Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) is an operation aimed at correcting the shape of the abdomen, eliminating stretched skin, localized fat deposits, rough postoperative scars, and eliminating diastasis of the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall.
What can be changed with abdominoplasty?
Often, people turn to a plastic surgeon with problems such as:
- A sagging belly (or, as people call it, an “apron”). This problem usually appears due to excess skin and fatty tissue on the anterior abdominal wall.
- Wrinkled, flabby abdominal skin. This problem appears after pregnancy or after sudden weight loss. The stretched skin of the abdomen does not contract sufficiently and wrinkles around the umbilical ring.
- The shape of the abdomen. Often after childbirth or with age, the ligamentous apparatus of the rectus abdominis muscles stretches and does not return to normal. In this regard, patients develop a "pot belly", or stretching of the anterior abdominal wall in the umbilical region, lower abdomen, and sometimes in the upper abdomen.
Unfortunately, all these problems cannot be solved by sports, cosmetic procedures and skin care products. And this is not only an aesthetic issue, such changes also have a general negative impact on the body: the load on the spine increases, hygienic inconveniences appear.
Indications for surgery:
- skin and fat folds, hanging
- pronounced stretch marks
- divergence of the rectus abdominis muscles (diastasis)
- postoperative scars in the abdominal area
- lack of an aesthetic waist contour
- umbilical hernia.
Contraindications to surgery:
- diabetes mellitus
- obesity grade 2 and higher
- diseases of the lungs, liver, kidneys, cardiovascular system in the stage of decompensation
- pregnancy (current or planned in the near future time)
- breastfeeding
- acute infectious diseases
- blood clotting disorders.
Course of surgery and postoperative period
The surgery lasts from three to five hours and is performed under general anesthesia. During the surgery, excess skin is removed, diastasis (divergence) of the rectus abdominis muscles is eliminated, and, if necessary, the navel is moved. Abdominoplasty is often combined with liposuction of the abdomen, sides, and back. The incision is usually located along the natural folds of the body, six months after the operation there will be a barely noticeable light strip that will not be visible under underwear.
Pain syndrome is usually not expressed after abdominoplasty: there may be unpleasant sensations when straining the abdominal muscles, at rest the patient does not feel discomfort.
Within a month after the operation, the patient will need to wear compression underwear around the clock. About a week after the operation, it is not recommended to straighten up, about two months after the operation, you will need to limit physical activity.
After two months after the operation, it is necessary to begin light physical exercises for the abdominal muscles, gradually increasing the load. This is important so that the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall do not lose tone.
