, however, you need to maintain your weight. Any considerable weight gain will affect your results.

Do I have alternatives to tummy tuck that do not require anesthesia?

A tummy tuck works to removing the excessive skin, contouring the fat as well as tightening of your abdominal muscles. This means your waist is narrowed and tummy flattened with one procedure. Liposuction is another procedure which is used for abdominal reduction. Even though it removes the fat, it cannot guarantee against any reduction of excess skin. On the other hand, there are devices which can assist with shrinking of skin, but these are not helpful with fat removal.

The best results can be obtained with a combination of a tummy tuck with liposuction. Anybody can regain their pre weight loss/ pregnancy tummy with the tummy tuck and see changes in the stretch marks as well. Dr. Stephen R. Kay recommends you reach your ideal weight and then make your decision for the procedure to get optimized results!