| Dr. Jeremy Silk 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 one of the most common procedures I perform. It is a powerful technique to revitalize the abdomen. With age, weight gain, and pregnancy the tissue of the abdominal wall stretch and widen. This leads to loose, excess skin, and sometimes extra fat on the tummy. In addition, the underlying rectus muscles (the six-pack) stretch and spread, leading to a loss of definition of the hips. These problems cannot always be corrected with exercise and dieting, for many women, surgery is the only way. Before and after photos can be found on my website.
Q. How is a tummy tuck performed?
Basically, a long horizontal lower incision is made in the bikini line, and the skin and fat are separated away from the underlying muscles of the abdomen. Next the muscles are tightened up to reshape the waistline and give an hourglass figure. The excess skin is then trimmed, and the lower incision is closed. I like to refer patients to the American Board of Plastic surgery website for excellent 3D animations: http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Patients_and_Consumers/Procedures/Procedure_Animations/Tummy_Tuck.html
Q. How long does tummy tuck surgery take?
About three hours. The procedure is performed with the patient fully asleep under general anesthesia. They go home the same day. They will be sore for a week or two, and 2 weeks off work is recommended. They are able to get up and take care of themselves the first day, but need help around the house for a few days, especially if they have small children.
Q. Are there risks and complications to a tummy tuck?
With any surgery, there are risks of bleeding, infection, excessive scar tissue, and chronic pain. Specific to this surgery, there are risks of wound healing and skin loss around the incision. These are usually minor and correctable with minor procedures later. The most common serious risk is a major blood clot, which fortunately is only about a 1 in 1000 chance.
Q. What should one expect after the operation?
Soreness for about 2 weeks. They cannot work out for 6 weeks while they heal. There will be plastic drains left in for a week or so. They need to wear a compression garment - a girdle - for six weeks. They can expect a dramatic improvement in the appearance of their abdomen.
Q. How much does a tummy tuck cost?
Around seven thousand dollars, total cost to the patient including surgeon fees, anesthesia and OR fees.
Q. How long do the results of a tummy tuck last?
I would say they are permanent. The muscles are permanently tightened and the excess skin removed. If the patient's weight stays roughly the same, good results will be seen for 20 years or more.
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