Obese or overweight. Body Mass Index (BMI) over 30. Any previous clotting issues or surgical complications. Currently taking any medications, anticoagulants, or supplements that might interfere.
If you are not finished having children and plan to get pregnant again, or are currently pregnant, you are not a suitable tummy tuck candidate. If you suffer from obesity, you are also not a good candidate for tummy tuck. Also, if you are a smoker who is not prepared to cease smoking, tummy tuck may not be for you.
Expect to be at a stable weight before your tummy tuck
It is important that you be close to your desired weight for six to twelve months before undergoing a tummy tuck. Most surgeons will recommend patients be between 10-15 pounds from their goal weight.
According to RealSelf's regularly updated tummy tuck patient reviews, 96% of patients report that the procedure is worth the cost, scarring, and downtime. Most women report having gotten their tummy tuck after losing a substantial amount of weight or after having children and losing pregnancy weight.
This study found that 8.2% reported pain within the past week between 3 months and 9 years after abdominoplasty, most often located under the umbilicus in the same location as the incision line, suggesting direct nerve injury in this area as the primary cause.
The tummy tuck is very useful when exercise and diet have failed to tighten the abdominal muscles. However, a tummy tuck is not really designed to make you look “thinner.” Rather, the tummy tuck improves the muscle profile of the abdomen, which in turn can have the effect of making you look more fit and toned.
Slow healing
A tummy tuck takes a long to heal. After leaving the bed for minimum tasks around the house, you will likely experience fatigue. You must give yourself additional two weeks to heal or walk properly. Resultantly, it makes the healing time four weeks.
Most women lose between 2 and 3 pants sizes after a tuck, but there are patients who lose even more. If you had a lot of loose skin before the procedure, for example, you could go down 4 more pants sizes.
The amount of weight a patient loses after a tummy tuck will vary, depending on the extent of the procedure. In most cases, patients lose a minimal amount, typically under five pounds. Other patients with more extensive loose skin may lose between 5 – 10 pounds, and, sometimes, even more.
As with any surgery, it's normal to experience some discomfort during the first few days post-op. This is typically well managed with medication. Along with general fatigue, expect some soreness in the abdomen and sensitivity around your incisions, especially when they are stressed.
A tummy tuck can restore a weakened core, strengthen abdominal muscles, and improve overall flexibility. In addition, stronger abdominal muscles can relieve lower back pain and improve posture.
Gaining a handful of pounds after your procedure won't compromise your final tummy tuck results. You can usually fluctuate within 10 to 15 pounds of your goal weight without any significant issues. However, weight gain over the 15-pound mark can cause skin and abdominal muscles to slowly stretch out of place.
To be a good candidate for tummy tuck, it is fairly important that you have loose or excess skin around your abdomen. If your goal is simply to remove excess fat from your abdomen, you may be a better candidate for liposuction. Moreover, to perform this procedure, your plastic surgeon will create an incision.
Many people who embrace more exercise—or more effective and more targeted exercises—can save themselves from having to undergo surgery. Cardiovascular activity, abdominal muscle strength training, and other tummy tuck exercises can strengthen your abdominal muscles and help you shed excess fat.
No-Cut Tummy Tuck is a non-surgical procedure which actually combines three treatments (BodyTite, liposuction, and Morpheus8) to simultaneously remove excess fat and tighten loose skin caused by pregnancy, weight loss and/or aging.
A properly performed tummy tuck can reduce your waist size and help you feel confident about your curves again. Some patients may lose many inches off their waist, while others will see more subtle results. It all depends on how much tissue can be removed safely.
Most patients after tummy tuck surgery feel comfortable wearing jeans about 3-4 weeks after surgery. This gives time for the drains to be removed (if they were used), the incision to heal and some of the swelling to go down. Leggings are a great option over your garment initially or flowing dresses or tops.
Tummy Tucks & Clothing Size
A tummy tuck inevitably decreases the size of the body by eliminating excess fat and skin from the abdominal region. Generally, patients lose about one or two sizes on their clothing following a tummy tuck procedure.
After a tummy tuck procedure constipation can be an issue, because opioid pain medications will slow down your bowels. After a muscle repair, there can be pain with straining if you are constipated.
In a C-section, an incision is made transecting the abdominal muscles. While a tummy tuck incision is similar to a C-section, the intra abdominal component of the operation is not there. This essentially means that a tummy tuck is less invasive procedure compared to the cesarean section.
There will be some discomfort after a tummy tuck, with the worst discomfort experienced within the first week. On a scale of 1 – 10, pain is often estimated at around a 6-7 for the the first few days to a week, reducing to around a 3 – 4 in the second week. This would, of course, depend on the individual.
Swelling after a Tummy Tuck Is Normal
In this area of the body, the blood vessels and lymphatic vessels work as a drainage system for fluids. During a tummy tuck, these vessels are cut. Because of this, the body removes fluid in the area a lot slower, resulting in fluid buildup known as edema or swelling.
Answer: Why is Waist Bigger After Tummy Tuck
If it is soon after your surgery, this could be due to swelling. If it is more than 6 weeks after surgery, it is possible that you have gained weight.
About 3 months after your San Diego tummy tuck, you can start trying to tone your abs with exercises like sit-ups, crunches, and planks. Again, take it easy at first. If you notice an unnecessary amount of pain associated with these activities, you'll want to stop immediately and see Dr.