Slim Away Your Belly Fat: 5 Benefits of a Tummy Tuck

tummy tuck procedure patient

Slim Away Your Belly Fat: 5 Benefits of a Tummy Tuck

A trimmer figure is on most of our wish lists this spring, but do you know how to get that leaner body contour you have been craving? If diet and exercise alone aren’t doing the trick, perhaps a plastic surgery procedure is a better choice. Tummy tucks offer dramatic results around the midsection by trimming away excess skin and tissue and firming up the abdominal muscles. Dr. Norman Rappaport and the staff at Houston Center for Plastic Surgery offer five important benefits of a tummy tuck to consider if you are contemplating this procedure.

About the Tummy Tuck Procedure

A tummy tuck is a surgical method for eliminating excess skin and fat to create a slimmer body contour around the waistline. At the same time, this procedure tightens up the vertical abdominal wall muscles to create a smoother more toned midsection. Tummy tucks can be tailored to the unique needs and desired results of each patient. To this end, Dr. Rappaport offers mini tucks, partial abdominoplasty or a full tummy tuck, depending on how much skin and fat you need to remove and how dramatic you want your results to be.

Tummy tucks are usually performed under general anesthesia. We prefer a 23 hour overnight stay for your safety and convenience. An incision is made from hip to hip below the bikini line, so post-operative scarring will be safely hidden under clothing and underwear. The procedure takes about three hours to perform and often involves liposuction to further smooth the body contour. Most patients are back to light activities within two weeks after their procedure.

Tummy Tuck Benefits

There are a number of potential benefits to be gained from a tummy tuck at Houston Center for Plastic Surgery. Some of those benefits might include:

Flatter Abdomen

The first benefit of a tummy tuck is usually a flatter abdomen and narrower waistline. Bulges in this area can be due to both isolated deposits of fat and loose skin that forms as a result of weight loss or pregnancy. Tummy tucks remove loose skin, tightening up the skin in the area. In addition, fat pockets are removed, often through liposuction performed during the tummy tuck. Because the abdominal muscles are also tightened during the procedure, you get a result that is naturally leaner overall.

Better Fit to Clothing

Even if you had achieved a healthy weight prior to your procedure, those stubborn fat deposits and skin laxity can make your clothing feel tighter and less comfortable, even when they fit properly around your bust and hips. In addition, men and women who have lost weight may be disappointed to discover that loose skin that did not conform to the new body contour interferes with their ability to wear smaller clothing sizes. After your tummy tuck, your midsection will be smoother and more streamlined, allowing you to find clothing that fits more attractively and comfortably.

Removal of Loose, Hanging Skin

Weight loss, particularly when it occurs rapidly such as after bariatric surgery, can leave your body with excessive folds of loose skin that did not have time to conform to the new body contour. Even your own weight loss efforts can leave you with skin laxity and a body that doesn’t quite fit your ideal. Loose skin in the middle does more than interfere with your new body contour. Those skin folds can also create irritation, rashes and infections that can be painful and difficult to treat. In addition to creating your sleeker contour, a tummy tuck will eliminate those skin problems by excising the loose skin that was causing them.

Elimination of Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are a common bane of women, particularly after pregnancy or other types of weight gain. It can be difficult to eliminate those unsightly white lines once they form, making many women self-conscious about their appearance in bathing suits. Because a tummy tuck effectively eliminates loose skin from the belly button to the bikini line, this procedure can also remove stretch marks from this area as well. Contrary to creams and other types of stretch mark treatments, tummy tucks offer permanent removal of those troublesome lines.

Medical Benefits

Cosmetic benefits are not the only advantages to be gained from a tummy tuck. Some studies suggest the procedure may offer some medical benefits as well. Those benefits might include:

Reduction of Stress Urinary Incontinence

A 2014 study published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal found that women that undergo tummy tucks may see an improvement in the symptoms of stress urinary incontinence or SUI. The benefits were particularly pronounced among women that had not previous had a Cesarean delivery. For women that struggle with SUI after multiple pregnancies, a tummy tuck may bring significant relief in ways other than simply improving the body contour.

Improved Posture

Poor posture can be an uncomfortable side effect of an expanding abdominal area. As the abdominal muscles weaken, the back can become curved to accommodate the extra weight, leaving some individuals in pain from the changes to their posture. A tummy tuck restores firmness and tone to the abdominal region, which can in turn improve posture and reduce low back pain. Reduction of fat in the midsection can also offer improvement in discomfort in the lower back area.

Correction of Ventral Hernia

Ventral hernias occur when there is a weakness in an abdominal muscle that allows abdominal tissue to push through. Hernias can be extremely painful, impacting your ability to perform some tasks and affecting your quality of life overall. During a tummy tuck, the weakening in the muscle wall can be repaired. At the same time, the abdominal muscles are tightened to prevent the hernia from recurring.

A tummy tuck is a surgical procedure that requires a number of weeks of recovery. However, the benefits of the procedure, both from a cosmetic and medical standpoint, can be far-reaching indeed. Tummy tuck results are also permanent as long as you maintain a healthy weight after your procedure. To learn more about tummy tuck options, contact Houston Center for Plastic Surgery at (713) 790-4500 and view our website at mormanrappaportmd.com.

Houston Center For Plastic Surgery

6560 Fannin Street, #1812
Houston, Texas 77030

Phone: (713) 790-4500
Fax: (713) 793-1299
Email: info@hcps.cc