ABDOMINOPLASTY (TUMMY TUCK)

 INTRODUCTION TO MICHIGAN ABDOMINOPLASTY AND TUMMY TUCK
A tummy tuck, also called by its medical term, abdominoplasty, is an elective cosmetic surgery procedure for men and women who desire a more sculpted abdominal area after weight loss or childbearing. A tummy tuck eliminates extra abdominal skin and fat to create a flatter, more attractive and sculpted abdomen.  It also involves some muscle tightening to trim the waist and restore the body to the pre-pregnancy or weight-gain state. Traverse City plastic surgeon Dr. F. Matthew Smith has many years’ experience performing tummy tucks alone and in conjunction with breast rejuvenation, which is called a “mommy makeover.” A Mommy Makeover is a popular procedure of many women in and around the Traverse City area once they have finished building their families. During your consultation at Dr. Smith’s Traverse City, MI plastic surgery office, he will evaluate your skin and muscle tone and seek to understand your final goals before recommending a tummy tuck procedure.

APPROPRIATE CANDIDATES FOR TRAVERSE CITY TUMMY TUCKS
The best candidates for abdominoplasty are healthy men and women who have (A) experienced weight gain and loss cycles, (B) pregnancy or (C) natural aging, that resulted in sagging, stretched skin and stretching of the abdominal muscles. If you have lost weight by diet and exercise or surgical assistance (lap band or gastric bypass), Dr. Smith will want you to have lost all the weight you desire before undergoing an abdominoplasty.  Similarly, if you are of childbearing age, it’s best to complete your family before having this procedure, as having children after a tummy tuck will undo most of the repairs that are made during this cosmetic procedure. In summary, healthy men and women who are emotionally mature, who understand their motivations for the procedure and who have realistic expectations are generally good candidates for a tummy tuck/abdominoplasty procedure.

HOW THE TUMMY TUCK/ABDOMINOPLASTY PROCEDURE IS PERFORMED

Dr. Smith performs most of his cosmetic surgeries, including abdominoplasty, in the accredited surgery suite at the Munson Medical Center. With the latest, cutting-edge equipment and a fully trained staff, the Munson Medical Center is an ideal place for his patients. An abdominoplasty procedure is typically scheduled for 2-3 hours. Because Dr. Smith wants to ensure a well-controlled and safe surgical experience that is comfortable for his patient, general anesthesia is always used.

Abdominoplasty can be performed alone or at the same time as another cosmetic procedure such as a breast enhancement, in which case it’s often called a Mommy Makeover.

The exact details of your specific procedure, including placement of incisions and the number and placement of postoperative drains will have been discussed and confirmed at your cosmetic surgery consultation with Dr. Smith in his Traverse City plastic surgery office.

Once general anesthesia has been induced, Dr. Smith will make an incision in the groin area (bikini line) and lift the skin to expose the muscle layer. Any separated muscles are rejoined and repaired and then the skin is redraped, excess skin is removed, and Dr. Smith inserts the tiniest sutures possible. Depending on your desires and needs, further sculpting with liposuction may be performed to put the finishing touches on your new contour.

RECOVERY FROM ABDOMINPLASTY IN TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN

Within a day after abdominoplasty, you should be up and around a bit, if nothing more than for personal care. Walking is the best activity to avoid constipation and to speed healing. All patients experience bruising and swelling from abdominoplasty, and find that walking bent-over for the first few days is essential.

Dr. Smith may choose to give you prescriptions for specific muscle relaxants to ease the tension on the abdominal muscles and to increase your comfort. Dr. Smith will prescribe this, as well as other medications, prior to your procedure to ensure that you are as prepared and comfortable as possible during the recovery period.

Dr. Smith will require you to wear a compressive garment at all times for 4-6 weeks and avoid any heavy work or exercise during that time period. The final outcome will depend on the resolution of swelling, but is usually seen in 4-6 weeks.

It’s wise to listen to your body and respect the fact that you are healing, as everyone heals at a different rate. Within the first week you can expect that your recovery will follow this general progression: you will be permitted to shower within 48 hours, you will have a follow-up visit, at which time Dr. Smith will determine whether or not he can remove the temporary drains. Once drains are removed and the 4-6 weeks needed for full healing have passed, you can gradually resume more strenuous activities.