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Many factors such as aging, giving birth, and weight gain or loss cause sagging on the abdominal skin. While abdominal sagging in women usually occurs after birth, this situation occurs as a result of excessive weight gain in men. As a result, sagging and loosening occur due to the deformation in the abdominal and belly skin and muscles.
The sagging of the abdominal muscles is caused by the rupture of the tissues between the muscles that constitute the anterior abdominal wall and keep the internal organs inside and make the abdomen look flat. The muscles diverge and the abdomen becomes protruding and drooping. Excessive weight loss also causes the abdominal skin to loosen and sag. Even if diet and exercise have a positive effect on such situations, it is almost impossible to achieve the desired flat stomach. Sagging and fat abdominals, which harm self-confidence in people, gain a brand-new appearance with abdominal plastic surgery, tummy tuck or “abdominoplasty”. The enlarged front wall of the abdomen at the end of pregnancy is narrowed, the abdominal muscles that are loosened are tightened, the excess of the sagging abdominal skin is incised and the fat is removed by liposuction with the tummy tuck surgery.
Tummy tuck surgery, which lasts for about 2 to 5 hours, is performed with an incision line that can be hidden under underwear, 8-10cm below the tummy and above the area under the abdomen. A second incision is made around the tummy to shape the belly button. When the operation is over, the incision line is kept under the skin with hidden sutures and covered with dressings.
Drains are placed in order to remove the excess fluid that will be accumulated in the area and the patient wears a corset to help them maintain the shape.
When you decide to undergo tummy tuck surgery and consult your surgeon, your surgeon will explain some rules that must be followed. If you smoke, for example, you should stop smoking from 2 weeks before to two weeks after tummy tuck surgery.
You are supposed to stop taking vitamin E and Aspirin if you do. You should avoid intense diets and sudden changes in weather that will adversely affect the immune system. Even a simple cold can cause the tummy tuck surgery to be delayed.
Just before the tummy tuck surgery, surgeons draw on the patient’s body in order to plan the details of the procedure to be performed. Then, the photoshoots required for the comparison of the pre- and post-operative period are completed and the patient is taken to surgery.
During the first few days after tummy tuck surgery, the patient may feel unsatisfied when looking in the mirror as the abdominal area will be swollen. It is also normal to feel minor pain that can be relieved with the help of painkillers recommended by the doctor. Drains placed during the surgery are usually removed on the 2nd day following the surgery. Depending on the surgical procedure, the patient may be required to stay in the hospital for one, or on rare occasions, for a few days.
Although the patient has difficulty standing upright in the beginning, they can start walking again in a short time. Taking short walks after the tummy tuck surgery will maintain the blood circulation and affect the healing process positively, helping to reduce swelling, decrease the risk of blood clots and tone abdominal muscle. The use of sutures, dressings, washing and corset depends on the patient’s condition and the surgeon’s preferences in the surgery, and the patient is informed in detail about all these points in the postoperative period.
It may take a few weeks to return to routine activities after the tummy tuck surgery. This process may last even shorter if the patient is in good physical condition and has strong abdominal muscles. However, intense exercise programs that will target the abdominal muscles should be avoided until the doctor gives approval to do so.
The scars that develop due to tummy tuck surgery will become red for the first 3-6 months but will fade over time and become less noticeable. However, since these scars always remain under underwear and bikini, they do not affect patients negatively.
