Abdominoplasty Surgery and Recovery
Abdominoplasty surgery, or tummy tuck surgery, is one of the most common body contouring procedures requested at Timeless Cosmetic’s Rockingham/Mandurah and Perth offices. Tummy tuck surgery involves a longer recovery time than other techniques, but the amazing results mean our patients usually find the procedure very worthwhile.
What is a Tummy Tuck?
Abdominoplasty surgery serves to remove excess fat and skin from the abdomen while tightening the muscles underneath the skin.
Tummy Tuck Candidates
For abdominoplasty, the best surgery candidates are people who are both healthy and moderately trim. These patients have usually controlled their weight through diet and exercise or a lap band (weight loss surgery) but continue to experience excess skin or fat across their stomachs. Additionally, Dr. Padovan routinely performs abdominoplasty surgery on women following weight loss surgery or pregnancy, who have lost elasticity in the skin on their abdomens.
Some people are not good candidates for tummy tuck surgery, such as those who are planning on a future pregnancy, or would like to lose a large amount of weight. In these cases it may be optimal to undergo abdominoplasty surgery later, as the benefits of a tummy tuck procedure may be undone by the changes in muscle tone and skin elasticity.
The team at Timeless Cosmetics will be able to advise you if you are a suitable candidate for abdominoplasty surgery. Please contact us today to schedule a consultation.
The Abdominoplasty Surgery Procedure
There are two different surgical procedures for the tummy tuck. The first, known as the “mini tummy tuck,” is a partial abdominoplasty procedure, which is effective for patients with excess fat and skin below the belly button only. A full abdominoplasty procedure is used to correct this area as well as the loose skin and muscle tone above the belly button.
Depending on the type of abdominoplasty procedure, the surgery will take from two to five hours after you have been anaesthetized. Dr. Padovan will first make a horizontal incision between your hipbones. He will then lift the skin at the incision to access your abdominal muscles, which he then tightens and stitches into their new positions. Finally, Dr. Padovan will stretch the skin downward and remove any excess skin before closing the incision.
The partial abdominoplasty surgery (mini tummy tuck cosmetic procedure), is the same as the full procedure except it omits the tightening of the abdominal muscles.
Recovering from a Tummy Tuck
Recovery is dependent on your current health and the extent of the surgery performed. Patients can expect to stay in hospital anywhere from a few hours to a few days following the tummy tuck. You will leave hospital with a support garment and any drains which may have been placed.
It is normal to experience some swelling and pain in the first few days following an abdominoplasty. Dr. Padovan will prescribe adequate pain medication to help reduce your discomfort at this time. About a week after your surgery any stitches will be removed, and after another week the dressings covering your incision will be removed along with any drains.
Abdominoplasty surgery will result in a scar because it requires an incision, whether there is a small or large amount of skin removed. During the surgery Dr. Padovan will work to minimize the length of the scar as well as give you comprehensive instructions to help you to ensure your scar heals as well as possible in the recovery phase. There are many factors that contribute to scar healing – firstly, every person’s body is different. Other major factors include smoking and whether the patient follows Dr. Padovan’s recovery directions with care.
It generally takes a few months to notice an improvement in the appearance of scars following tummy tuck surgery. For most people scars will only lighten in colour and become flat after around nine months. In addition to minimizing their size, Dr. Padovan is usually able to make the incisions lower on the abdomen, so that your scars will be covered by your bathing suit.
Perth based surgeon Dr. Padovan offers abdominoplasty surgery as either an independent surgical procedure or as part of a more comprehensive body contouring and sculpting regimen. To learn more about the procedure and find out whether a tummy tuck is the right procedure for you, contact Timeless Cosmetics today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Padovan.
