If you are concerned with excess skin, stretch marks from pregnancy, or weakened abdominal muscles, North Texas Plastic Surgery is your destination for correcting these issues and developing a body that you can be proud to show off. A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is a popular contouring procedure that is designed to shape and tighten the abdomen and eliminate loose, sagging skin and excess fat. Our board-certified plastic surgeons offer top-quality tummy tuck procedures in Fort Worth that deliver results to exceed your expectations. We can even offer a virtual preview of your results with our 3D Crisalix technology.
A tummy tuck is ideal for patients aged 20 to 70 years old. Provided you are in generally good health, age should not deter you from this procedure. The following are some of the standard criteria we use to determine your suitability for a tummy tuck:
We can discuss this with you, and much more, during a consultation, where our highly experienced plastic surgeons discuss the procedure in detail and explain the options available to you. The team then formulates a customized surgical plan for your tummy tuck based on your specific aesthetic goals and a physical examination. For women, a tummy tuck may also be performed as part of a mommy makeover package.
As with all surgical procedures, there is a risk of bleeding, infection, blood clots, or lung-related illnesses from a tummy tuck, which is why our Fort Worth patients should be in the best shape possible.
We take multiple interventions to reduce this risk as much as possible, not only during the surgery, but in the pre-operative and post-operative phases as well. Additionally, we will have all tummy tuck patients get an ultrasound of the veins in their lower leg, generally about two days after surgery, to look for evidence of a blood clot. If we catch it early, we can treat it effectively and decrease risk of further problems down the line.
From an aesthetic standpoint, there is always the possibility that the scars do not fade or blend in as cleanly, or that too much or too little of the skin is removed. We will talk with you ahead of time about what your ultimate goals are.
Most commonly, we may recommend liposuction instead of tummy tuck when a patient presents without any extra skin that needs to be addressed, but instead has some amount of fat that they would benefit from removing. However, most tummy tucks do involve a significant amount of liposuction as well.
It can be difficult to decide between getting a tummy tuck or just liposuction alone, but the decision should include input from both the patient and their plastic surgeon to come up with the best plan. The biggest factor in most cases is the presence of excess skin. In this situation, the tummy tuck is the better option, as liposuction does not adequately address extra leftover skin.
This procedure is done under full anesthesia. A tummy tuck may often begin with removal of some extra fat in the abdomen using liposuction, for the purposes of getting the patient to the classic hourglass shape. This fat removal can go up to the underarms and even around the back for full body contouring.
During your procedure, the surgeon makes a horizontal incision just above the pubic area to ensure that the eventual scar will be well concealed. There will then be another incision around the navel to get rid of excess stretched skin above your belly button and reposition the area to deliver desired aesthetical appeal.
By using a local anesthetic called a TAP block, our surgeon can block the abdominal muscles in order to maximize your comfort in the recovery phase. The plastic surgeon will also reshape or reposition the belly button afterwards.
Our tummy tuck surgeons in Fort Worth use drains to expel any liquid that builds up in the body as a result of the liposuction phase of the procedure – that includes liquids the body secretes, as well as liquids we inject in order to aid the procedure.
We can also modify the type of tuck you receive. Some options include:
For most patients in Fort Worth, a typical tummy tuck procedure takes two to three hours, meaning you can often go home the same day. A compression garment will help with the healing in the initial weeks of recovery. However, in some cases, we may schedule an overnight stay, depending on the complexity of the procedure or the health of the patient. You should expect to return to light work after a couple of weeks. Heavier exercise can begin after about six weeks.
Expectation management is paramount in any plastic surgery procedure and especially with a tummy tuck. It is important to have an honest discussion with the patient beforehand about the goals of the procedure and what can realistically be done to address the extra skin and fat in the midsection.
Tummy tucks involve removing skin and fat from about the area of the belly button to the pubic bone, so we will always discuss how that will change the patient’s appearance and abdominal contour, and the limitations of that technique as well.
You should expect your abdomen to be tight for the first one to two weeks after a tummy tuck. You should exercise by frequently walking around to minimize the risks of blood clots, and should drink a healthy amount of low-sugar liquids. We may also recommend placing a spirometer in the lungs to aid with breathing.
The results of a tummy tuck generally last for years, provided you lead a healthy lifestyle and maintain a stable weight. Weight fluctuations, especially those that are pregnancy-related, may cause abdominal skin to lose elasticity and begin sagging again. If this happens, you will need a second tummy tuck to address the renewed concerns. In order to preserve the results of your tummy tuck for longer, we recommend that you eat a balanced and nutritious diet, exercise regularly, and live an overall healthy lifestyle.
Scarring cannot be avoided with tummy tuck surgery. However, because the incision for abdominoplasty is typically made low enough on the abdomen, it should be well concealed even when wearing beachwear. Applying a silicone-based product for several months after the tummy tuck can help reduce its prominence. Patients who are at risk of keloid scars can inject either kenalog or 5-FU. In addition, our Medspa team can also provide laser therapy to help the scar blend back in with the rest of the skin.
Although it is safe to get pregnant after a tummy tuck, it is recommended that you wait until after you are done having children before deciding to get the procedure. This is because pregnancy and childbirth will most likely re-stretch the skin and muscle tissues of your abdomen, thus reversing the results.
Many people who are dissatisfied with their midsection because of lax muscles, loose skin, and fat deposits have benefitted from a tummy tuck procedure in our Fort Worth office. We perform nearly a thousand tucks per year and everyone from our plastic surgeons to our nursing staff know every element of this procedure. Schedule a consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons today to learn more about this procedure and how it can be part of your greater body transformation.
