Abdominoplasty
The Main Purpose of Abdominoplasty
Abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, is a fairly serious cosmetic procedure. Involving a long incision across the abdomen in the shape of a smile along with a second incision in the middle of the abdomen close to the belly button. Both regular anesthesia and local anesthesia can be used but there may be some discomfort when only using local anesthesia. The better the physician performing the procedure the better the results and recovery time will be. The entire surgery usually lasts about two to five hours. The main purpose of Abdominoplasty is to remove excess fat and tighten the skin around the abdominal due to being overweight or having children.
Starting Out
In order to make sure a patient is ready for this surgery they must meet with a board certified plastic surgeon and be considered a good candidate for the procedure. This will include the usual questions a doctor will ask: medical history, if the patient is currently on any medication, any allergies, also some extra parameters must be taken into account such as the amount of excess fat and skin that is to be removed. Choosing a surgeon is obviously important for this procedure like any other important procedure. A patient must choose someone they are comfortable with but it is also recommended to do some research on their previous work and their credentials.
Preparations and Precautions
It is important for the patient to inform their doctor of any and all medication or natural supplements they may be taking. Also the doctor may ask the patient to begin a regiment of certain supplements such as vitamin c leading up to the surgery. Of course along with this there will be a list of things the patient is allowed to eat as well as thing they should not eat before their surgery. It is also highly recommended that if the patient is a smoker they should quit the habit for the month before as well as the month after the surgery because this can cause the healing process to be delayed which could obviously have adverse affects such as scarring.
Think About It
There are over a hundred thousand tummy tucks performed each year and this number appears to still be rising as people are realizing the beneficial effects that the surgery brings with it. As with any surgery careful thought should be given to the cost and amount of recovery time required with the surgery. It may be a very helpful procedure for people with low self esteem but the patient must always remember to live within their means.
