Tummy tuck surgery IN IRVINE AND NEWPORT BEACH, ORANGE COUNTY, CA

A tummy tuck removes excess skin from the stomach, tightens abdominal muscles and eliminates or improves the appearance of scars on the abdomen. You may be a good candidate for a tummy tuck if you:

  • Are in overall good health
  • Have excess stomach skin due to weight changes
  • Have excess stomach skin due to pregnancy
  • Have stretched-out abdominal skin due to aging or heredity
  • Have bad posture and back problems caused by weak stomach muscles and excess stomach fat
  • Are NOT planning on getting pregnant in the future
  • Are NOT planning to lose a significant amount of weight in the future
  • Are NOT using the tummy tuck surgery alone as weight-loss surgery

THE TUMMY TUCK PROCEDURE

A tummy tuck is an outpatient procedure that lasts two to three hours, depending on the version of the procedure and other factors individual to you as a patient. The doctor will place you under general anesthesia and then make an incision between the pubic hairline and the belly button, lifting the abdominal skin to repair weakened abdominal muscles and remove any excess skin. In the case of a complete tummy tuck, a second incision is often made in the navel to remove excess skin from the upper abdomen. Once the excess skin has been trimmed and the muscles repaired, the abdominal skin is put back into position and trimmed, and then the skin is stitched together. For a complete tummy tuck, a new opening for the belly button will be created at this point, with the belly button then sutured into its new position.

COMBINATION PROCEDURES

To further enhance the appearance of your stomach, or for other, health-related reasons, you may wish to have other procedures performed in conjunction with your tummy tuck. You may want liposuction performed along with your tummy tuck to remove stomach fat and further contour the stomach. You may also opt to have hernia repair surgery performed along with your tummy tuck since both operations work in the abdominal area. Consult with your doctor during your consultation to discuss your surgery options.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN RECOVERY

The tummy tuck is an outpatient procedure, so you will return home after surgery, where it is recommended that you remain in bed until the following morning. Plan to have someone drive you to and from surgery, and have someone stay with you for the first 24 hours following surgery. The doctor will also give you instructions on bathing and sleeping techniques as well as exercises to use during the entire recovery process. To prevent the buildup of excess fluids in the abdomen, a suction drain is put in place during the surgery and remains in place for three days afterward (when you can remove it painlessly). In the case of a complete tummy tuck, your doctor will have also placed a urinary catheter during the procedure, and you will use the catheter through the first day and night after your surgery. Immediately after surgery, you may experience some abdominal discomfort, which your surgeon will give you medication to relieve. You may also experience some abdominal swelling which usually subsides after the first week, though swelling of the lower abdomen may subsist for a little while longer. After one week, you will visit your doctor to have your stitches removed. You will be able to return to normal activities within two weeks of the procedure, though no strenuous physical activity or exercise is recommended for the six to eight weeks following surgery. It is also recommended that you abstain from smoking for at least the first two weeks after surgery, to not interfere with the healing process. Expect to have regular doctor visits in the first few weeks, and then months, following the surgery so that your doctor can check that you are healing properly and with no complications. Though the full aesthetic effects of the tummy tuck procedure won’t be seen for up to six months afterwards, you will begin to see a marked improvement in your stomach contour within only two weeks after surgery.



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