What is tummy tuck surgery?
Tummy tuck surgery, which is one of the most preferred methods in recent years by women and men who have various problems such as excess fat and sagging in the abdominal area due to different reasons, is an extremely simple operation. With tummy tuck surgery, the sagging skin in the abdominal area is stretched with aesthetic surgery methods. In this way, a much more aesthetic appearance is achieved in the abdomen.
Abdominoplasty, also called absominoplasty, is one of the most effective methods that provide an aesthetic appearance of the abdomen and belly area. The connective tissues in the abdominal wall loosen due to many reasons, especially pregnancy. This causes the abdomen to appear swollen, stretch marks and abundance. If the diet and sports performed to eliminate the appearance are insufficient, abdominoplasty surgery is preferred.
In tummy tuck surgeries, excess fat in the area is also removed. With a single operation, it is possible to completely flatten the abdominal area and achieve the desired aesthetic appearance.
How does tummy tuck surgery work?
Different techniques are applied in tummy tuck surgeries. The technique to be used is decided based on the area where the skin will be removed and various examinations performed. However, in tummy tuck surgeries, a horizontal incision is made sideways to the area called the caesarean scar level. A vertical incision is also made from this area to the belly button.
If there is excess fat in belly lift surgeries, liposuction is applied during surgery. Excess skin is then removed. Stretching is done. The belly button is repositioned to capture the aesthetic appearance.
Tummy tuck operations also tighten the loosened abdominal muscles. For this purpose, recovery stitches are placed over the muscles. The operation is completed with aesthetic sutures to preserve the aesthetic appearance and to prevent the suture scar from being seen.
The duration of tummy tuck surgeries varies depending on the procedures performed. The duration of full tummy tuck operations, called total abdominoplasty, varies between 3 and 3.5 hours. In patients with less sagging and laxity, this period varies between 1 and 1.5 hours.
Recovery process in tummy tuck surgery
After tummy tuck surgery, the hospitalization period of patients is usually limited to 1- 2 days. Afterwards, patients can be discharged and continue their resting process at home. During the recovery period, patients are recommended to wear corsets specially designed for tummy tuck surgeries. The duration of use of corsets that should be worn continuously is 1 month. Being meticulous about the use of the corset significantly increases the success of the surgery.
Patients should be walked 3 to 4 hours after the surgery. On the day after surgery, patients are expected to walk unassisted and slowly. It is normal for patients to feel pain for a while due to the abdominal procedures and stitches in this area.
Patients can take a shower 3 to 4 days after surgery. However, for the first 1 week after surgery, patients should avoid coughing, sneezing and straining as much as possible because the stitches have not fully fused.
The time to return to work varies between 7 and 10 weeks, especially for those who have a heavy job. However, these recommendations are valid for full tummy tuck surgeries. Since the healing process is much faster in mini tummy tuck surgeries, patients can return to their daily lives within 3 to 4 days.
Abdominoplasty and pregnancy
Tummy tuck surgeries are not among the surgeries that cause pregnancy prevention. For this reason, there is no harm in getting pregnant after tummy tuck operations. However, it is recommended to wait for full recovery to become pregnant. For this reason, it is recommended to seek expert advice on when to become pregnant after the operation.
Another issue related to tummy tuck surgeries and pregnancy is how long after pregnancy tummy tuck surgery can be performed. The common opinion on this subject is that tummy tuck surgery can be performed 1 year after birth. During this time, the mother needs to lose as much weight as she can by eating regularly and exercising. In this way, the area to be treated and the level of the cracks can be determined much better. However, if a second pregnancy is planned, it is recommended that tummy tuck surgery be performed after the second pregnancy.
What should be considered after tummy tuck surgery?
Paying attention to some points after tummy tuck operations ensures more successful results of the surgery. Your physician will share information about the points to be considered after the operation. On the other hand, among the points that patients should pay attention to in general are the following:
- Regular use of medications prescribed by a doctor
- Not wearing tight clothes
- Avoiding sudden movements
- Being careful with physical movements
- Providing protection of the abdominal area from impacts
- Psychological support
- Drinking enough fluids
- Keeping controls in place
- Consume the specified foods
Abdominoplasty and sexuality
Different methods are used in tummy tuck operations according to the patient's expectations and the characteristics of the area to be treated. For this reason, patients may need serious stitches after surgery. Serious stitches prolong the healing time. During this time, the stitches should not be strained. For this reason, it is recommended not to have sexual intercourse before the healing process is complete. Otherwise, the stitches will open.
In addition, the active use of abdominal muscles during sexual intercourse will also have a negative effect on tummy tuck surgery. Straining the abdominal muscles will prolong the recovery time. In addition, in case of sexual intercourse before the abdominal wall heals, the incision scars become much more prominent.
For all these reasons, patients who have had tummy tuck surgery should wait 4 to 6 weeks before having sexual intercourse. In addition, maximum care should be taken in sexual intercourse after the waiting period. In this way, facing negative situations in the long term can be prevented.
What are the risks of tummy tuck surgery?
As with any surgical procedure, there are certain risks in tummy tuck surgeries. However, the data obtained show that the complications seen after tummy tuck surgeries are below average. For this reason, it is much safer than many other surgical procedures.
Among the complications that can be seen in patients after tummy tuck surgery are the following:
Hematoma
In case of bleeding in the surgical area after surgery, the condition where blood collects and clots under the skin is called hematoma. In order to prevent hematoma, tummy tuck surgery should be performed with a careful surgical application and in the last step, it is necessary to examine in detail whether there is any bleeding.
Infection
Infection, which is the second most common complication after tummy tuck surgery, is a complication in all surgical procedures. Aseptic methods are used during the tummy tuck procedure. For this reason, patients are almost unlikely to get an infection during surgery. However, patients who smoke, are obese or have diabetes after tummy tuck surgery increase the risk of infection in the area.
Skin necrosis
In case of insufficient blood flow in the skin in the operated area, the tissue begins to shed. To prevent skin necrosis, patients should avoid smoking.
Embolism
A long duration of tummy tuck surgery may cause deep vein thrombosis in the legs. Blood clots that form in the legs can be carried by blood vessels to the lungs or brain. Embolism, which is an extremely serious medical condition, should be treated as soon as possible.
In order to prevent the complication of embolism, the following should be done:
- After the surgery, the patient is recommended to perform movements that will facilitate blood flow, such as stretching, raising and lowering the legs.
- Patients who have difficulty moving their legs are advised to use a special method called breathing exercises. A special medical device is used for this method.
- Finally, the use of pneumatic stockings before and during the operation helps the blood flow to be more regular and also helps to keep the legs warm and moist.
Surgical scar
The size of the incisions in tummy tuck surgeries are extremely large. The scars of the stitches applied to the incisions made in the bikini area, which is more difficult to see, lighten over time. But in any case, the stitch mark remains. Some patients also experience irregularities. If this situation disturbs the patients, a second operation can be performed for the scars.
Feeling numb
It is an expected and temporary condition to experience numbness in the abdomen after tummy tuck surgeries. This condition improves 6 months or 1 year after surgery.
Abdominal irregularities
After tummy tuck operations, it is possible to feel small lumps in the abdomen. This is usually caused by internal seams. For this reason, the lumps felt with the dissolution of the internal stitches will also disappear. However, if the lumps continue to be felt in the third month after surgery, the surgeon should be consulted.
