The Ins and Outs of Tummy Tuck Surgery
May 01, 2023
A tummy tuck is a big deal and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Plastic surgeon Brian Blumenauer, MD, at Oceana Aesthetics in Stuart, Florida, is an expert at body contouring surgery. Nonsurgical treatment options are available as well for those who wish to avoid surgery or downtime.
Dr. Blumenauer often recommends contouring the abdomen and flanks with EMSCULPT NEO®. Patients then often ask which is the best treatment option to improve their abdominal contour? Surgery is sometimes the best option if you’ve developed sagging skin or overly stretched abdominal
muscles due to pregnancy or from losing a significant amount of weight. If this describes you, you’re in good hands with Dr. Blumenauer. He prioritizes patient safety and natural-looking results. In this blog, he explains what’s involved in a tummy tuck and what the recovery process is like.
During a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), Dr. Blumenauer surgically removes excess skin and fat from the abdominal area and tightens the abdominal wall muscles to create a flatter, firmer abdomen.
Dr. Blumenauer may recommend abdominoplasty if the skin and muscles in your abdomen have stretched beyond their ability to return to normal following a pregnancy or weight loss or because of aging.
Because further weight loss or pregnancies can affect the results of a tummy tuck, he recommends that patients not consider abdominoplasty until they’ve reached and maintained their weight loss goals and don’t plan on having more children.
During tummy tuck surgery, which is usually an outpatient procedure performed under general anesthesia, Dr. Blumenauer makes an incision along the bikini line in the lower abdomen.
Working upward toward the belly button, he separates the skin and fat from the underlying muscles. After tightening and stitching the muscles together, he pulls the skin taut, removes the excess tissue, and closes the incision along the bikini line to create a smoother abdominal contour.
Depending on the amount of correction necessary, which Dr. Blumenauer discusses with you before scheduling the procedure, you may require a complete, mini, or circumferential abdominoplasty to achieve your desired results.
For instance, during a complete abdominoplasty, Dr. Blumenauer creates an incision to free the navel from the surrounding structures so it can be repositioned during the surgery. A circumferential abdominoplasty, on the other hand, includes skin and fat removal from the hips and lower back.
Recovery after a tummy tuck depends on the extent of your procedure, your body’s healing abilities, and your adherence to your post-operative care instructions. Dr. Blumenauer discusses your expected postoperative course before scheduling your procedure and continues to follow you closely to ensure you heal as expected.
Generally, however, recovering fully from a tummy tuck takes several weeks. We recommend arranging assistance with routine daily activities, such as meal prep, for several days after surgery. Most people usually take at least a couple weeks off work. However, if your job includes strenuous physical activity, you’ll need to take more time off, because physical activity is limited for 4-6 weeks after abdominoplasty.
Pain, bruising, and swelling are expected within the first week of surgery, but these issues should decrease significantly after that. Otherwise, you should notice continued improvements in your abdominal profile over the next several months.
Research shows that most people love the results of their tummy tuck, and they find the surgery significantly increases their self-confidence while improving their overall satisfaction with life.
If you want to learn more about tummy tucks and would like to see if one could help you, call 772-324-9515 or book an appointment online with Oceana Aesthetics today.