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Tummy Tuck in Portage & Kalamazoo, MI

Get your Tummy Tuck in Portgage, MI

A tummy tuck is an outpatient cosmetic surgery procedure designed to tighten weak abdominal muscles and remove excess skin and fat to flatten the abdomen. Results can be quite dramatic, restoring a more athletic and youthful body shape. There are several reasons that men and women in Southwestern Michigan have a tummy tuck. Those reasons include massive weight loss, pregnancy, and aging.

A tummy tuck can be performed alone or with other cosmetic procedures. When a tummy tuck is combined with a breast procedure, such as a breast augmentation, breast lift or breast reduction, it’s called a Mommy Makeover—even though you don’t need to be a mommy to have one! A tummy tuck can also be combined with liposuction to eliminate pockets of fat that are resistant to diet and exercise.

Tummy Tuck After Massive Weight Loss

Losing a great deal of weight leaves many patients with an “apron” of skin and tissue that overhangs the pubic area. Not only is this embarrassing, it makes exercising difficult, and it’s tough to find clothing that contain the hanging tissue, called the pannis, in medical-speak. You can see a pannis on the photo here.

Tummy Tuck After Pregnancy

Pregnancy can take a huge toll on a woman’s body. During pregnancy, abdominal muscles are stretched, as are the skin and tissues beneath the surface. Afterwards, the body may not return to its original appearance. Diet and exercise can help remove the leftover fatty tissue, but won’t eliminate stretch marks or unite the separated muscles in the abdomen. A tummy tuck will do both: eliminate most—if not all—the stretch marks and tighten the abdominus rectus muscles that are almost always loose after pregnancy. One word of warning: Don’t have a tummy tuck until you’re finished building your family, because another pregnancy will undo all your beautiful, tight results!

Tummy Tuck To Treat Aging

It’s normal, as we age, for our muscles to loosen and for our skin to sag. The amount of sagging varies from person to person and is affected by your DNA and your lifestyle habits, such as exercise, tobacco use, weight fluctuations, etc.

Two Types of Tummy Tucks

There are two types of the tummy tuck procedure: the full tummy tuck and the mini tummy tuck. The difference between them is that the mini tummy tuck focuses on the area from the pubic bone to the belly button, and the full tummy tuck treats the entire abdominal area. The mini tummy tuck can be designed also to tighten the abdominal muscles, but it doesn’t remove as much fat and skin.

Frequently Asked Questions About a Tummy Tuck

If you’re a healthy adult man or woman with realistic goals for your improved appearance, you’re probably a good candidate. If you plan to have more children, I recommend that you delay your tummy tuck procedure until you’ve completed your family because your body will be affected by pregnancy, and the benefits of your tummy tuck will be undone.

At Southwest Michigan Plastic Surgery, my staff and I are 100% committed to your awareness of all your options, so you can make an informed decision regarding your tummy tuck—or any other—procedure.

There is actually only one choice. A tummy tuck incision runs “hip to hip,” and I place it as far down on the abdominal wall as possible, in the area called the “bikini” line. The incision is placed as low as possible so that the final scar could be hidden by panties or swimwear.

As with all of my cosmetic surgery procedures, your tummy tuck will be performed in one of two local accredited ambulatory surgical facilities near my Southwest Michigan plastic surgery office. I always work with a board certified anesthesiologists and many of the operating room staff at these centers have been working with me for the past 15 years. These same-day surgery centers offer you the safety of a hospital operating room without the exposure to hospital-based bacteria, plus the benefit of a friendly, caring, and personalized experience.

After pre-operative markings are made on your abdomen, you’ll be taken to the operating suite where general anesthesia will be given. My patients are always completely “out” for their plastic surgery procedures. Following the markings I’ve placed before surgery, I’ll make a very low hip- to-hip incision. I first tighten the abdominal muscles so you’ll have a nice, tight tummy. I then pull down the excess skin, almost like a window shade, and remove the excess at the bottom. I create a new belly button, perform some careful liposuction, and insert a couple of drains that will help the healing area to stay nice and tight during recovery. Using dissolvable sutures, I close the incision and put you into a compressive garment that you’ll wear 24/7 for a few weeks after your tummy tuck procedure. After a couple hours in recovery, you’ll be released to go home in the company of a friend or relative (you can’t drive yourself home because you had general anesthesia).

Recovery From a Tummy Tuck

You’ll be sore both in the front and back of your abdomen after your tummy tuck procedure, and you’ll discover that keeping your knees bent when sitting in a recliner or in bed is the most comfortable. Walking bent over is the only way you’ll be able to get around at first. You’ll be tempted to stay in bed, but walking is the best thing you can do to reduce swelling, speed healing and clear your head. At first, you’ll walk only to and from the bathroom but on day 2 you need to walk around the house, expanding that over the first week to walking outside, weather permitting. You’ll become best friends with your compression garment, taking it off only to let the skin “breathe” and shower. Your drains won’t hurt but they will feel cumbersome and in the way when you shower, but they’re worth the irritation, as they funnel out all that extra fluid that would otherwise hamper your lovely, flat result.

Pain will be an issue for the first few days. I will give you prescriptions for pain medication at your pre-op appointment. Please fill them. If you take them, you’ll feel better but you’re likely to be constipated, which can be uncomfortable. Drink as much liquid as you can manage, stay away from fried foods and anything that constipates you. It is generally advisable to take a fiber based stool softener like Metamucil or Benafiber to help with constipation during the recovery period.

You will see me in my Southwest Michigan plastic surgery office within 1-2 days after your tummy tuck and weekly thereafter. During the first 6-8 weeks after your tummy tuck, you will need to avoid strenuous exercise and any heavy lifting. That includes children, grocery bags and the like!

A tummy tuck can do wonders for the way you see yourself, as well as the way others see you. Your clothes will fit better, and you’ll feel younger and happier with your new silhouette. If this is something that you’ve been thinking about doing, come in and see me. Maybe now is the time!

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