Medical Benefits of a Tummy Tuck You Never Knew

Getting a flat tummy without hours of workout has never been easier than getting an Abdominoplasty, or as popularly known, a tummy tuck, done. For those who are wondering, a tummy tuck is a cosmetic procedure which is done to tighten the abdominal area of the body by removing the loose skin and fat. As a result of this surgery, one ends up with a flatter and more toned belly.

Often, individuals call it a makeover for moms who want to get their pre-pregnancy body back. There is no reason why a mother doesn’t deserve to have her earlier self back because it involves going under the knife.

Apart from moms, individuals who have undergone a drastic weight loss in a short time also opt for abdominoplasty.

The procedure has seen a rise of over 87% in the past couple of decades, as reported by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Most of these procedures, as discussed earlier, took place due to cosmetic reasons. But that doesn’t mean that having a toned abdomen is the only reason for getting a tummy tuck done. Read along to discover some proven medical benefits of tummy tucks to gain a new perspective about this procedure.

 

Reduction of Stress Urinary Incontinence

SUI (Stress Urinary Incontinence) is a common issue with women who have given vaginal birth. It is a bladder control problem where women experience involuntary leakage of urinal fluids when the bladder experiences the slightest of pressure. For instance, while coughing, laughing heartily, exercising, and even while sneezing.

While every woman with SUI does not require a tummy tuck and there are other treatments available. A tummy tuck is advisable only for women who require more care, especially if they have had their baby without a c-section. The procedure helps because, during the surgery, soft tissue from the pelvic region is placed in the bladder to create an obstruction, thus controlling incontinence.

 

Improved Posture and Toned Abdomen

Often, women who have given multiple births or the individuals who have experienced extreme weight loss have distended stomach muscles. So, no matter how much they work out or diet, they find it difficult to have a toned body as the muscles fall loose. In such cases a tummy tuck can come in handy as it explicitly tightens the muscles, removing the excess skin and fat simultaneously and flattening the abdomen.

Swayback, or lordosis, is the excessive inward curve in the spine which can result in chronic backaches. The patients suffering from this condition also undergo abdominoplasty in order to have tightened muscles. As a result of tightened abdominal muscles, their posture improves significantly. This, in turn, cures the continuous backaches.

 

Corrects Ventral Hernia

A ventral hernia is the result of some damage in the intestine or an abdominal tissue which causes it to break through the abdominal wall and form a pocket or sack. There are several possible causes of this issue, including an appendectomy, extreme weight loss, or surgeries like c-section. Losing a lot of weight in a short span is a reason because it can make the muscles weak.

The symptoms that require the ventral hernia correction are similar to those which prompt an abdominoplasty. That is, both procedures are done to deal with weakened muscles so that it can reduce pressure on the skin. A ventral hernia can develop in anybody whose abdominal walls have become weak, either due to pregnancy or weight, and can lead to the formation of hernia.

For individuals who have suffered a ventral hernia once, it is common that they can develop it again if the muscles continue to stay weak. Hence, the surgeons recommend abdominoplasty procedures along with hernia repair so that the abdominal wall can gain back its strength and no issues arise in the future.

If you are wondering that an additional procedure such as abdominoplasty will increase your medical expenditure, it will only save you medical bills due to the reiteration of the disease. Plus, combining the two procedures is completely safe and leads to no infections whatsoever.

 

Makes Weight Management Easier for Bariatric Patients

Bariatric patients are those who are extremely obese and have no choice but to go under the knife to get rid of all the fat. Often a liposuction procedure can leave them with a sagging mass of muscles which can only be tightened through a tummy tuck.

Also, it is suggested by various studies that the patients who have suffered from extreme obesity in the pas only gain 1 pound per year after an abdominoplasty, whereas, the ones who had not had a tummy tuck can gain over 4 pounds.

Moreover, if the individuals wish to maintain a healthy body and workout after the procedures such as gastric bypasses, sleeve gastrectomy, and adjustable gastric band, should get a tummy tuck done. If not, their bodies will not be as tolerant of working out or exercising.

A toned tummy and a slimmer body also increase the confidence of the previously obese individuals, making physical activities more enjoyable for them.

 

Things you should know before going under the knife for a tummy tuck

Now that you have discovered the potential of tummy tuck for improving one’s health, you should also know that it is not an easy procedure. Even though there are not many risks associated with the procedure, it is always advised that the patients should do their homework before signing up for surgery.

Here, we have enlisted some recovery requirements of an abdominoplasty, non-adherence to which can lead to complications.

 

1. There is a significant downtime involved after the procedure

As easy as it may sound to go in the operation theatre and coming out with a toned abdomen, such is not the case. The tummy tuck is a major and complex surgery that involves an incision that runs from hip to hip. Such procedures can take weeks to heal and require you to be patient.

It is common for patients to feel sore, fatigued, and swollen for the first couple of weeks after the surgery. Experiencing pain is also normal for some days, which improves steadily.

While you are recovering from the tummy tuck, taking time off from work will not suffice. You will have to give your body as much rest as possible to let it heal. So you will have to employ assistance for taking care of all of your household chores, children, and more. Even the slightest of strenuous activity can prove disastrous for your body for the coming four to six weeks at least.

 

2. Get to your desired weight before the procedure

No surgery can substitute regular exercise and a healthy diet, not even a tummy tuck. It can give you a push towards turning into a Greek Goddess/God, but you will have to work for it. Any plastic surgeon would advise you to lose enough weight to reach your desired weight for six to twelve months before the procedure. Ideally, they expect your weight to be 10-15 pounds from your goal weight.

The weight dynamics are important here because since you will be confined to bed for at least a month after the surgery, you might gain or lose weight according to how your metabolism works. The new and contoured shape of your tummy tuck is yet to become settled in, and you cannot afford weight fluctuations that can ruin it.

Many patients have experienced pain due to stretching abdominal tissues due to weight gain, and they had to go through a corrective surgery to restore the initial procedure.

 

3. Abdominoplasty scars are permanent

Abdominoplasty is one of the neatest plastic surgeries and pretty effective to give you a more attractive shape. It will leave you with a perfectly toned abdomen that no one will ever know that you have been through surgery unless they see the scar. The incisions for a tummy tuck run horizontally from hip to hip, right above the pubic bone. Although the scar heals and becomes faded as time passes, it doesn’t blend into the skin altogether.

But the scar should not be much of an issue if you use the services of an experienced and professional surgeon who will place the incision in a manner that your clothing conceals it.

 

4. One has to live with surgical tubes for a couple of weeks

The buildup of blood and fluid in the abdominal region is the major concern of surgeons after the surgery. To deal with this, surgical drains are put I place to keeping the accumulation of fluids and keeping the swelling in control.  Reduced swelling will help pace up the healing process.

Your doctor will discuss everything regarding the placement of surgical tubes, their maintenance, and their removal before the procedure. The maintenance involves paying attention to them and not bathing at all till they are in your body. As for the removal, they can be removed painlessly from your abdomen after 7-10 days if the swelling subsides. If not, you might have to wait for two weeks or longer.

 

5. It can take up to a year to heal

A tummy tuck, although it offers very promising results, can wear you out with the amount of time it takes to heal. The bruising, swelling, stiffness, redness, etc. will subside in over a month, but only after that, the results will start to show little by little. However, this doesn’t mean that you will get rid of selling altogether. The residual swelling might take an additional six months to heal.

Another point you should know is that the area around the incision line might become numb for a long period only to heal slowly. You will be able to feel your lower abdomen again once it is healed.

After six months of the surgery, you will start feeling better about your body, but it is not until after one year that the lots of the procedure will be visible. So, patience is the key when you want to go through a tummy tuck. If you successfully hold on to your patience, the results can be unimaginably impressive.

If you need a small amount of muscle tightening and skin removal, you can go for a mini-abdominoplasty. The scar doesn’t fall above the pubic bone but below the naval but the incision is only a little longer than a c-section scar that heals eventually. Another benefit of a mini-tummy tuck is that it doesn’t take as much time to heal so that you can go about your normal life quickly.

 

6. Your insurance won’t cover an abdominoplasty

A tummy tuck, in 99% of situations, is considered a cosmetic procedure, and there is no medical insurance out there that will cover it for you. The cases which may be exceptions are hernia repair surgeries where surgeons advise tummy tucks for healing the muscles and when patients go through extreme weight loss. Here too, they will only cover a portion of it.

If you opt for getting yourself operated for a flat and toned tummy, be prepared to spend a huge chunk of savings on the surgery, pre-op and post-op supplies, and prescriptions.

You should assess your situation to make sure that you can commit to the above-mentioned requirements before you opt for an abdominoplasty.

Once you have made up your mind to go ahead with a tummy tuck, you should find a surgeon carefully. When you look up a COSMETIC SURGEON, make sure that the American Board of Plastic Surgery certifies them. This will assure you that they have received complete and formal training in what they are doing. Checking ABPS certification is crucial because legally, any medical practitioner can perform a cosmetic surgery by being a part of some random plastic surgeons’ association.

 

In the end, getting a tummy tuck done is an incredible option for individuals who want to have a toned and tight abdomen. Just make sure that you will be able to commit to all the monetary and recovery requirements it entails, and you are good to go!