| Dr. Benjamin Chu 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. A tummy tuck is a procedure to tighten the abdomen usually after a woman has had skin stretched, after having children or a person who has lost a lot of weight and now has loose skin of the abdomen.
Q. What are the benefits of a tummy tuck?
A. The benefits of an abdominoplasty when done properly is a significant tightening of the abdomen with a much smaller waistline. We typically reduce the waistline 4-5 inches but the most has been 11 inches of the waist. In addition to having a tighter, flatter abdomen the individual now has improved posture and often improvement of back pain due to poor posture. Individuals now have a renewed sense of confidence and often are confident to go to the beach and wear a bikini again.
Q. How is a tummy tuck performed? And How long does it takes?
A. The tummy tuck is performed here in my own operative suite. My OR is fully accredited by the AAAASF which has extremely high safety standards. This is a requirement for being a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. It usually takes about three hours to do a proper tummy tuck. There is an incision which is placed low in the level of the panty line and the loose skin of the abdomen is lifted and then the loose muscles of the abdomen is tightened. Then the loose skin is pulled down tight and the excess skin removed.
Q. Are there risks and complications to a tummy tuck?
A. The risks of the tummy tuck are few, if the individual is healthy and not obese. Smokers may have wound healing problems, as well as untreated diabetics. The procedure is usually quite painful but I incorporate a pain pump infusion devise that infuses numbing medicine to the tummy to deaden the pain after surgery for 3-4 days. This significantly reduces the pain normally experienced in a tummy tuck.
Q. What should one expect after the operation?
A. After the tummy tuck the person will appear significantly slimmer in the waist areas with smooth flat skin. There will be a scar in the lower panty line region and this is easily covered by the panty or bathing suit.
Q. Will a person have a scar after the tummy tuck?
A. The most widely used and the gold standard is the tulmescent liposuction method, where saline fluid with local anesthetics are carefully instilled in the fat and then with the use of small liposuction canulas the excess fat may be removed leaving a smoother flatter surface. I see in the future the use of Laser liposuction can further tighten the skin and minimal to no buising with faster recovery times.
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