Tummy Tucks or Abdominoplasty – The Complete Overview

With beauty standards constantly changing everywhere, flat tummies are in high demand. And this is not surprising. An athletic form looks clean and aesthetic. Excess skin and fat collecting on various parts of the body – especially the abdomen – can cause massive unhappiness.

A tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is a procedure where the excess skin and fat is removed from the abdominal region. It helps you achieve a smoother, flatter abdominal contour. Therefore, it is precisely what it sounds like – it tucks your tummy away for a more aesthetic look. 

So, who is the ideal candidate for an abdominoplasty?

People Who Need Abdominoplasty

Abdominoplasty suits a variety of needs ranging from medical to aesthetic. And here they are:

 

Women Post-Pregnancy

There is a reason abdominoplasty is a part of the mommy makeover package. Women, especially after undergoing multiple pregnancies, lose elasticity in their skin. They also put on weight during pregnancy, and this weight stays post-pregnancy. And, since the accumulated fat is subcutaneous, getting rid of it is very difficult. They may also have a lot of sagging skin which needs removal.  

However, what abdominoplasty cannot achieve is getting you back to your pre-pregnancy body. A lot of mothers come looking for those kinds of results. That is not possible. But your surgeon, if highly accomplished, can bring you as close to your pre-pregnancy body as possible while retaining an athletic shape that enhances your natural contours.  

 

A Liposuction Patient

Liposuction targets the subcutaneous fat lying between the skin and the muscle layers. This is the irritatingly stubborn fat that refuses to burn no matter how much exercise someone does. A lot of people who feel like they are stagnating choose liposuction for instant results which they then strive to maintain.

While this technique works, it is not always the best idea. That is because some people choose liposuction on the abdomen without any prior exercise. This means that the amount of fat accumulated there is much more and their muscles are not as toned underneath. If someone has a lot of fat there, removing it may leave behind sagging skin. In such a case, abdominoplasty is required to remove the excess skin for a better, smoother contour. 

 

Someone Post-Massive Weight Loss

Massive weight loss refers to losing 30kg or more at one go. If this happens rapidly, then often, there is still sagging skin left behind. Here, abdominoplasty also acts as a medical procedure. Its medical avatar is called a panniculectomy. A panniculectomy may be considered a medical necessity if the remaining skin affects your quality of life. For example, you may develop rashes, infections, and ulcers underneath the area of hanging skin. So your surgeon makes two cuts on your abdominal wall, removes the excess skin and then sutures you back up.

 

Someone with Divarication of Recti

Divarication of recti is the separation of the recti muscles due to pregnancy. On a medical level, this divarication can increase the chance of a hernia. On an aesthetic level, these muscles cannot be toned. During an abdominoplasty, the option of mending this exists, and most surgeons choose to mend it.

 

Can Women above 50 Get an Abdominoplasty

Of course, women over 50 can get an abdominoplasty. The procedure is completely safe, especially with the modern technology we now have access to.

The thing to remember for any plastic surgery is that its efficacy is entirely dependent on the patient’s health. Operating on a healthy 60-year-old would always be safer and have better results than operating on an overweight 30-year-old smoker. Therefore, it is clear that age is just a number. As long as the person eats well and regularly exercises while staying within a healthy BMI range, the procedure is completely safe for them. They have nothing to worry about.

Not to mention, older women benefit more from tummy tuck surgery. With age, their skin begins to sag, and they retain more excess fat. Additionally, their bodies start looking tired with all the excess skin and fat weighing them down. They hunch over, as a result, causing additional back problems.

Tummy tuck counters all these problems and helps tighten and contour their abdomen. It is, therefore, one of the best procedures for women over 50. 

 

What other procedures are best suited to women over 50?

Some of the most desirable procedures for women over 50 are:

• The tummy tuck
• Breast lift
• Facelift
• Neck lift
• Eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty
• Liposuction

All these surgeries aim at creating a more enhanced final look. The goal is for you to have the most natural results possible. The contouring is, therefore, only done with the most sophisticated technologies.

We will be discussing 2 of these procedures in-depth in this article: abdominoplasty and liposuction. These procedures are commonly done together, becoming a lipoabdominoplasty. 

Lipoabdominoplasty – The Complete Package

The reason liposuction and abdominoplasty are combined is simply that they complement each other perfectly. Liposuction targets the stubborn fat, and abdominoplasty takes care of the excess skin. Together they are the ideal combination.

 

The First Step – Liposuction

As we have previously established, liposuction targets the stubborn fat cells lying between the skin and muscle layers. It is the most popular body contouring procedure and is now a simple day-care procedure. This means the patient leaves the centre on the day of the surgery or after the surgery.

Even when this is combined with the abdominoplasty, the procedure is still a day-care procedure, and the patient can go home or stay overnight.

 

Hi-Definition Liposuction

Liposuction, today, is highly sophisticated. The MicroAire and VASER technology available today makes the procedure much better and safer. Also, while traditional liposuction hurts the fat cells, MicroAire and VASER do minimal harm. This means that the extracted fat can be used elsewhere for augmentation. 

MicroAire and VASER also facilitate hi-definition liposuction. This is a procedure where the fat is strategically removed, so the natural contours of the underlying muscle are enhanced. Once this is done, you officially have a more toned, athletic shape than before. And, what’s better, you can develop abs further with a good diet and regular exercise! 

So, what are these technologies?

 

The MicroAire Tool

MicroAire, also known as Power-Assisted Liposuction (PAL) begins with a cannula being inserted into the fat layer. This cannula is then moved back and forth rapidly, breaking up the fat cells.

This fat is then suctioned out of the layer. 

 

The VASER Tool

Also known as Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction (UAL), VASER uses ultrasound technology to get rid of fat. The rings around the tip of its cannula release ultrasound waves into the fat, emulsifying it and enabling faster, better removal. 

UAL has the additional benefit of heat. The ultrasound waves heat the skin from underneath, making it shrink. This contraction ensures that the skin remains taut over the newly flattened area. This is very helpful in producing gorgeous, natural-looking results.

So, obviously, the next logical question is why to use abdominoplasty at all when VASER exists. Well, the main reason abdominoplasty is still a good idea is because VASER does not sufficiently tighten the skin. This means that if you have a lot of sagging skin, UAL cannot tighten all of it. Therefore, an abdominoplasty is still necessary. 

The Second Step – Tummy Tuck or Abdominoplasty

By combining liposuction with abdominoplasty, the ideal, most natural-looking results are easily achieved. With the kind of advanced technology used today, nothing less is tolerable. These technologies also reduce trauma to a large extent, therefore allowing for a quick recovery period. 

Advanced abdominoplasty techniques are the reason that several surgeons can perform a painless and scar-free abdominoplasty today. 

 

How are the results scar-free?

Usually, the only downside cited by plastic surgery experts is the resulting scar. Well, first of all, a scar is not a terrible thing. Especially considering the kinds of results you can get from a procedure that is so technical, a scar is almost nothing to worry about. 

However, if you are like most people and are worried that a scar will affect the natural-ness of your results, do not worry. Board-certified surgeons today have perfected a technique of placing the scar very low on the body. They place it along the bikini line so that it is hidden even by your underwear. The incisions are also so fine that the resulting scar is barely visible anyway. 

And, speaking of incisions, let us now discuss the procedure step-wise. 

 

Step 1: Anaesthesia

The first thing your surgeon does is administer an anaesthetic. The ideal kind is a long-lasting anaesthetic in the rectus sheath. This ensures that your recovery is painless and much easier!

 

Step 2: The Incision

A full tummy tuck requires a horizontally-oriented incision in the area between the pubic hairline and belly button.The amount of excess skin determines the shape and length of the incision.A second incision around the belly button may be necessary to remove excess skin in the upper abdomen.

 

Step 3: Skin Removal and Adjustment through Suture Plication

The skin from the upper abdomen is pulled down to the lower abdomen. Once your surgeon has an idea of the kind of excess skin, suture plication is easy. Suture plication is the tightening of stretched tissue by folding the excess in tucks and suturing the plication of the neck of the bladder. Using an advanced technique like suture plication ensures better results.

 

Optional Step: Fixing Divarication of Recti Muscles

If the patient has divarication of recti muscles, a rectus plication is used to fix it. Rectus plication aims to relocate the rectus muscles to the midline, thus restoring the abdominal contour. This makes toning those muscles possible and easier. 

 

Step 4: Closing the Incisions

The final step is closing the incisions through sutures.

 

Step 5: Enjoy the Results!

As we said earlier, this entire procedure is a day-care procedure. If the patient wants to stay at the hospital overnight, that is their choice. But they are fit to go home after the procedure.

They may experience a tightening sensation on their abdomen, and a compression garment is recommended for a few weeks. Over the next few months, your contours get better defined, and your results become clearer. The scar also becomes less prominent, and you can see the toned muscles underneath. The entire process is painless and easy.

However, this is only the case if you have a good surgeon, a well-equipped centre and if your surgeon has an excellent technique. And yes, these may seem like trivial aspects to worry about but the quality is something you cannot compromise on. You need to have a clear idea of what you want and who can give it to you. 

But high-quality results also mean more money. So, let’s take a closer look at these 3 aspects that determine the cost of your abdominoplasty. 

The Cost of Tummy Tuck Surgery – Better Results with Higher Quality

Plenty of patients pick low-quality techniques as a cost-cutting measure. Be that as it may, the aftereffects of this low-quality methodology will, in general, look exceptionally unnatural and may even turn out badly, subsequently requiring remedial procedures, which can never look as good as the first outcomes. Additionally, getting these extra procedures increases your overall cost while you compromise on quality. 

So, what standards would it be a good idea for you to set for yourself? 

Well, there are 3 aspects in which maintaining the highest possible standards is a good idea.

 

Your Surgeon’s Qualifications

Picking a board-certified plastic surgeon guarantees a much higher calibre of results than any general specialist. Somebody who represents considerable authority in the craft of body contouring ensures better, more natural-looking outcomes.

Moreover, a professionally experienced surgeon will likewise have the option to give you all your choices and be honest with you about how every technology and technique functions. 

 

The Centre They Operate Out Of

The centre, regardless of whether medical clinic or hospital, that your surgeon works out of likewise matters. You have to pose questions about infrastructure, innovation, patient care and so on. At exactly that point do you get a legitimate idea of whether you will get the sort of results you deserve.

A centre that utilises state-of-the-art technology ensures much better outcomes than one that utilises conventional strategies for a lipoabdominoplasty. 

 

Your Surgeon’s Technique

Also, this carries us to the last point – the techniques your surgeon employs. Having access to all the latest technology and infrastructure does not guarantee tremendous results. Your surgeon also needs to be well-versed in using these technologies.

Acquiring a surgeon with such expertise who has access to the necessary centre may increase the cost but also gives you impressive results. And that completely justifies the cost.

Is abdominoplasty worth it?

A lot of patients are initially apprehensive about the tummy tuck. Although they primarily worry about the scar, other fears include the pain, the results etc. Luckily, plastic surgery has advanced enough for all these to be non-issues to a good surgeon. And while there may be tiny downsides, look at all the upsides!

The mental and emotional toll being unhappy in one’s body takes is unbearable. Loathing how you look when you catch a glance at yourself in the mirror can be a huge turn-off for people. In fact, a lot of women actively avoid looking at themselves in the mirror because of how much they hate their bodies. 

This is a very sad reality. And the worst part is that it does not have to be their reality. An abdominoplasty is an option, and it is a safe, surgical option to get the ideal body contour. Everyone deserves to be happy in their bodies, and this is why surgeries like the tummy tuck or abdominoplasty exist.

In Conclusion

Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck, as we have learnt, is a deeply satisfying surgery for anyone who chooses it. Today, it is highly technical and equally rewarding. The reasons to opt for it outweigh the possible scarring or any other so-called disadvantages. 

Not to mention, it is one of the best procedures for older women whose skin has begun sagging and who worry about looking haggard. It can ease back relief by removing excess skin and fat that weighs these women down. It can even help prevent infections in the skin folds. Therefore, it is a very popular procedure.

We also highlighted how combining it with liposuction enhances the results. The better the procedure, the more natural the results and wanting natural-looking results is understandable. It is your surgeon’s job to cater to these needs and ensure you get the results you deserve!

At RG Aesthetics, Dr Rajat Gupta and his team put the patient’s needs at the centre. By adhering to international standards of care and using state-of-the-art equipment, they provide some of the highest quality; most natural-looking body contouring results in the country. With over a decade of experience, Dr Gupta uses our equipment to deliver the most professional tummy tucks so that all his patients stay happy in their new bodies!