How a tummy tuck surgery is performed?
The general term of Abdominoplasty is tummy tuck surgery. The procedure of the tummy tuck surgery is depending upon the outcome you are looking for. This surgery takes one to four hours, with an increasing amount of subcutaneous belly fat, the surgery time will increase. It is an outpatient procedure. However, your surgeon may ask you to stay in the hospital for at least one night for observation. You can come on next day.
Tummy tuck surgery is performed under general anesthesia. You will be in sedation during the surgery. Please bring your family member with you who can take you home, you must require someone to stay with you at least the first night after abdominoplasty.
There is a total of three types of abdominoplasty surgery:
Complete abdominoplasty
It is an intense level of tummy tuck procedure, applicable for the patient who has a high amount of adipose tissue around your belly. An experienced surgeon performs this surgery precisely to remove fat and contour your body. He makes an incision from a bikini line nearly similar level to your pubic hair. In this case, you will get a visible scar length because the doctor has to remove a significant amount of extra skin.
Then your surgeon reconstructs the nearby skin and muscle to contour your belly. You will get an incision below your belly button; it is important to protect your navel tissue from damage during incision and reconstruction.
After surgery, your surgeon may place a drainage tube to prevent leakage during recovery. It will be removed after your complete recovery
Mini abdominoplasty or Partial abdominoplasty
If you have a small amount of excess skin around your belly, your surgeon may prescribe mini-abdominoplasty. Partial abdominoplasty is done with a small incision. Your doctor will perform this surgery with a high degree of precisions and do not disturb your belly button tissue. This procedure just takes 40 minutes to 90 minutes
Circumferential abdominoplasty
This is suitable if you have excess skin in the back area. When there is a significant amount of fat in the back and abdomen, the doctor will prescribe you two types of surgery. Either circumferential abdominoplasty or liposuction at your back.
But if you have fat on your back and abdomen, circumferential abdominoplasty is the best option for you. It will help you to contour your body from all sides.
Simply you will undergo a complete tummy tuck if you have a high amount of adipose tissue, and a partial tummy tuck if you have a small amount of excess skin. And if you have excess fat on your back and abdomen, then a circumferential tummy tuck is for you.
After all of this kind of tummy tuck, your surgeon will stitch your incision site and bandage over it. Your surgeon may give you an elastic bandage as a compression garment after surgery. It will help you to contour your body. It is important to follow all instructions of your surgeon for a better outcome.
He will tell you how to lie and sit after surgery to feel minimal pain.
Limit your physical activity after any kind of tummy tuck surgery. Avoid strenuous exercise for at least 2 months. Because you need a minimum of two months to heal completely. But generally, you can come back to your normal life after 15 days. But follow your surgeon’s advice.
How much time do you need to recover?
The recovery time you need depends upon the severity of the incision. If you have gone through a complete tummy tuck, then you need more time
And if you have only a mini tummy tuck, then you need less recovery time, because there will be less incision.
By the way, your healing process is depending on multiple factors including your health condition (if you have any chronic disease like blood sugar, pressure, thyroids), whether you are taking any blood-thinning medication, and body weight. You have to give time to your body for complete healing.
Proper care and following the doctor’s instructions are the best way to speed up your recovery.
Your surgeon and nurse will give some instruction to recover at home, including:
- How to take care of incision and leakage tube has been placed around your incision area
- How to prevent infection, because any kind of infection in your body slows down the healing procedure
- When to take follow up appointment
- Whether any medication is right for you or not
- How much sleep and rest do you require?
- What kind of diet you must follow?
Certain risk of tummy tuck surgery
There is a certain risk of tummy tuck surgery, but all of these are rare case scenarios:
Seroma/ accumulation of fluid at the incision area
Your surgeon places a drainage tube at the incision area. It reduces the risk of accumulation of fluid. If Seroma happens in the incision area, the doctor removes fluid through a syringe.
Poor wound healing
You must avoid infection by taking antibiotics after surgery. Because it interrupts the healing process.
Unexacted scar after recovery
The incision scar after surgery is deep and permanent. But generally, the doctor placed it at the hidden area of the bikini line, the length and visibility of the incision scar depend on the type of tummy tuck surgery has been performed.
There is a rare risk of tissue damage after abdominoplasty if it is performed by a certified and experienced surgeon.
Cost of tummy tuck surgery?
Tummy tuck surgery is considered to be one of the expensive surgeries. The tummy tuck cost in Dubai is around AED 9000. The rate may go up to 19,000 dirhams. The price is completely depending upon how much fat needs to be eliminated during the surgery procedure. You must talk to a reputed surgeon and take a brief idea about the surgical procedure you need to shape up your body.
