| Dr. Winfield Hartley is a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Here the Doctor has answered some of the common questions bizymoms visitors have about Tummy Tuck.
Q. What is a Tummy Tuck?
A. An abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, is an operation designed to help mothers restore both the form and function of their stomach after childbirth. When a woman becomes pregnant and the uterus expands and weight is gained to support the infant, changes take place that are very difficult for many women to reverse. These changes including loose stretched out skin that may or may not have stretch marks, weakening of the abdominal wall muscles with separation from the midline, and deposits of fat in the lower abdomen that give a pooch that may or may not have been there before pregnancy. A tummy tuck is designed to repair the muscles and restore core balance to the abdomen. This can help with back pain as well as improve the appearance of the abdomen. The operation also addresses loose skin and fat that is directly removed with this procedure and often times tightens in the waist line to restore an hour glass figure to a woman’s shape.
Q. How long does a tummy tuck surgery take?
A. When it is performed by itself, the procedure is an outpatient procedure. The procedure takes approximately 2-2½ hours. Patients go home he same day and are generally back to work in 10-14 days. They are back to full exercise and activity by 4-6 weeks.
Q. Are there risks and complications?
A. The tummy tuck is by and large one of the safest procedures that I perform. Complications that we see are fluid forming between the skin and abdominal wall muscles that may need to be removed in the office, unattractive scarring, or problems with minor infections along the suture lines. Generally, all the complications are very self-limited and mild and can be treated without any long–term detriment to the outcome of the operation.
Q. What should one expect after the operation?
A. A tummy tuck is performed again as an out-patient procedure. Patient’s go home the day of surgery with antibiotics and pain medication. They begin moving immediately after surgery. I like my patient’s to ice their abdomen for about 72 hours following surgery, but want them up resuming their activities of daily life, i.e., fixing a sandwich, getting a glass of juice, going to the bathroom, going to the mailbox etc., immediately. Patients usually resume driving within 3-5 days. Most patients are back at work within 10-14 days. Full, unrestricted physical activity is achieved by 6-8 weeks. We usually resume cardio activity and exercise training at approximately 3 weeks.
Q. How much does a tummy tuck cost?
A. Tummy tuck estimated cost for the procedure is usually $6,900 - $8,400 depending on a particular woman’s needs.
Q. How long does the tummy tuck last?
A. The tummy tuck is not an operation that very often needs to be repeated. The results, if they are maintained with reasonable diet and exercise will last a lifetime.
|
