Tummy tuck surgery offers some exciting rewards. With careful and early planning, patients who schedule abdominoplasty can maximize their outcomes. Here, we discuss the strategies that can help you get the most of your tummy tuck process.
Choose the right technique for your body.
Fortunately, as you explore your surgical options, your surgeon will conduct a thorough consultation and physical examination before making recommendations. You are not on your own to determine which tummy tuck technique is right for you. Options that your surgeon may discuss include:
- Mini tummy tuck. This abbreviated abdominoplasty technique focuses on the lower abdomen and requires a shorter incision in many cases. Due to the limited area of focus, the mini tummy tuck is not the most common approach to midsection contouring.
- Full tummy tuck. The full tummy tuck is the standard and most common approach to gaining better contours. This abdominoplasty technique requires incisions from hip to hip. These tend to fade nicely over time and, until they do, are hidden beneath a bikini or underwear. The benefit of full abdominoplasty is that this procedure smooths the midsection from the lower abdomen to the ribs. If needed, the surgeon can reposition the belly button.
- Extended tummy tuck. The extended tuck is often best suited for adults who have lost a significant amount of weight and have extra skin and moderate fat that extends from the front to the sides of the torso.
Combine a tummy tuck with liposuction.
Abdominoplasty achieves the best results when the midsection holds minimal to moderate fatty tissue. When a patient leans toward the moderate end of that spectrum, a surgeon may recommend liposuction to decrease the layer of fat cells that lies over the muscle. By reducing excess fat, liposuction accentuates the final outcome of abdominoplasty. Some patients even see the six-pack they didn’t realize they had!
Plan surgery at the right time.
The primary factor that will affect the outcome of abdominoplasty is weight. This may look different than expected. Most people realize that weight gain can affect midsection circumference. Women know that pregnancy after abdominoplasty could result in subsequent muscle laxity or separation. What patients often overlook is that weight loss after abdominoplasty could also degrade the aesthetic results that surgery had achieved. Before undergoing a tummy tuck, a patient should be at their ideal weight.
Are you interested in learning more about what abdominoplasty can do for you? Schedule a visit to our Louisville office at 502-425-5200.