I know you’re tired of the pouch you have on your stomach that you just can’t seem to get rid of no matter how many crunches you do, and that you are considering a tummy tuck (if you weren’t you probably wouldn’t be reading this article) the next logical question is how long is the tummy tuck recovery period?

A tummy tuck, otherwise known as abdominoplasty, is a major surgery and you have to make sure you understand everything that’s involved before you make your decision to have it done. As with all surgeries there is a risk of complications so be darn careful when you pick out the plastic surgeon, as well as the surgery center, who will perform the procedure.

Also, make sure you have someone who can help you out with your daily activities for at least several days post surgery. You won’t be able to do much at all, even cooking, getting dressed and moving around your house will be a challenge. Of course, you won’t be able to drive for a while after your surgery so make sure you stock up on groceries around your home (or get one of your friends to help you out).

Make sure you have someone who can fill your prescriptions. The doctor will usually prescribe something for pain and usually some form of antibiotic as well to prevent infections.

Since some types of pain medications can make you constipated, which is the last thing you want after having abdominal surgery, many surgeons will prescribe a laxative to take after the surgery. Whatever your doctor prescribes, take it. Make sure you take your pills on time. You don’t want to have unnecessary pain or risk an infection, take your pills on time every time.

It’s also a good idea to have a thermometer on hand so you can check for an infection. Infections are a common complication of having surgery and one of the first signs of an infection will be a fever. By being able to check your temperature often, you can see any signs of an infection early on, which is good (so you can treat it early before it gets to serious) and something you want to watch for during your tummy tuck recovery.

Don’t think that you don’t have to listen to the doctor or follow his instructions either. A tummy tuck is major surgery, you don’t want to risk injuring yourself of ripping out your sutures, so follow his directions. These instructions will cover everything from when you can take a bath how often to change your bandages, how much you can lift and what activity levels you should restrict yourself to, all the way up to when you can have sex again. Listen to him.

Recovering from a major surgical procedure will take time, in order to make your tummy tuck recovery as painless and as quick as possible make sure that you fully understand and follow all your doctors advice, this is not the time to be a know it all.

Tags: Abdominal Surgery, Abdominoplasty, Antibiotic, Constipated, Crunches, Fever, First Signs, Groceries, infection, infections, Laxative, Logical Question, Major Surgery, Pain Medications, pain;, Plastic Surgeon, Prescriptions, Recovery Period, Signs Of An Infection, Surgeries, surgery, Surgery Center, Thermometer, Tummy Tuck, Unnecessary Pain —

Many woman, especially those of us who have had kids, don’t want to undergo surgery but would love to have a non surgical tummy tuck. Wouldn’t it be nice to able to go back to the days when we could bounce a quarter off of our abs, but without the pain, expense, and risk of complications of surgery? For those of us who want that there are tummy tuck alternatives that might be just what the doctor ordered.

Having a tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is expensive. It costs thousands of dollars for the surgery. When you add to the expense the fact that you’ll be out of commission for up to six weeks and that you’ll have quite a bit of pain, as well as the risk of complications, many women just don’t want to put themselves through that for a tighter tummy.

The good news is that you don’t have to. Today there are several non surgical tummy tuck alternatives that can help you get the flat looking midsection you’re craving without having to go under the knife.

Here are some of the most promising:

1. For fat loss liposuction works just fine (if your problem is loose skin this won’t help). Liposuction is still a pretty involved procedure but it’s not major abdominal surgery. Often the doctor will perform liposuction in conjunction with a tummy tuck. If you want to just have some fat removed this procedure can work very well.

To put it simply: the doctor uses a vacuum like device and literally sucks fat out of your body. You will still have a recovery period but it’s not as long as with a tummy tuck. Ask your doctor if this is a good idea for you.

2. Titan. This is a process where a laser can tighten the skin from the surface. There are no incisions involved with this procedure. If you have just a little extra skin, this procedure would probably work really well for you, ask your doctor.

3. Thermage is a non surgical procedure where radio frequency energy is directed to the skin. This can help tighten and lift excess skin. It’s completely non invasive.

4. Injection Lipolysis is a procedure where a compound is injected directly into the skin. This compound has been shown to melt off fat deposits. Most people will need 2 or 3 injections to remove the total amount of fat that they want removed. It’s non surgical and works well on the face, jowls, neck, sides, thighs and abdomen. It hasn’t been FDA approved yet though so make sure to talk to your doctor about it, and any potential side effects, and get his opinion.

We’re lucky, today more than ever we don’t have to age gracefully, we can fight it every step of the way. We now know a lot about diet and exercise and the benefits both have on our overall health as well as our appearance. The problem is that sometimes diet and exercise just aren’t enough. To get rid of that flabby tummy without going under the knife you should look into
non surgical tummy tuck alternatives.

Tags: Abdominal Surgery, Abdominoplasty, Ask Doctor, Conjunction, Excess Skin, Extra Skin, FDA;, Healthy Diet, Incisions, Laser, Liposuction, Loose Skin, Midsection, radio frequency, Radio Frequency Energy, Recovery Period, Risk, Six Weeks, surgery, Thermage, Thousands Of Dollars, Titan, Tummy Tuck, Vacuum, Woman —

A friend of ours wants to have an abdominoplasty procedure done. When she first told us about this, all we could do was look at each other. Afterwards, when we were by ourselves and were able to discuss it more, I made the comment that I thought she was nuts to want to have anything done.

Why? Because she weighs about 100 lbs soaking wet and works out like a fiend every single day. How could she possibly need to have a tummy tuck? Well, I was wrong to jump to any conclusion like that. She explained at a later date that even though she works out like a fiend, she is still getting older and the skin around her middle is starting to get saggy. It is because she works out so diligently that she wants to continue to look her best.

Can’t blame a woman for that now can you?

The procedure she will have is called a mini-tuck where an incision is made, minimal liposuction performed if any is needed, and the skin tightened, then stitched closed. The belly button does not require relocation with a mini-tuck. A drain tube is inserted into the incision to drain excess fluid. The lower abdomen is then wrapped with a compression dressing. Pain control using a prescribed narcotic or, if the pain is minimal, then over the counter pain relievers may be used. Recovery time is 2-3 weeks with a mini-tuck.

So, I learned my lesson. I learned that even someone who is in great shape and has incredible muscle tone can still be in need of firmer skin in certain areas of her body.

I have another friend who had an abdominoplasty procedure after having two pregnancies which resulted in two very big babies, 10 lbs and 11 lbs, respectively. She lost all the baby weight but since both the babies had to be taken Cesarean and were so big to begin with she ended up with a lot of excess skin in that area and she was told the muscles of her abdomen would never recover.

Obviously, the procedure she had done was a full tummy tuck which involved “baseball stitching” the damaged muscles, removing any fat remaining with liposuction, stretching the skin taut, trimming off the excess, relocating the belly button and closing the incision. Drain tubes were inserted to help keep fluid from accumulating and aid recovery. The area is then wrapped tightly with a compression dressing to help support the muscles. A narcotic analgesic will be prescribed to control the pain and discomfort associated with the procedure. Recovery time is approximately six weeks with a full tummy tuck.

So, if you are looking for a toned, flat belly, check out board-certified plastic surgeons in your area and call for a consult. Ask what your options are and if they think you are a good candidate for surgery. You may find that you are making one of the smartest decisions you have ever made in your life. Just think, no more battle of the bulge!

Although not recommended as a substitute for a weight loss or diet regimen, an abdominoplasty procedure can help correct the problem areas left behind when all is said and done.

Tags: Abdominoplasty, Baby Weight, Baseball Stitching, Belly Button, candidate for surgery, Damag, Drain Tube, Excess Fluid, Excess Skin, Fiend, Firmer Skin, Great Shape, Healthy Diet, Incision, Incredible Muscle, Liposuction, Losing Weight, Lower Abdomen, Muscle Tone, Pain Relievers, Pregnancies, Recovery Time, Single Day, surgery, Tummy Tuck —

You are tired of all the fad diets that do not work and the yo-yoing weight loss and weight gain. Lose some weight and gain it back, time and time again. You want to look and feel healthier so now you are seriously considering having abdominoplasty surgery to correct the problem.

First you have to ask yourself, did you really give weight loss the old college try? If you made the commitment to lose weight and change the way you think about and treat food then why did you not lose the weight and keep it off? Well, the best answer is that you did not make the commitment to lose the weight and change the way you think about and treat food.

I’m not saying you didn’t do some things right, but in the end, if the weight did not stay off then you mostly did the wrong things. I’m also not saying that abdominoplasty surgery is not the way to go here either. It may be the kick in the pants you need to keep yourself looking good after the surgery.

I think everybody wants to be thin and healthy. It is just that the way we eat these days is so wrong. Most of us don’t even know why. Think about the way things have changed over the years, though. When I was young, fast food was a rarity and we only ever had it as a treat once or twice a year. Maybe a little more often than that but not much.

Then, the world just seemed to get busier and people stopped cooking meals for their families because they did not have time. Women went back to work and “convenience foods” became the norm. Processed foods loaded with carbs and sodium make meals easier and also make our waistlines thicker.

Fatigue is rampant and so no one wants to get out there and even just go for a walk because they are too tired. So what happens when you do not burn off more calories than you take in? Weight gain. Then all of a sudden you are 50, 75, or even 100 pounds over weight and even though you want to lose it you just can’t seem to lose more than a few pounds at a time then it gets put right back on plus a few more. It is a cycle that only you can break and it takes dedication and self discipline.

You must make the change from processed food to fresh food. Some good advice for you to take to heart, when you shop, shop around the outer edges of the store. Everything on the shelves in the middle of the store is mostly canned and processed food. The outer edges has fresh vegetables even fresh breads from the bakery and even though some of the packaged meats are processed, like hot dogs, if you shop the outer edges of the store you generally get the healthier, fresh stuff.

Still, if you feel the need for abdominoplasty surgery to look and feel healthier and you can afford it, go for it.

Tags: Abdominoplasty, Abdominoplasty Surgery, Calories, Carbs, Convenience Foods, Cooking Meals, Fad Diets, Fast Food, fatigue;, Fruits And Vegetables, Gain Weight, Lose Weight, Losing Weight, Loss Weight, Norm, Rarity, Sodium, Time Women, Weight Gain, Weight Lose, Weight Loss —