Abdominoplasty Surgery

An Abdominoplasty is meant for those who need more than just a liposuction to get back the right body contours. And a partial abdominoplasty, being even a less invasive surgery is meant for you if you have just a slight problem of a little abdominal skin sag and belly protrusion. If this is happening to you due to aging, or even if you have an otherwise slim figure which you want to sculpt and tone up further, you might be better off opting for a mini tummy tuck than anything else.

 Since the length of the surgical incision is smaller than the traditional complete abdominoplasty, it is sometimes also referred to as the ‘scarless abdominoplasty’.

Points of Difference:-

• While general anesthetic might be used like in full abdominoplasty, usually, a mini tummy tuck is completed with a local anesthesia.
• Your belly button will not be repositioned in a partial surgery. Also, the mini abdominoplasty does not handle as much skin as the standard surgery. So, benefits for the upper abdomen are lesser.
• Recovery is quicker and risks lesser. Patients are usually on their way to recovery within a few days of the mini tummy tuck.
• It is obviously less expensive than a complete abdominoplasty.
• Abdominal incision is typically shorter, hence significantly less scarring.  

Hence, a mini tummy tuck is meant for a belly whose muscles and skin are not so damaged as to need full abdominoplasty, yet which can’t be reformed to a pleasant shape by liposuction alone.

Excess abdominal skin and fat and the laxity of the abdominal muscles is mostly due to multiple pregnancies which stretches the skin beyond its bio-mechanical ability to retract to normal. If the skin has not naturally returned to its normal form and size in 6 months time, it probably never will. Basically, it is the massive weight loss, be it due to dieting or post-pregnancy loss or after a gastric bypass surgery, which causes the problem of abdominal laxity. The biggest defect area is around and below the navel, where the excess skin is most prominent.

As with all major surgeries, a good surgeon will scan the complete medical history of the potential candidate, note any previous pregnancies and their effects on the abdomen, document previous surgical procedures, discuss the patient’s history of weight gain and loss, note any future plans for pregnancy and inquire into the patient’s history of medical problems.

A complete physical examination is also conducted to evaluate the condition and strength of abdominal muscles and the quality and elasticity of the skin.

Points of concern:-

• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• History of thromboembolic disease
• Occurrence of wound problems, either from infection or connective tissue diseases.
• Patient should not be smoking.
• Patient should be generally physically active and exercising.
• Patient should be as close as possible to their desired weight before surgery.
• If the patient plans another pregnancy or plans to lose more than 10 pounds, they are advised to postpone the abdominoplasty surgery.

Abs that bulge out because of multiple pregnancies or substantial weight loss have two components- first, thick deposits of fat under the belly and two, over-stretched skin and loosened muscles.

The first problem of fat can be taken care of by proper diet, exercise, and even procedures like liposuction where nothing else works. But if the problem you face is majorly of the second category i.e. excess hanging skin and loose muscles, then none of the aforementioned remedies really work much! And this isn’t meant to undermine the importance of good diet and fitness regime in helping you reduce the tummy.

Nevertheless, in many stubborn cases, the only sensible option left is a Tummy Tuck. Though, you might opt to include liposuction in the procedure under consultation with your surgeon  if it’s deemed helpful.

Liposuction is usually preferred over Tummy Tuck in cases with fewer stretch marks and good skin condition. Also, Tummy Tuck is not for you if you plan more pregnancies in future or plan on losing more weight as that will undo the effects. Also, if you are uncomfortable with the fact that abdominoplasty can cause permanent scars ( 1 or 2 depending on the depth of the surgery performed on you), you should think long and hard before taking the plunge in stead of regretting later on.

And if it helps to know: at least the horizontal scar can be well-hidden under your bikini line! The procedure does make a good difference in cases it is suited to. No, you won’t come out of the OT looking like a Baywatch Babe. However, you can chill out on the beach without worrying about all the hideous skin hanging out with you!

Since Abdominoplasty is a major surgery, the complete procedure has to be carried out under general anesthesia. So, obviously, you should be prepared for at least one night’s hospital stay. Better still, if you have 3-4 days to spare. Usually, one is discharged in up to 3-4 days.

If you are sure that you need an Abdominoplasty and you are a suitable candidate, the next most important thing is to find a good surgeon and a good clinical set up for cosmetic surgery in your area. A qualified and experienced surgeon would also give you the right guidance and advise for your specific case. He would evaluate your suitability as candidate and suggest you the best fix in terms of whether a partial tummy tuck is fine for you or if it is better to try avoiding a surgery at all and look for alternative remedies.

Ideally, if you are in good general health, a non-smoker, at your ideal weight and do not any serious medical history, you should pass the candidate scan. You might be asked to take some physical/ lab tests.

Tummy tuck will usually leave two kinds of scars – a horizontal scar and a vertical scar. Length of scar usually depends on how loose or tight your skin is. The reason for the vertical scar is that during the Abdominoplasty, your belly button is removed and relocated in proportion to rest of the skin and muscle. The horizontal scar is mostly made by the surgeon below the bikini line so it is well hidden.