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 —

There are many, many reasons someone would choose to have an abdominoplasty procedure done. After pregnancy is one good reason, especially if the baby was taken by Cesarean section. During a Cesarean section the abdominal muscles are cut by the doctor and because of this the muscles may have a difficult time recovering and lose their elasticity along with the skin of the abdomen.

During the procedure the doctor will use a technique called “baseball stitching” of the damaged abdominal muscles to strengthen them so they heal nicely then use liposuction to remove any fat remaining under the skin. The skin is then stretched, pulled taut and the excess is trimmed off. The belly button has to be relocated and the incision stitched closed. Next, drain tubes are put in place to keep fluid from building up under the skin. Keeping the fluid from building up will also help the healing process and decrease the possibility of infection.

After all of this is done the whole abdominal area is wrapped tightly with a compression dressing to help support the muscles and skin during the healing period. A narcotic analgesic will be prescribed to manage the pain. You can expect the recovery to take about six weeks to two months depending on the extent of the procedure you choose to have done.

If you are overweight and have tried everything you can think of to lose weight and have failed, first of all, know that you are not alone. This has happened to the best of us. So what do you do if you want to be healthy? One thing you can do is a procedure like abdominoplasty. You will still have to change the way you eat and think about food otherwise you will not keep the weight off and the procedure will be a waste of time and money.

You can have the flat belly you have always wanted and look toned and in shape with just one procedure. When the weight is gone then you will not only look and feel healthier you will be healthier. Joints and muscles will not hurt so much anymore. Once your body gets used to not having to carry around all that extra weight your joints and muscles may not hurt anymore at all.

Other benefits may include a decrease in blood pressure, cholesterol and even eliminating diabetes symptoms. Anything you can do to decrease signs and symptoms of any one of these disorders will help you save some money on prescriptions and visits to the doctor. You may even be able to save on medical and life insurance premiums if you become healthier by losing the weight.

Professionals will tell you to not use this procedure as an alternative for a good weight loss program but if you want to look and feel your best and get the added benefit of being healthier in so may ways then talk to a board certified plastic surgeon in you area to get the information you need to make an informed decision about abdominoplasty.

Tags: Abdomen, Abdominal Muscles, Abdominoplasty, Baseball Stitching, Belly Button, Drain Tubes, Elasticity, Extent, Flat Belly, Good Reason, Healing Process, Incision, Joints, Liposuction, Losing Weight, One Thing, Pregnancy, Six Weeks, Time And Money, Waste Of Time, Weight Loss —