Healthy Living: Tummy tucks
Do you have a lot of excess skin on your belly? No matter how many sit ups you do, some doctors say it won't help.
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"It doesn't go away with exercise. The elasticity is lost, the skin is damaged," said Dr. Lucie Capek.
When it comes to plastic surgery, abdominalplasty or tummy tucks is done mostly on women who have had children or have lost massive amounts of weight. Candidates are those who have been at their ideal body weight for at least six months. There are different levels of surgery, beginning with a mini tuck for those with just a bit of loose skin. Liposuction is often done with tummy tucks. More involved cases combine muscle repair. If the patient has a great deal of excess skin, Capek may do a mini tummy tuck with an umbilical float or perhaps a full tummy tuck like, this one.
"There is a lot of loose tissue in multiple directions. I have marked on the skin the amount of skin and fat that is being completely removed. So she is going to end up with a scar down here, a little one in her belly button and a flat belly with all of this stuff gone," said Capek.
After the lower incision is made, the skin is separated all the way up to her sternum. The excess skin is removed; the remaining skin is pulled down and sutured below her hip area. Her belly button is then reattached in the center of her stomach. Nearly a pound of skin and fat was removed.
After surgery, patients walk that night. Dr. Capek recommends for her patients not to raise their heart rate for fourteen days and to refrain from any exercise that involves straining the core for 6 to 8 weeks.
"Most patients find the recovery; they are feeling really good at two weeks however they tend to have more fatigue than pain. It's really just their body is healing and it requires energy and they need more rest than normal," Capek said.
Complications, while rare, can include infection, bleeding or fluid retention in the abdominal area. After surgery patients are also advised to do isometric exercises with their legs to prevent the risk of blood clots. Compression girdles are also worn for a few weeks. The cost ranges any from $7,500 to $10,000.