Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is a major cosmetic surgery that helps to get rid of excess fat on the abdominal area. This surgery is a solution for those who cannot lose weight even after following all kinds of diet plans and exercising. It helps you to achieve that perfect tummy you have always desired.

This procedure involves the removal of unnecessary fat from your tummy area followed by repositioning the skin to give way for a toned stomach. The surgery tightens the abdominal muscles and fascia of the abdominal wall. It is helpful for people with loose or sagging tissues after pregnancy or major weight loss.

Reasons to undergo ‘Abdominoplasty’

Certain factors make Abdominoplasty an inevitable necessity, such as when the patient:

• Has tried everything for weight loss but has not achieved desired result.
• Has lost significant weight but the excess skin still hangs around the stomach area, making the body unattractive.
• Has sagging stomach because of aging or has tried liposuction but failed to get desired outcomes.
• Wishes to have a perfect and toned body, but the stomach does not want to cooperate and protrudes awkwardly.

RIGHT CANDIDATE FOR ABDOMINOPLASTY/TUMMY TUCK SURGERY:

Patients opting to undergo for Abdominoplasty must make sure that they do not have:

• Any chronic disease such as heart, liver or abdominal disease.
• Plans to lose more weight in the future as the surgery can tighten their muscles and losing weight might not be good after undergoing the procedure.

TYPES OF ABDOMINOPLASTY

In simple words, Abdominoplasty is a cosmetic surgery to remove excess fat from abdomen. Surgeons perform this method after analyzing the patient’s tummy area and the results required. Some of the techniques used in tummy tuck surgery are as follows:

Mini Abdominoplasty

If the patient only has excess fat or saggy skin under the belly button area, Mini tummy tuck is the solution. The procedure involves making a small incision in the lower region of the patient’s stomach. It is the simplest of all the tummy tuck procedures and leaves only a small scar.

Full Abdominoplasty

This procedure is for patients who have overall big belly fat. Under this procedure, the incision made is bigger than that of mini tummy tuck, as it requires removing considerable fat. The surgeon usually makes a horizontal incision or a U-shaped incision to perform this surgery. The scar from this procedure is slightly bigger but can help one get the desired toned body.

Extended Abdominoplasty

Extended tummy tuck is for the patients who have saggy skin after extreme weight loss. The surgeon makes an incision at the targeted area, removes excess skin and then closes the gap, hence making skin look tauter. The scar from this procedure is longer than standard abdominoplasty procedure.

THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE DECIDING ON TUMMY TUCK

• The first and foremost thing to consider before getting a tummy tuck is the cost of this surgery. Cosmetic procedures are always a pricey affair, if you go to a skilled and experienced surgeon. The tummy tuck cost in India normally ranges between 1 lakh to 2 lakh INR as per the patient’s requirements.

• To get an optimum result without damaging your body, it is very important to opt for a skilled and experienced surgeon. You have to get a lot of consultations and choose on the basis of their success rate. You can ask for the before and after pictures of their recent clients.
• It is a commitment that you make with your body. So it is important that you are physically and emotionally ready for the change and equally essential is to get rid of habits like smoking, etc. before the surgery. There are always certain expectations attached with the results of the procedure which might not be met in rare cases, so it is important to be prepared for such circumstances.

You may also have to make some changes around your house to make it easier for you to get better after the surgery such as:

• Prepare loose clothes to wear
• Get some ice packs and petroleum jelly ready
• It is better to use chair and a hand held shower in the bathroom.

PROCEDURE – HOW THIS SURGERY IS PERFORMED?

Pre-Surgery Care: The foremost step in this surgical treatment is a full body check up to analyze the situation and to decide the best possible approach of abdominoplasty. In addition:

• You need to quit smoking for about 2 months before the surgery.
• It is important to decide the appropriate type of procedure that you would need to undergo.
• Your body must be fully ready to accept the change and for that, you might have to shed some weight on your own
• You should try to maintain a fixed body weight limit for up to 12 months.

During Surgery: The patient gets a dose of local anesthesia to make him unconscious or to numb the surgical area.

• Next, the plastic surgeon will make an incision in the tummy area and start removing excess fat. He will then stitch the skin tight around the abdomen area to make the stomach appear more toned. The surgeon will also reposition your belly button at a more natural position.
• The patient will be kept under observation for few hours and after making sure that everything is well, he can go home.

Post-Surgery:The patient might feel uneasy in the first few weeks after the surgery, which is completely normal.

• The doctors will put drains in the incision to remove the accumulating fluids. One needs to follow the surgeon’s instructions about bandages and drains strictly.
• The patient should wear a binder around the abdomen to protect tummy area.
• Surgeons prefer advising the patient not to take part in stressful activities and avoid bending for a few weeks.
• There might be irregular pain for the first two months. The doctor will usually prescribe painkillers during first 2 weeks.
• Regular follow up with the surgeon is advisable to make sure everything is well and fine.
• Patients should eat healthy and maintain their body weight for long-lasting results.

RISKS AND COMPLICATIONS

• The patient will feel pain for few weeks after the surgery and there might also be some swelling around your stomach.

• Just like any other surgical treatment, the tummy tuck surgery also involves various risks, such as infection, excessive bleeding, blood clots and swelling.
• Complications might arise because of medical history like diabetes, lung or heart disease etc.
• This surgery is sure to leave a scar on the patient’s body which might fade after applying ointments. While one can hide some scars, the others are not that easy to cover.
• The surgeons recommend 1 – 2 months of complete rest after the procedure. It is better to avoid working during this period in order to allow the body to heal.