When you have excess skin and fat on your abdomen that lowers your self-confidence, a tummy tuck, also known as an abdominoplasty, can help by removing excess skin and fat that is resistant to diet and exercise.
After significant weight loss or pregnancy, your abdominal muscles may loosen and the loss of skin elasticity can result in loose, redundant skin. A tummy tuck in Parker County performed by board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Steele can boost your body image, give you a sexier silhouette, and make your clothes look and feel better.
The best candidates for a tummy tuck procedure are those who have excess skin with limited fat in the abdominal area after significant changes in weight, pregnancy, or aging.
Poor skin elasticity or weakened connective tissue in the abdomen can cause the area to sag and change the contour of your body. Because a tummy tuck is a major procedure, you will have the time to take off work and recover at home.
Finally, you should be close to your ideal/goal weight, be a non-smoker, and be in in good health without active chronic diseases that can increase your risk of complications with general anesthesia.
Dr. Steele will discuss the pros and cons of a tummy tuck procedure, since it is not right for everyone. You should be within 25 pounds of a healthy weight, since it is not a weight loss procedure. Any significant weight loss or gain after surgery will eliminate the benefits of the treatment. People with significant scar tissue from a previous abdominal surgery may not be a candidate for a tummy tuck in Parker County.
During your consultation with Dr. Steele, you will discuss the different types of tummy tuck procedures, which may help address your cosmetic concerns.
The mini tummy tuck, also called a partial or mini abdominoplasty, uses shorter incisions, and works well for people with a small amount of excess skin with good abdominal wall muscle tone, without a significant rectus diastasis. During this procedure, the belly button does not need to be moved, as only loose skin and stretch marks below the belly button are addressed.
A single incision is made above the pubic bone so the surgeon can remove excess skin. The final scar is a thin horizontal line in the same general area as a C-section scar. The procedure offers a quicker recovery and a slimmer lower abdomen.
Complete abdominoplasty is also called a classic or full tummy tuck. This procedure addresses the upper and lower abdomen for people who are bothered by excess skin above and below the belly button. Dr. Steele makes an incision low in the bikini line so that it will be hidden. The skin is then elevated all the way up to the ribs so that the rectus muscles can be tightened to flatten the abdomen and narrow the waist. The excess skin is then marked and excised, while bringing the natural belly button out through a new incision, which should be the only visible incision in a bathing suit.
The extended tummy tuck procedure, also called a circumferential abdominoplasty, includes the upper and lower abdomen, flanks, and lower back skin. After a significant weight loss, you will likely have sagging skin around the entire trunk in addition to laxity of the abdominal wall.
In an extended tummy tuck, the incision is longer and the surgery more extensive. When there is excess fat, liposuction is often included to improve the outcome.
Abdominoplasty is an outpatient procedure performed in an accredited outpatient surgery center. Some patients may choose an overnight stay at the surgery center, but most will have an overnight nurse go home with them for 1-2 days.
You will need at least 1-2 weeks off work, and it can take up to 10-14 days before you can stand up straight. This is because the surgery places the anterior abdominal skin under tension to maximize skin removal. Your medical team will encourage you to get up and walk around the house several times each day to maintain healthy circulation and minimize risk of blood clots in the legs (DVT).
You will go home with small drains that help remove fluid after the surgery. In this case, your medical team will teach you how to care for these and give you detailed instructions on keeping the area clean to reduce the risk of infection and other complications.
Since there will be limits placed on lifting anything heavy for the first weeks after your tummy tuck in Parker County, you may need full-time help if you have small children. Lifting a child as small as 15 pounds can jeopardize the results and trigger complications.
You do not need to live with that extra skin hanging off your body, altering your shape and making you embarrassed to be seen on the beach. Call today to schedule your consultation for a tummy tuck in Parker County. Dr. Matthew Steele and our medical staff will answer your questions and help you decide if a tummy tuck is right for you.
