Dallas Plastic Surgery

Tummy Tuck

A stomach that sticks out and creates a “pouch” can make clothes fit incorrectly, can make you feel self-conscious, and can even interfere with some activities. Despite popular belief, a larger stomach is not always the result of poor diet and lack of exercise. In some cases, slim people with very healthy lifestyles are unable to lose the stubborn “tire” or pouch in the middle of their stomachs.

A tummy tuck is not an instant solution, but if you have tried diet and exercise consistently with no effect, an abdominoplasty or tummy tuck procedure may be able to help. If exercise and diet have not worked, a tummy tuck can help you achieve a firm, flat stomach, permanently. This procedure works by tightening the abdominal wall muscles and by removing excess skin and fat from the stomach area. The result is a firm, flat stomach.

Abdominoplasty usually requires general anesthesia and takes two to five hours. After surgery, most patients will need to remain in the hospital for at least one night. Healing from the surgery can take four weeks, although healing time varies widely, depending on how involved the tummy tuck was and depending on the health of the patient. Within four weeks, most patients will be able to get a sense of the results of the procedure.

Like all surgical procedures, abdominoplasty has risks. Temporary side effects of the procedure can include soreness, bruising, pain, swelling, numbness, and fatigue. In most cases, these symptoms go away, although it can take weeks for all the symptoms to go away completely. Complications are rarer, but they can occur. Risks of the procedure include blood clots, infection, infection, leaking under the skin, scarring, and skin loss. You need to discuss these risks with your surgeon to make sure that you understand them. Following doctor’s directions exactly after surgery and selecting your surgeon carefully can minimize your risks of complications.