Abdominoplasty (or Tummy Tuck) is a plastic surgery procedure that tightens the muscles and removes loose skin and fat from the abdomen, so it appears flat and toned.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, a typical abdominoplasty removes up to 10 pounds of stomach fat by disconnecting the skin from the underlying tissue, suturing abdominal tissue, and cutting away any extra skin.
Beyond the cosmetic desires for a slimmer-looking stomach, many patients opt for abdominoplasty for various health reasons. Here are the most common health concerns a tummy tuck helps correct or improve.
Stress Urinary Incontinence
After a vaginal birth, some women can develop Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI), a bladder problem associated with uncontrollable leakage brought on by coughing, sneezing, exercising or even laughing.
For patients who require a higher level of care for treatment, several studies indicate a tummy tuck can aid in recovery—especially for patients who did not have caesarean sections.
The procedure creates a slight bladder obstruction using soft tissue near the pelvic area, which reduces incontinence.
Abdominal Tone
After extreme weight loss or multiple pregnancies, stomach muscles can become enlarged. In this case, diet and exercise alone cannot help. A tummy tuck surgically tightens weak muscles, while removing excess skin and fat, to flatten the abdomen. Please note: weight-loss patients should only consider a tummy tuck when they are at their ideal weight.
Posture
Weak abdominal muscles are often associated with lordosis or sway back. After an abdominoplasty, patients may notice that their posture improves significantly—thanks to the tightened muscles supporting their spine. The improved support and better posture can have the added benefit of relieving certain types of back pain.
Ventral Hernia Correction
A ventral hernia occurs when the intestine or abdominal tissue breaks through the abdominal wall and forms a pocket or sack. There are several potential causes such as: abdominal weakness caused by massive weight loss, caesarean section or appendectomies.
The underlying symptoms that require a ventral hernia correction are similar to those for abdominoplasty. Both body contouring surgeries correct weakened adnominal muscles and pressure on the skin. Pregnancy, weight gain, or a weak abdominal wall will allow a hernia to form.
Once you develop a ventral hernia, it is easy for it to happen again. We will weigh the benefits of adding an abdominoplasty procedure to the hernia repair to strengthen the abdominal wall and prevent future occurrences. Combining the procedures is not only safe but very practical, as it can reduce medical expenses and recovery time.
Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery reduces the size of the stomach to help patients reduce food intake and lose weight. Recent studies show there aren’t generally major complications from combining bariatric surgery and abdominoplasty.
The Wall Street Journal reported on research that found bariatric patients who have surgery to remove excess skin are more likely to keep weight off after procedures, regaining an average of just over 1 pound a year compared with 4 pounds annually for bariatric patients who didn’t have contouring procedures.
Contouring procedures can also be performed with hysterectomies and for obese, diabetic patients having kidney transplants. Removing extra skin and fat in the abdomen can lessen the risk of infections.
Tummy Tuck Recovery
Patients normally require up to 14 days to recover from a tummy tuck procedure. Light daily activities can resume once this period has passed. We advise tummy tuck patients to return gradually to their exercise routines and other physical activity once a period of six to eight weeks has passed.
