A tummy tuck itself is not a weight loss procedure, but you may need one after other weight reduction surgeries. Losing large amounts of weight can leave you with excess skin, and a tummy tuck is really the only way to remove it. Of course, you may also want a tummy tuck, medically referred to as abdominoplasty, simply because you can’t seem to lose that stubborn belly fat.
Whether you have a regular tummy tuck or opt for a mini tummy tuck, your surgeon will make your incision as low on your abdomen as possible to make hiding the scar easy. Although eliminating scarring altogether is impossible, you can see in these before and after photos that covering it with a bikini bottom or panties is quite easy to do.
Because we believe in being completely honest with our patients, we must share the fact that tummy tuck surgery is often a bit more painful than other plastic surgery procedures. This is because your abdomen will feel very tight after the procedure. Patients report, however, that the pain from a tummy tuck is significantly less than that of a C-section. In fact, 96% of patients who have had a tummy tuck report that their post-op pain was worth it and say they would have the procedure again if they had it to do over. And, of course, you won’t be on your own. Your surgeon will prescribe pain medication to keep you comfortable as you heal.
And once you are healed, there will be no going back. For the best results you will need to follow your surgeon’s aftercare instructions closely while you recover from surgery. The results of a tummy tuck are permanent, however, and will last indefinitely so long as you maintain a fairly steady weight. For this reason, we do recommend waiting to have a tummy tuck until you are finished having children. Pregnancy after a tummy tuck is safe but can stretch the abdomen and alter your results.
