In San Antonio the Tummy Tuck procedure is routine, and most of the time, you leave the surgery facility on the same day of surgery.
There are several things to consider to prepare for a tummy tuck.
If you have the following conditions, you can opt for the tummy tuck procedure.
· Flab, excess, or scratch marks on your belly that don’t get improve with the exercise and diet.
· Pregnancy and significant weight loss have hurt your abdomen’s shape.
· You don’t feel that your protruding abdomen is attractive.
· You want to increase your self-confidence by getting your stomach contoured.
In this surgical method, your doctor will mark your abdomen to make the incision. They will inject a solution of epinephrine and lidocaine into your body. Next, they will make a primary incision about the pubic mound. Moreover, they will make one more incision around your navel. However, in a mini tummy tuck method, your doctor will create a smaller incision.
Your health provider will lose the skin of the abdominal wall. Then, they will place sutures in your abdominal muscles’ fascia. This portion of your body is the muscle repair part of the surgery. After the sutures of abdominal muscles, your surgeon will take out the excess fat by your chosen method, such as liposuction. The skin of your abdomen will stretch and come down over your incision area. This way, your excess skin will be removed. After that, your doctor will mark the place to put your naval. It is important to understand that the skin around the naval may be removed, but the naval stays in the same position.
Your doctor will make a hole through the re-draped skin. Then, suture this around the navel. In addition, your doctor will use sutures, tissue glue, and steri-strips to close the incisions. Your plastic surgeon's primary objective is to give you the best results to meet your goals.
Your doctor will give you pre-operative instructions. You can ask any question you want. They will also take your detailed medical history and conduct a physical exam to observe your fitness level.
For the cosmetic surgery, your health provider will recommend you:
· Avoid smoking before the surgery for quick recovery
· Stop taking aspirin and some other type of anti-inflammatory medication that can raise the chances of bleeding.
· Keep yourself hydrated before and after the surgery for recovery purposes.
Depending on your chosen doctor, you will get the surgery in an out-patient ambulatory surgery center, hospital, or office-based surgical institution. Your plastic surgeon will tell you how long the surgery will take, depending on your tummy tuck procedure's details.
You can expect the following things from your surgery:
· You will most likely receive general anesthesia medications to make you comfortable during the surgery. An anesthesiologist should be with you during the whole surgery to monitor the anesthesia.
· For safety concerns, several monitors will be present to check your blood pressure, heart, pulse, and level of oxygen in your blood.
· Before surgery your plastic surgeon will spend time creating markings based on the surgical plan. Once the surgery begins, he / she will execute the surgical plan. In some rare cases, your plastic surgeon may discuss with you two options which he will decide in the Operating Room based on your specific situation. This is why it’s crucial that you choose an excellent plastic surgeon who you can trust with this decision.
· Your doctor will use surgical dressings depending on the type of procedures you undergo. They typically also use surgical drains for a tummy tuck. These are critical to minimize the risk of infections and seromas.
· The staff will move you to the recovery room after the surgery, where a nurse will monitor you.
· You should be comfortable resetting and emptying your drains before leaving the surgery center.
· Most people go home the same day but usually you can opt to stay overnight for an additional fee.
You get fully recovered over a period of six months or more. In the initial days, avoiding complications and managing pain should be your top priority. You also need to understand that the first week will be annoying and worst. You will remain in this situation for around two to three weeks. After it, you will feel that you are getting fit. When some months pass, you will start observing the aesthetic appearance. However, the most important thing to keep in mind is that the recovery process can greatly vary from person to person.
The following are a few factors and considerations that you need to know.
· You need to rest in the first few days after surgery. Follow the instructions of your plastic surgeon. Don’t drink alcohol for at least five days after a tummy tuck or until you are no longer taking prescription pain medications.
· You need someone to help you move around the house and intake medications at least for two days after the tummy tuck procedure.
· You will continue to take help for household chores. Someone should take care of your house's other stuff for around ten days, as you will not be feeling yourself during this time.
· If you have children, you need someone to take care of them for at least two weeks. y
· You need to take medications at the required times to manage the pain.
· Typically plastic surgeons should meet with you a one post-operative, 5 days post-operative, 2 weeks post-operative, one month, two months, and six months and as needed.
· You need to call your plastic surgeon immediately if you observe an increase in pain, swelling, drainage, redness, or bleeding in the surgical area. Also, don’t overlook fever, nausea, dizziness, or vomiting. Some other red flags include chest pain, shortness of breath, and abnormal heartbeat.
· It is important to start walk a little each day to prevent swelling and blood clots in your legs. However, don’t do any strenuous activity for four to six weeks. This can lead to the development of unnecessary fluid in your treated areas.
· Try to take two weeks' leave from the office. You may need to take more leaves if you are taking much more time for recovery.
· Gradually come back to your normal routine carefully monitoring your body.
Except for circumstances like pregnancy or weight gain, your results will remain permanent. However, the skin on your stomach will age normally and may loose elasticity and collagen with age. or become saggy with age, but not significantly. If you gain and loose weight, your abdominal skin will stretch and sag again. This can negatively affect the overall contour of your body. Similarly, if you become pregnant, the muscles of the abdomen will loosen. For this reason, plastic surgeons recommend waiting to have a tummy tuck until after you are done having children. Additionally, if you want to lose weight, do it before your surgery.
To get the most achievable, beautiful, and healthy result, as well as for safety, you must discuss everything that is in your mind to help you deal with the surgery. Make sure to visit your surgeon for a follow-up appointment at the required time. You can also visit your surgeon whenever you have any questions regarding your recovery and healing process.
The best part of this procedure is that there is a very low chances of any significant complications if you use Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with great reviews. Patients tend to love their results and be very satisfied. Not to mention, the chances of risks and complications even become more minimal if you opt for a skilled, qualified, and experienced plastic surgeon. You also need to choose a surgeon who can perform your procedure in an accredited facility. This is because these facilities perform the surgery with a lot more care than others.
Apart from this, any type of surgical procedure can have the following risks.
· The negative effects of the anesthesia
· Infection and bleeding
· Sarcoma or hematoma (a collection of the fluid or blood under the skin that needs removal)
· Scarring
· Changes in skin sensations
· Allergic reactions
· Damages in the underlying structure
· An unsatisfactory outcome will require further procedures or techniques
You can limit the risk by opting for an excellent surgeon. Additionally, you need to follow the instructions and advice of your board-certified cosmetic surgeon, both before and after the tummy tuck procedure.
A tummy tuck procedure doesn't cause any life-threatening problems. However, they can lead to some health conditions that you can easily prevent or treat by following your plastic surgeon's instructions. But the most important thing is that you need to opt for a plastic surgeon who can guide you well and provide the best outcomes. For the entire procedure, from pre-operation to the recovery period, you will need your plastic surgeon’s assistance.
