The tummy tuck procedure is one of the most frequently performed across the country each year. Sometimes, it is part of a bigger Mommy Makeover. Sometimes, it is performed solely to eliminate sagging tissue on the lower abdomen. The customized surgery can correct the stretching and even muscle separation that can occur during pregnancy or as a result of excess weight and the effects of the aging process. When tissue loosens to a significant degree, it may not tighten as much as you would like if you rely only on diet and exercise to improve your shape. Having persistent loose tissue and skin can be frustrating. To address the issue, you might consider seeking abdominoplasty.
What Can a Tummy Tuck Do?
The abdominoplasty procedure focuses on either the lower abdomen, below the belly button, or on the entire abdominal wall, including the belly button. The full tummy tuck may be the best choice for patients who’ve developed diastasis recti, a separation in the abdominal muscle. This technique may also reposition the belly button to achieve symmetrical, natural-looking results. Both the full tummy tuck and the mini tummy tuck may eliminate some degree of stretch marks and a c-section scar. The purpose of the procedure is to tighten the abdominal muscle and trim excess skin before closing the hip-to-hip incision. It works by pulling tissue down toward the incision line and securing it in a tighter position, in which it will heal over two to three weeks. The primary outcome sought by abdominoplasty patients is to have a flatter, firmer midsection. Can a firmer, flatter midsection create better curves, though?
What Influences the Outcome of Abdominoplasty?
The primary factor that will influence the cosmetic outcome of tummy tuck surgery is your natural figure. Your plastic surgeon can work some degree of magic on the contours you were born with but, using abdominoplasty alone, the results that can be achieved will be limited. If you plan to have abdominoplasty as your only contouring procedure and you have naturally smaller breasts and narrow hips, your plastic surgeon is unlikely to expect you to look like a Kardashian after your procedure. One way that you might get more of an hourglass figure through your plastic surgery journey is to combine abdominoplasty with liposuction. Using this additional technique, your surgeon may etch areas adjacent to your abdomen to sculpt even better results. Another option is to combine abdominoplasty with breast augmentation. Since the breasts rest right above the abdominal wall, enlarging and shaping them with breast implants can enhance the contouring and flattening of the midsection.
The abdominoplasty procedure can achieve lasting, rewarding results. If you would like to know what this procedure can do for you, schedule a consultation with us. Here, we will observe your natural body frame and listen to your desired outcome from surgery and will use that information to customize a treatment plan just for you. Contact us at (636) 896-0600 for an appointment at our St. Peters office.
