Tummy Tuck – Contour Your Abdomen for a Sleek Figure

A tummy tuck is a cosmetic procedure that will help you get rid of the excess flab skin or fat bulge on your abdomen if good diet and exercise have failed to give you a slim tummy. This aesthetic procedure is also known as abdominoplasty and involves major surgery that should be performed by a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) to minimize possible complications and give satisfactory results. The surgery is aimed at removing extra fat and skin as well as tightening of lax ab muscles to create a flat ab profile. Both men and women can have abdominoplasty. Body by Bloch in Chicago owned by Dr. Bloch, an ABPS certified plastic surgeon, offers the surgery. To book a consultation with Dr. Bloch, you can fill out the form here www.bodybybloch.com or give us a call at 847-432-0840.

Who are the best candidates for a tummy tuck?

A tummy tuck is suitable for both men and women who are in good overall general health.

It should not be confused with a liposuction (the cosmetic surgery used to remove fat deposits), although your surgeon may elect to perform liposuction as part of a tummy tuck.

Women who have muscles and skin stretched by multiple pregnancies may find the procedure useful to tighten those muscles and reduce that skin. A tummy tuck is also an alternative for men or women who were obese at one point in their lives and still have excessive fat deposits or loose skin in the abdominal area.

Abdominoplasty surgery

The procedure for tummy tuck begins with admission of general anesthesia that keeps you pain-free. Dr. Bloch will then make a low running incision just below your navel from hip bone to hip bone. Through the cut, the flab of excess skin and fat are excised. Liposuction may also be used to remove extra fat deposits that can’t be excised. If you have loose ab muscles, the surgeon will bring them together and stitch them tight. Temporary tiny drainage tubes are placed to remove accumulating fluids around the operated area. Next, remaining skin is redraped and closed with sutures. The surgical area is then dressed with bandages, and you will be advised to wear a compression garment.

Recovery time frame after a tummy tuck
Recovery from a tummy tuck procedure occurs over a period of six months or more. In the first couple of days, managing pain and avoiding complications is your top priority. The first week will be the worst, and you will still feel like you are recovering for about two to three weeks. After a few weeks, regaining mobility and fitness becomes important. After several months, you can start evaluating the aesthetic outcome of your surgery. It is important to remember that the time it takes to recover varies greatly among individuals.

Does tummy tuck have any complications?

Tummy tuck involves major surgery done under general anesthesia to produce satisfactory results but has potential risks. Some of these risks include:

• Reactions to anesthesia
• Infection and bleeding
• Pain
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Allergic reactions
• Changes in skin sensation
• Scarring
• Damage to underlying tissues
• Hematoma (accumulation of blood or fluid under the skin)
• Possibility for revisional surgery

Dr. Bloch will discuss these potential risks with his patients during the consultation meeting. Following the surgeon’s instructions before and after the surgery will, however, minimize most of these risks.