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Abdominoplasty - what is a tummy tuck?

Abdominoplasty, commonly known as a tummy tuck, is plastic surgery to improve the appearance of the abdomen. What is a tummy tuck and how does it affect the abdomen? It removes sagging abdominal skin, tightens the muscles and partially removes excess fat. Abdominoplasty makes the abdomen flat and compact. It is especially recommended after pregnancy or severe weight loss, when the skin is so stretched that non-surgical methods cannot tighten it. A British tummy tuck is recommended for people who are struggling with excess skin rather than fat. Liposuction is performed to remove fat. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if an unattractive sagging stomach is caused by excess skin or fat, but a plastic surgeon can determine which surgery will fix the problem. Plastic surgery of tummy tuck gives excellent results in patients who need skin removal and muscle tightening – the photos of tummy tuck available on the internet show the magnitude of the results achieved. Below we present all the important aspects of a tummy tuck.

Tummy tuck after pregnancy

Post pregnancy tummy tuck is a popular surgery among women whose tummy skin has stretched during pregnancy. Many women find it difficult to restore the shape and condition of the tummy and muscles with a diet and exercises. About 30% of women experience diastasis recti after pregnancy. It is a condition where the right and left abdominal muscles are stretched and spread apart – it may develop during pregnancy or after giving birth. Tummy tuck after pregnancy tightens the muscles, contours the abdomen and removes the sagging skin. Tummy tuck after baby should never be an ad-hoc decision. Women should wait at least 6 months before they get the surgery, also their weight should already be stabilized. In some cases, it may also turn out that a healthy diet and exercising is enough and mummy tummy tuck is not necessary at all. Finally, when women are breastfeeding, they should wait with a tummy tuck for loose skin after pregnancy until they stop it because the anaesthesia that is applied may affect a baby also.

Abdominoplasty after weight loss

Significant weight loss is a great achievement that improves physical and mental health. However, when people lose a lot of pounds in a short period of time, their skin remains tight and saggy, which doesn’t look attractive. This is why tummy tuck after weight loss is so popular. A tummy tuck by removing excess skin allows people to finally enjoy the effects of weight loss and be comfortable with their bodies. A tummy tuck for sagging skin is also recommended for people who have undergone weight loss surgery. Bariatric procedures result in very rapid weight loss and a tummy tuck after weight loss surgery is often unavoidable for medical reasons as well. Anyone who asks the question “Do I need a tummy tuck after losing weight?” should know that it depends on the speed of weight loss, skin condition and elasticity, lifestyle and genetics.

Tummy tuck procedure

Before tummy tuck procedure, patients should do the medical tests which usually are: blood group, PT/INR, APTT, electrolytes (K, Na), CBC, glucose, urinalysis, chest x-ray, creatinine, electrocardiogram, and anti-HCV and anti-HIV antibodies. It is also important that patients follow pe-op instructions which influence the course and outcome of the surgery.
Such instructions include:

  • stop taking hormonal contraception or HRT 4 weeks before the surgery
  • stop taking meds affecting blood coagulation (e.g. Aspirin, garlic, polopiryna, some herbs) 2 weeks before the surgery
  • stop taking pain medications (e.g. paracetamol, pyralgin, naproxen) 3 days before the surgery
  • stop smoking at least 3 weeks before the surgery
  • do not eat or drink for 6 hours before the surgery.

How long does a tummy tuck take? It depends on the surgery scope – partial tummy tuck is usually performed in less than 2 hours while full tummy tuck may take even 5 hours. Below, we describe what is involved in a tummy tuck procedure. Of course, to know exactly how does a tummy tuck work, patients should ask the surgeon because it greatly depends on the surgery type. In mini tummy tuck procedure, the course of the operation is slightly different than in full tummy tuck. So, how is a tummy tuck done?
Tummy tuck procedure step by step is as follows:

Step 1: patients are taken to the operating room where they get intravenous (IV) line put; sometimes, the urinary catheter is also placed. Then general anesthesia is applied.

Step 2: The surgeon makes incisions – their size and number depends on the type of operation. In a full tummy tuck, the surgeon makes two incisions – one along the pubic bone from thigh to thigh and the second incision just around the navel, in a partial tummy tuck one incision is enough.

Step 3: The surgeon separates the skin from the abdominal muscles. Then the fat is removed and the muscles are tightened.

Step 4: After processing the muscle and fat, the surgeon removes the skin. Excess sagging skin is separated and removed. The remaining skin is stretched over the abdomen and becomes dense and elastic. Also, if necessary, the surgeon will position the belly button so that it looks natural.

Step 5: The surgeon places drains to collect fluid and closes the incisions with sutures. Patients are then taken to the recovery room, where they rest for the next few hours.

The results of tummy tuck

Results after tummy tuck are really spectacular – this surgery guarantees one of the most dramatic changes to the patients’ appearance out of all plastic surgeries. The recovery from the surgery is not comfortable or easy, also the scar that is left is quite long, but the final effects compensate for it. The first results are visible when the swelling disappears, which is a few weeks after the surgery. The vast majority of patients can enjoy the tummy tuck results after 6 months, but patients should realize that sometimes they may see the tummy tuck results after 1 year, which is also normal. It is just important that patients realize that they need to wait for the final results and after the surgery, they should focus on the recovery because it greatly influences the results. To get an idea of what to expect, patients may ask a surgeon for sharing some tummy tuck images – such tummy tuck results before and after photos will show the scale of changes that may be expected from full and mini tummy tuck results. So, regarding the tummy tuck results UK, the main changes include:

  • removing the sagging loose skin from the abdomen
  • removing the small deposits of fat from the abdomen
  • tightening the abdominal muscles and abdominal wall
  • contouring the tummy.

The results of tummy tuck are designed to last permanently, however, it is up to a patient how long they will maintain. When patients follow a healthy diet, stay active and work on abdominal muscles, they can enjoy the surgery effects for years. However, when patients gain weight or lose weight, get pregnant or neglect strength training, the skin may stretch and become loose again. In addition, the skin can lose elasticity with increasing age and become increasingly saggy. However, patients who simply follow the surgeon’s instructions and take care of their bodies can keep the results forever.

Is abdominoplasty a safe surgery?

Is a tummy tuck dangerous or safe are the top questions for people considering surgery. We can say that abdominoplasty, like other plastic surgeries, is a very successful procedure. Compared to other surgeries, i.e. surgeries on the heart or endocrine system, a tummy tuck is really safe and the risks involved are minimal. Also, a good plastic surgeon can make the surgery even safer. But who is a good surgeon? Well, patients should seek out an experienced, qualified, well-established plastic surgeon who specializes in tummy tucks – then side effects after surgery are less likely. With regard to the risk of death in the case of a tummy tuck, the general anesthesia used is extremely low with a mortality rate of 0.001%. So if you’re wondering, “Is a tummy tuck worth it?” you should definitely know what it is.

Cost of tummy tuck abroad

What people usually search for is “tummy tuck near me”. However, the nearest clinic is not necessarily the best. Performed by the UK’s top tummy tuck surgeon, the surgery is often out of the human price range. However, this does not mean that they are condemned to an operation by a dubious surgeon or in a dubious location. A tummy tuck is a complex operation that causes major changes in the appearance of the abdomen and leaves a scar along the abdomen, so the surgeon’s experience plays a key role here, and we strongly recommend treating patients according to the standards of the surgeon and clinic, and not by price. as the main criterion for the operation. So if it is too difficult for them to find a suitable clinic within their budget, patients should consider having a tummy tuck abroad. Medical tourism is very developed and plastic surgery is the most popular procedure among all procedures abroad. Patients report that they can save a lot by having a tummy tuck abroad since the operation costs 2-3 times less than in their home country.
Popular destinations are:

  1. Poland, Turkey, Czech Republic, Lithuania for Europeans
  2. India, Thailand, Turkey for Asians
  3. Mexico, Brazil for Americans.

The price differences between countries are due to differences in the cost of living and exchange rates. This provides an opportunity to have a very affordable surgery in a high standard clinic.

Abdominoplasty Poland

Abdominoplasty in Poland is one of the main destinations for medical tourists. The country offers a great combination of cheap prices and highly qualified surgeons. Other advantages are:

  1. many attractive places and monuments for tourists
  2. a precious historical heritage
  3. beautiful nature and diverse terroir
  4. affordable and low cost of living
  5. highly developed air link
  6. high level of health care.

It is important for medical tourists that private clinics that treat international patients only employ English-speaking staff and surgeons, so patients do not need to worry about language barriers. Medical tourism in Poland has recently become a professional activity, so foreign patients benefit from a complex total service, not just the surgery itself. There are many packages that include accommodation, transfers and other facilities and arranging such an activity abroad is as easy as doing it in the home country.

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