A new year brings about a fresh start and new opportunities. Maybe you will finally plan out an ideal budget, or reconnect with friends and family, or perhaps you want to travel more and take time away for yourself.
Like so many of your peers, you probably have a list of things you want to change in 2017; you might even be thinking about the ways you can get rid of those extra pounds you accumulated during the holidays. If 2016 was the year you got your body back into shape, then this is the year you should put on the finishing touches with a tummy tuck! Now, more than ever, is the perfect time to take charge and achieve the body you have always wanted.
If you’re a few pounds away from your weight-loss goal, then a tummy tuck at Coastal Plastic Surgeons can certainly get you to the finish line. You’ll be able to start the new year off right, so that you can feel beautiful and confident for all of 2017 and beyond.
What Can a Tummy Tuck Do for You?
When weight gain, pregnancy or natural aging has loosened abdominal muscles and created significant skin laxity, then a tummy tuck may be the treatment option you need to improve your body contour. A tummy tuck (medically known as abdominoplasty) can remove excess skin and reshape the abdominal muscles to produce a stomach that looks toned and firm. Both men and women can benefit from a tummy tuck procedure if they desire to enhance the appearance of their midsection. The procedure can help you look younger and boost your confidence in your body.
What’s the Procedure Like?
Thanks to recent innovations in technology and techniques, the tummy tuck is typically an outpatient procedure, with only two to three weeks of serious downtime. By creating an incision along the pubic hairline from hipbone to hipbone, your physician can gain access to the underlying tissues and muscles and reposition them to create a more appealing contour. Any excess skin is removed while the remaining skin is redraped over the muscles, and the incisions closed with small sutures.
Who’s an Ideal Candidate?
Anyone who accomplished their new year’s resolution for 2016 and reached their ideal weight is a good candidate for a tummy tuck procedure. Additionally, those who are at a stable weight but have excess skin and fat around their abdomen from pregnancy or previous weight gain are ideal candidates for body contouring surgery.
Although abdominoplasty may be successful at helping you lose an extra pound or two, it is not to be used as a replacement for traditional diet and exercise. To maintain your results from a tummy tuck procedure, it is essential that you continue a healthy lifestyle, or else your surgery may be ineffective. Abdominoplasty is not recommended for obese patients or for those who are trying to become pregnant; instead, it’s more beneficial to receive a tummy tuck once you have lost the majority of your unwanted weight and/or finished having children.
If you fluctuate in weight after your tummy tuck procedure, then your abdominal muscles will once again begin to loosen, and the skin will start to stretch, essentially undoing your surgery. Getting as close as you can to your weight-loss goal will ensure that you experience long-lasting results.
When Can You Expect to See Results?
Like most surgical procedures, there is a specific timeline that you can expect to follow during your recovery. Your surgeon will ensure that before you return home to heal, you know how to take care of your body post-surgery. It’s important that you understand how to care for any drains, and how to treat any swelling experienced in your abdomen as you continue to recover from your tummy tuck. During your consultation, your physician will prepare you for your recovery with thorough aftercare instructions that you must follow to both benefit your health and ensure your desired results.
For the first few days after surgery, it may be helpful to take oral medication to help alleviate any pain. You will also wear a compression garment around your abdomen to keep your muscles in place and improve the blood flow throughout your midsection. Most patients return to their normal routine in two to three weeks, but until then, it’s recommended that you rest and refrain from any strenuous activity. Your physician might even have you wait six to eight weeks before exercising or using your abdominal muscles completely.
Although it may be difficult to stand up straight for the first few days, you are encouraged to take walks and move around to aid in overall healing and to increase circulation. You will also go in for follow-up appointments during your recovery so that your physician can assess the progress of your abdominoplasty. Your skin and muscles will continue to refine over a period of several weeks before you begin to see full results, but when you do, you can enjoy a slimmer appearance for years to come!
Make this year about you with body contouring procedures that can enhance your physique and improve your overall self-image. If you’re ready to achieve the body you’ve always wanted, contact Coastal Plastic Surgeons at (858) 365-3558 and schedule a consultation. With a discussion of your aesthetic goals and a physical examination, you can make a meaningful decision about whether a tummy tuck procedure is right for you. Call today to learn more!