Are you embarrassed by your flabby tummy? Do you refuse to wear a bikini to the pool? If weakened abdominal muscles and loose skin are to blame, it may be impossible to achieve a flat stomach, no matter how much you diet and exercise. Age, heredity, prior surgery, pregnancy and significant weight loss are just some of the possible reasons why you have saggy skin in your midsection.
If you’re considering a tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, make sure you go into the procedure with realistic expectations. Here’s what a tummy tuck can and can’t do to improve the appearance of your abdomen.
A Tummy Tuck Can:
- Remove loose, sagging skin. In the cases of pregnancy and significant weight loss, you may be left with extra skin that folds over itself. Diet and exercise can’t combat this, but a tummy tuck certainly can.
- Remove excess fat. If you’re carrying around excess fat deposits in your abdominal region that don’t respond to diet and exercise, a tummy tuck can help. With a slimmer profile, you’ll have the confidence you need to jumpstart a healthier lifestyle.
- Repair weakened and separated ab muscles. Pregnancy and childbirth often damage stomach muscles, leaving you with a belly that’s impossible to get rid of. A tummy tuck can repair and suture these muscles to produce a less flabby silhouette.
A Tummy Tuck Can’t:
- Give you six-pack abs. The purpose of a tummy tuck is to smooth your abdomen, but it doesn’t create muscle tone. After your abdominoplasty, you’ll need to exercise and eat right if you hope to maximize the results.
- Prevent future weight gain and stretching of the skin. We recommend waiting until you’re done bearing children to have a tummy tuck. After all, while this surgery removes excess fat and skin, it doesn’t prevent it from coming back if you get pregnant. You should also be at a stable weight before your abdominoplasty. Future weight gain and additional weight loss resulting in saggy skin could diminish the long-term effects of your surgery.
- Correct stretch marks. Weight gain and pregnancy often cause stretch marks to appear on the abdomen, hips and These occur when rapid growth tears the skin at a deep level. As a result, stretch marks are difficult to remove. A tummy tuck only eliminates stretch marks from the excised skin, not the skin that remains behind. If you’re concerned about stretch marks located anywhere other than just below your belly button, ask your plastic surgeon about other removal options.
A tummy tuck can be a transformative surgery for suitable candidates. To learn more, please contact Dr. Mark Schusterman, our plastic surgeon in Houston, and schedule an individual consultation today.
Disclaimer: *Individual results are not guaranteed and may vary from person to person.
