What is Tummy Tuck Surgery (Abdominoplasty)?
This surgery, which is referred to as “tummy tuck surgery” in the public and as abdominoplasty in the medical literature, is an operation in which the excess fat in the abdomen and the sagging skin are removed. Tummy tuck operation is not a surgery that will eliminate overweight and obesity. Therefore, if you have a need to lose weight before surgery, you must first of all lose these weights.
Why is Tummy Tuck Operation Performed?
It is not possible to solve problems such as sagging skin and cracks caused by the relaxation of the abdomen by exercising and dieting. When you lose weight with diet and exercise, you can reduce the fat in the area, but the most effective way to solve the problem of skin sagging after losing weight is to have a tummy tuck surgery.
Skin sagging that requires tummy tuck surgery is generally seen in women. While the most important reason that leads women to tummy tuck surgery is gaining and losing excess weight, the second is pregnancy.
Recommendations Before Tummy Tuck Surgery
The first thing to do before abdominoplasty is to find a surgeon and have a pre-interview with him. In this meeting, it is decided what kind of operation is required.
- Prepare your home before you undergo surgery. Ice packs, comfortable clothes that are easy to put on and take off, vaseline and a bath chair should be ready when you come home from your surgery.
- You will also need a relative to take you home after abdominoplasty. If you live alone, you may want someone to stay with you, at least for your first night.
- Also, you should not go out in the sun much during this period.
- Try to keep your weight stable for at least 12 months before surgery. If you are overweight, your doctor will advise you to lose weight.
- You can use medication to prevent complications before surgery. You may be advised to use anticoagulants to prevent clotting.
- Since protein is one of the most important nutrients in the healing process, patients should be fed with foods rich in chicken, fish, eggs and dairy products before surgery.
Little Notes
If you smoke, your doctor will ask you to quit smoking at least two weeks before surgery and continue for two weeks after the surgery.
Do not go on a diet before surgery. Eat a balanced and complete diet. Having a healthy diet will speed up the healing process. If you already have a balanced diet program before the operation, you do not need to do anything special before the tummy tuck operation.
Tell your doctor about everything you take, including prescription medications, herbal medicines, and other supplements. Your surgeon may ask you to stop taking medication for a certain period of time before and after surgery. Some blood thinners such as aspirin and vitamin E supplements can cause bleeding, so avoid the use of such medications.
Pre-Operative Examinations
Although the abdominoplasty operation does not carry serious risks, it is necessary to do some examinations before the operation to understand whether the patient is ready for surgery. Your doctor will ask you for a blood test before surgery. The purpose this is to measure how you will respond to anesthesia. After this procedure, your abdomen is examined and it is determined in which areas the surgery will be performed.
Blood Test
The preoperative blood test is performed to determine the hemoglobin level and to determine the pregnancy status, if any. The blood test makes sure you are not having the surgery as pregnant. If you are sure you are not pregnant, you can ask your doctor to skip this test. The level of red blood cells is checked with a blood test.
If it is not found sufficient, preoperative medication will be required. The possibility of the patient to experience bleeding during surgery should be determined before surgery.
Anesthesia Control
Tummy tuck surgery can be performed under general or local anesthesia. Most surgeons prefer to perform the operation under general anesthesia. The reason for this is that when the patient is unconscious, the abdominal muscles are completely relaxed, but if the patient is conscious, the abdominal muscles contract due to stress and the surgeon may have difficulty performing the procedure as a result of unexpected contractions. Local anesthesia is mostly used in mini tummy tuck operations.
Physical Control
The doctor will examine your abdomen to determine treatment options. Any abnormal condition in your abdomen can cause the surgery to be delayed. During the first examination, excess skin and fat areas on the abdomen and sides are examined. In addition, the muscles in the abdominal wall will be examined. Medical images are taken to assist in the planning of the surgery. In some cases, patients may also need a different type of operation, and this can be determined with a comprehensive examination.
Drawing Surgery Map
The part of the abdomen where the operation will be performed is determined by the doctor as a result of the preoperative examinations. The doctor decides and determines where to puncture, until where to stretch and from where to take stitches by drawing on the abdomen with a pencil.
What is the Process on the Operation Day?
Whatever time you get up on the day of the surgery, get up, take a shower but do not use makeup. Do not use lotion, deodorant, perfume or nail polish. Do not bring rings, watches, jewelery or large amounts of money with you. If they are lost, the hospital will not be responsible. Ask a relative, who will take care of you along the day of surgery, to take you to the hospital. Try to reach the hospital just in time. If you are late, your surgery may be canceled.
When you arrive at the hospital, you will need to go through a standard admission procedure. This is completely routine and requires some forms in which you will write your name, address, age and details of your relatives. If you have not yet paid the surgery fee, the secretaries working at the hospital will help you about that.
When the procedures at the entrance of the hospital are completed, you will be taken to your room. Medical staff will help you settle in, open and pack your belongings. The staff will accompany you until the surgery to relax you. In the operating room, a nurse performs some checks. She takes blood and urine samples from you, and measures your blood pressure, height and weight. The hospital will provide you with a pair of socks before surgery. These socks are designed to prevent dangerously occurring blood clots in the legs. Blood thinning drugs such as heparin can also protect against this.
Your surgeon will visit you before surgery. He will be there to relax your mind and answer any last minute questions you may want to ask. If you haven’t done so before, they will give you a consent form for you to sign. This form is a statement about your understanding of the procedure and the risks. Take the time to read this form, and don’t hesitate to ask if anything you don’t understand. If you accept each item on the form, sign it and return it to your surgeon. The length of the procedure will depend on the type of anesthesia and surgery to be performed.
If the operation is to be performed above the belly button, up to the ribs, a full tummy tuck operation is preferred. If the procedure is to be performed under the belly button, a mini tummy tuck operation is preferred. If the operation is to be performed around the belly button, an expanded tummy tuck operation is preferred.
Possible Risks and Side Effects After Surgery
Being informed about risks, complications and side effects before undergoing a surgery is an important factor in the success of the surgical process. Most of the time, aesthetics surgery procedures proceed properly. The patient stands up and regains her health over time. However, although surgical staff and clinics take precautions to prevent complications, sometimes they may encounter various problems.
A comprehensive survey for 3681 tummy tuck surgeries was conducted in 2010. Complications were seen in 4.7% of these surgeries. 163 patients experienced 173 different complications and the most common complications are as follows:
- Infection (1.63%)
- Bleeding (1.17%)
- Blood coagulation (0.19%)
- Hypoxia (0.24%)
- Lung dysfunction (0.22%)
- Severe hypotension (0.16%)
How is the Recovery Process?
- The patient usually gets up after 1 hour.
- Drains are removed 1 day after the operation.
- You can accelerate the healing process after the surgery as long as you do not make movements that will force the abdominal area.
- Antibiotic use is recommended in response to the risk of infection for 1 week after surgery.
- You have to pay attention to your lying position for 1 week.
- The first bath can be done on the 3rd or 4th day.
Things to Consider After The Operation
There are some details that need to be considered in order to minimize the problem of sagging and fat after abdominoplasty. When you consider the warnings made after abdominoplasty, the healing process will also be healthier. Although abdominal stretching operations may seem like simple operations, the postoperative process is of great importance and patients have a big task here.
- The corset should continue to be worn day and night for 3 weeks.
- It is much healthier to sleep by pulling the legs slightly rather than lying flat in bed.
- Movements that cause sudden contractions should be avoided.
- Bathing should be done after the bandages are completely removed.
- Full recovery takes between 3 months and 9 months, and if you follow the important points during this period, the process will become faster.
Weight Lifting
Within six weeks you will likely be free of your bandages and begin to exercise more comfortably. You can do most cardio-type exercises 1.5 months after surgery. Like jogging, fast walking and aerobics. However, lifting weights can make your abdomen extremely tense, so you should stay away from this movement.
It is possible to start weight lifting exercises for most patients after about 3 months. However, you should definitely inform your doctor about weight lifting exercises.
Driving A Car
You should never drive a car when you are discharged from hospital after the tummy tuck surgery. For this reason, it is recommended that you arrange for a relative to take you home from the hospital. From postoperative blood circulation problems to blood clots in your legs, many things may be going wrong. After such surgeries, you should be close to your doctor for at least one day. No matter how good a driver you are, you will be under the influence of anesthesia.
Travel
Traveling for the first week after abdominoplasty is quite dangerous. Therefore, if you have to travel, it would be correct to reschedule your surgery to a better time. The generally accepted consensus is to avoid traveling for 2 weeks.
As you will be more prone to complications such as infection, blistering, blood clot after surgery, pay attention to the following while traveling:
- Drink plenty of water
- Get up and walk every half hour to encourage blood circulation. Staying long with your knees bent at 90 degrees can cause blood clots.Move your feet and ankles while sitting
- Wear travel socks
- Ask your doctor if there is any medication you should take while traveling.
Taking A Shower
Most doctors recommend that the wound be carefully cleaned with a sponge at first rather than taking a shower, as it reduces the risk of infection. In order to take a full shower after the operation, the wounds should not be open, all drains should be removed and the drainage area should be closed. Even during this period, you are still at risk of infection in pools, hot tubs and seas.
Sleep
There is no problem in sleeping right after your tummy tuck surgery. The only thing that needs to be given attention is your sleeping position. By sleeping on your back, you can avoid most of the risks that may occur after surgery. You should not lie on your stomach during this period. If you have trouble about sleeping after tummy tuck surgery, you can use sleeping pills after consulting your doctor.
How Much Does Tummy Tuck Surgery Cost?
We cannot share information about Tummy Tuck Aesthetics Costs with the justification of the Ministry of Health and the Competition Board. You can get information via phone, Whatsapp or e-mail.
It will be more accurate to contact our physician to get information about abdominal aesthetic surgeries and prices. If you are also experiencing such a problem, you can take action by throwing your anxiety off. Prices are very affordable and you can have surgery with an average budget.
