| Dr. Stephen Miller 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 tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a procedure which corrects a lax abdominal wall, and removes excess skin from the lower abdomen, often the result of pregnancy. It is not a weight loss procedure, and the patients need to be in the best shape possible before they consider having it done. We require patients to have a body mass index of 30 or less before they have this procedure done to reduce the possibilty of complications. If they smoke they also need to stop 4 weeks prior to surgery, and remain smoke free for 6 weeks post-op, once again to reduce the potential for healing problems.
Q. How is a tummy tuck performed?
An abdominoplasty is performed under general anesthesia, usually at the surgery center. The skin and fat are elevated off the abdominal wall up to the ribs, then the abdominal wall is tightened in the midline with permanent sutures. The excess skin and fat are then removed from the lower abdomen, usually to a point just above the belly button or umbilicus. The wound is then closed with sutures under the skin and the belly button is brought back out and secured to the skin.
Q. How long does tummy tuck surgery take?
An abdominoplasty typically takes about 2 hours, and the patients stay overnight.
Q. Are there risks and complications to a tummy tuck?
Risks include, but are not limited to, bleeding and infection (rare), numbness, fluid collection, or problems with wound healing which is more common in smokers.
Q. What should one expect after the operation?
The recovery period in terms of time off work is usually 2 weeks, but the patients need to limit their activities for 6 weeks.
Q. How much does a tummy tuck cost?
The cost is about $5500 for everything, including OR and anesthesia, as well as all follow up appointments.
Q. How long do the results of a tummy tuck last?
If a patient does not become pregnant again, or experience a large weight gain, the results are pretty much permanent.
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