| Dr. Don Revis 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. Abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, is a surgical procedure to remove excess skin and fat from the abdomen and to tighten the underlying muscles of the abdominal wall. This is commonly combined with liposuction and/or breast surgery.
Q. How is a tummy tuck performed?
A. After you are properly anesthetized, an incision is made from hip bone to hip bone (full abdominoplasty) or may be limited to only the width of the pubic hairline (mini-abdominoplasty). The skin and fat are then gently lifted off of the underlying muscle of the abdominal wall, which is tightened using sutures. Some patients have hernias in the abdominal wall, and these may also be repaired during a tummy tuck.
After the muscles have been tightened, the excess skin and fat are then removed followed by careful suturing of the incisions to minimize your scar.
Q. How long does tummy tuck surgery take?
A. Approximately two to two and a half hours
Q. Are there risks and complications to a tummy tuck?
A. As with any surgery, there are potential risks. These are best minimized by choosing a surgeon board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, who uses only board certified M.D. anesthesiologists to administer your anesthesia, and only performs surgery in a full service hospital.
Q. What should one expect after the operation?
A. After a tummy tuck there is a two week period of recovery. Most patients can pick up their small children after one week and return to work after two weeks.
Q. How much does a tummy tuck cost?
A. A tummy tuck costs approximately $6500-$7500, which includes the fees of the surgeon, hospital and anesthesiologist.
Q. How long do the results of a tummy tuck last?
A. Once a tummy tuck is performed, it is rare to need another one, unless a patient experiences future pregnancies or significant weight loss or weight gain.
|
