Having a fit and healthy body is everyone’s dream. To be at peace with our appearance and to reduce the body fat as much as possible are amongst the things we need to do to make ourselves feel better. One of the most important parts of our outer appearance is that we have a fit and muscular abdomen area. If you have a complaint about your abdomen area and cannot solve it, you can consider a tummy tuck. You can learn all the details of the tummy tuck by reading this article.
What is Tummy Tuck and how is it performed? Things you need to know and all other details are in our article below.
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Tummy Tuck Procedure
Fat accumulates especially in the middle and lower parts of our abdomen. This can create a very bad appearance, and as is known, especially our belly fat is very important for our overall health. Abdominal fat is effective in almost everything from our sleep quality to breathing and feeling energetic. The goal of Tummy Tuck is to strengthen the abdominal muscles. During this operation, the excess fat accumulated in this area is removed. As a result of the surgery, the sagging image is eliminated.
Preoperative
Generally, general anaesthesia and total anaesthesia of the patient is preferred in Tummy Tuck operations. Because the surgical area to be worked on is wide. However, depending on the needs of the patient, local anaesthesia can be considered if the surgical area is very small and the operation will be very short. For a healthier operation, those who are overweight should go down to a certain weight before surgery. They can undergo surgery only after losing some weight.
Application Stages of Surgery
Following anaesthesia, incisions are made as much as necessary and excess fat and fluids accumulated in the body are removed. The amount of incision depends on the condition of the patient. The amount of fat to be removed, whether they will be removed with liposuction or drainage tubes is also determined according to the patient’s condition. These are the application stages of Tummy Tuck operation.
There are three types of Tummy Tuck surgery. These are classified according to the width of the surgical site. Full, mini and extended Tummy Tuck operations can be performed.
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Mini Tummy Tuck Surgery
Mini Tummy Tuck can be performed only if the patient’s fat has accumulated in the lower abdomen area. In this area, an incision should be made just above the part where the genitalia called pubis starts and where there is hair, or just under the navel. The width and location of the incision are determined by the surgeon. Then the fat accumulated in the abdomen is taken out with liposuction. Since it is performed on a smaller area and the incision is usually very small, there may not be much scarring in the abdomen area after this operation.
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Extended Tummy Tuck Surgery
An important point during Tummy Tuck operations is the navel region. If an operation is to be performed around the belly button, extended Tummy Tuck is generally preferred. This procedure stands between full and mini Tummy Tuck operations. The incision may be one or more. This may not be a surgery covering a very large area. These are all related to problems such as how much fat accumulates in the patient’s body and where exactly the fat accumulates. The incision may leave a scar after surgery.
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Full Tummy Tuck Surgery
For patients who are considered to be overweight and obese, full Tummy Tuck is recommended. This is the most detailed and longest Tummy Tuck operation. This operation is recommended if the fat in the patient’s body has spread throughout the abdomen and is stratified as in the obese people. The position of the belly button is important in Tummy Tuck operations. In general, after a thorough operation such as full Tummy Tuck, the position of the belly button changes. It goes much lower than its old position. And nobody likes this. In full Tummy Tuck, an incision is made both around the abdomen and on different parts of the abdomen and around the belly button. It is unlikely that there will be no scar after the operation.
A drain can be used to collect fat and reduce the amount of the fluid. Drains are the tubes used for this process. They are not much preferred because they are risky in terms of both insertion and removal and they require a second surgical operation. But they can be used in full Tummy Tuck operations. Since full Tummy Tuck is a much larger operation compared to mini and extended Tummy Tuck operations, the postoperative pain may be felt for longer and recovery time take longer.
Preoperative Recommendations
- The first advice given to patients before all surgeries is that if he/she smokes, he/she should definitely take a break. The earlier a person can quit smoking, the longer it is recommended to stay away. Since smoking has a negative effect on blood circulation. It can cause problems both during and after surgery and certainly prolongs recovery time.
- Likewise, alcohol has such a negative effect and must be discontinued.
- On the other hand, a heavy preoperative diet is not recommended for patients. They should be fed as healthy and balanced as possible. However, one of the most important issues is to focus on protein consumption and foods containing fibre. Protein is good for the body to recover quickly. And also fibre foods are good for the healthy functioning of the circulatory system.
Postoperative Considerations
Especially those who have to undergo a full Tummy Tuck operation should make a detailed preparation and be well prepared for this process. You can ask your surgeon for detailed information about all stages of the surgery. This will help you to relax and be conscious about the surgery.
On the other hand, if you are someone who lives alone, it is best to have one of your relatives with you throughout the process. It is necessary to have someone with you both during and after surgery. For example, you should have ice bags in your home after the surgery and prepare clothes that are easy to put on and take off. Since you won’t be able to move in comfort, you may need help with going to the toilet, walking if necessary and cleaning.
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Standing Up After Surgery
In case of a normal Tummy Tuck operation, it is important to stand up and try to walk around for a short time after resting for 2 days.
In full Tummy Tuck surgery, it is not recommended to stand up within the first five days or even the first full week. This is very important to prevent damage to your skin and muscles that are stretched after surgery. But there is a close connection between breathing and opening the lungs and walking. Therefore, it is recommended that the patient should stand up and move several times a day after a week. These are usually methods of standing up for a short time, but they need to be done.
- Your pain and pang may be excessive.
- Swelling, bruising and redness may occur.
- You should often try to overcome these by applying ice bags and using painkillers regularly.
- Since this process is very difficult, it is best to have a companion caregiver.
Most Important Issues Related to Tummy Tuck Operations
If you have decided on this operation and will have a full Tummy Tuck surgery, you should provide your doctor with certain information about your other diseases, if any, all the operations you have undergone in the past and all the medications that you currently use. All of this is very important for a successful operation and postoperative process. Various breathing problems, different diseases in the liver or other organs, the health of the lungs and blood values are determinative in Tummy Tuck operations. If you have a hernia problem, you can get rid of that too with this surgery. But you need to talk about this with your surgeon first.
Importance of Hospital and Surgeon Selection
Tummy Tuck is a serious operation. You should be careful when choosing hospitals and doctors and you should choose the best one for yourself. If yours is a full Tummy Tuck surgery, you should be aware that this is a long and challenging process. It may take several months for you to get up and get back to your normal life and get rid of all the pain. Your doctor should give you adequate information about this and be professional.
The more conscious and realistic you are about the surgery, the more comfortable you will get through this process. Tummy Tuck surgery will not save you from fatness in a snap. After surgery, you should adopt a healthy and organized life and continue accordingly. If you happen to lose appetite after surgery due to painkillers and pains, you may need to consume liquid protein drinks. It may be difficult to continue your life alone for a while. You can evaluate all these and make a healthier and clearer decision. This is why your doctor and the information he/she will give you are of the utmost importance.
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