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The popular name for an Abdominoplasty is a Tummy Tuck. It’s a very effective procedure for reducing a protruding abdomen, when you have dieted and exercised, but still can’t flatten your stomach.

This is the situation of many older people, especially women. If you have been pregnant, especially if it was more than once, those abdominal muscles and the abdominal skin were stretched by the growing baby. Being now weaker and looser, the muscles are unable to hold in the abdomen as effectively as when you were younger.

Simple aging contributes to a protruding abdomen, as does heredity. These are causes that nobody can avoid. Further, if you have had large fluctuations in your weight over the years, this will have stretched the skin and muscles just as a pregnancy does.

An abdominoplasty is a popular procedure. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 135,000 people had a tummy tuck in 2005, and it was the fifth most performed cosmetic procedure that year, the most recent year for which they have published statistics. Liposuction was the most often performed, and these two procedures are often done together.

The Abdominoplasty procedure

You might have general anesthesia, or just intravenous sedation. You can discuss this with your cosmetic surgeon. The procedure takes two to six hours, depending on how extensive it is.

· The incision length will partly depend on how much correction is necessary. It will be placed low on the abdomen and the resulting scar will be covered by a bikini.

· There could be a second, smaller incision if you are having a complete abdominoplasty. It would be around the navel, so that excess skin can be removed from the upper abdomen as well as the lower. If you are having a partial abdominoplasty, only the first incision is done.

· Your cosmetic surgeon may use an endoscope, which could call for even smaller incisions. It’s a long, thin tube with a light at its tip. It’s connected to a computer and when inserted through the incision, sends images so that your cosmetic surgeon can see on his monitor what he is doing. In an endoscopic tummy tuck, no skin is removed, just excess fat.

· The abdominoplasty tightens abdominal muscles and removes excess skin and fat. The rectus abdominis muscle runs vertically down the abdomen and its fibers can be pulled inwards from where they have splayed out, and sutured in this tighter position.

· The belly button is repositioned higher on the abdomen, its stalk (the remains of the umbilical cord) brought out through a new opening. In a partial abdominoplasty, the belly button may be repositioned lower.

At first you’ll have dressings or bandages and perhaps an elastic bandage over those to compress the area. This helps to reduce swelling. There may be a temporary drainage tube. Your cosmetic surgeon will give you printed instructions ahead of time for how to care for yourself during recovery. You can fill your pain prescription ahead of time too. Be sure an follow his instructions closely for a faster and surer recovery.

To form a clear picture in your mind of the possible results of your abdominoplasty, you can browse through websites which have Before and After photos.

Within a week or two, you’ll be able to stand and admire your new outline in the mirror. Your muscles will be better toned and your stomach flatter. Your posture will probably be improved too. Now you’ll have the pleasure of buying a new closetful of clothes!

If you are considering an abdominoplasty or any other sort of cosmetic medical procedure, contact the experienced professionals at the Cosmetic Surgical Center in Dallas, TX.

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