10 Tummy tuck myths debunked
The tummy tuck intervention is one of the most complex plastic surgery procedures performed nowadays. People resort to abdominoplasty intervention to correct the abdominal wall's imperfections and get a better contour of the midline. The intervention is safe when performed by an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon in an accredited medical facility.
There is a lot of info available online about tummy tuck surgery. However, not all of it is legit. So, let’s have a look together at ten tummy tuck myths debunked!
You can’t get pregnant again after the tummy tuck surgery
When undergoing such a complex procedure, patients should be aware of the fact that sustaining the results of the intervention are in their hands too. The plastic surgeon will give you a list of recommendations. Among them is avoiding an ulterior pregnancy for a minimum of six months after the intervention.
However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t, or you shouldn’t get pregnant again after undergoing an abdominoplasty. The recommendation is all about the scar on the tummy tuck that can be stretched if you get pregnant too soon after the tummy tuck. More than this, the results of many plastic surgery procedures, including the tummy tuck, are dependent on a stable weight post-op. This means that any weight gain, including the one that naturally occurs when pregnant, can alter the results achieved with the procedure.
2. The scars are terrible after the abdominoplasty
Most people don’t know that there are multiple types of tummy tucks, not just one. The classic tummy tuck involves a scar on the lower part of the tummy, on the supra-pubic area, that is easily hidden under the panties. The second scar is round and goes around the navel, allowing for its reposition. But the patient might need just a mini tummy tuck, which entails a small incision on the suprapubic area and no second scar around the navel. The extended tummy tuck might involve incisions on the flanks, and there is also the circumferential tummy tuck – in this case, the incisions are also on the back.
The scars left behind after the tummy tuck can vary from patient to patient. This is why it’s better to schedule an appointment with a board-certified plastic surgeon and discuss your particular case.
3. You can lose a lot of weight with the tummy tuck
Plastic surgery can’t really help you lose weight, at least not directly. During the tummy tuck, the plastic surgeon eliminates the excess skin and fat tissue on the tummy. This means that your abdominal wall will be better defined after the procedure. But, unless the belly apron weights a lot, the weight loss won’t be impressive.
At the same time, it’s good to mention that some patients are so happy with the results achieved after the abdominoplasty that they finally find the motivation to take better care of themselves and end up looking better and even thinner a few months post-op.
4. The tummy tuck is only for young people
Like it is the case with many other plastic surgery procedures, it’s not necessarily about the age of the patient. During the pre-operative consultation, the plastic surgeon will assess your eligibility for the procedure. Your medical history, as well as your weight and other aspects, are taken into consideration when deciding whether you are a good candidate for the tummy tuck.
The abdominoplasty is a procedure recommended for people of all ages dealing with a surplus of skin at the level of the lower part of the abdomen. It doesn’t really matter if the belly apron was a result of multiple pregnancies, considerable weight loss, or just a natural sign of aging; if you meet the eligibility criteria, age is not an issue.
5. The tummy tuck is only for women
Men can get excess skin on the tummy, too, especially after losing a considerable amount of weight in a short period of time. This is why the procedure is performed on men and women alike.
6. You can get rid of all the stretch marks on the tummy if you get an abdominoplasty
Stretch marks occur when the skin in a certain area of the body is overstretched. The elastin fibers break, and a scar results – these scars are known as stretch marks. Often they occur when we gain weight suddenly or during pregnancy. During the tummy tuck surgery, the plastic surgeon will eliminate the excess skin on the lower part of the tummy and redrape the skin on the abdominal wall. The only stretch marks that are gone when the procedure is performed are the ones positioned on the skin flap that is removed. If there are stretch marks on the upper part of the tummy or around the navel, the chances are that they will change the position but still be on the tummy after the abdominoplasty.
7. You can get a tummy tuck with the C-section when you give birth
This sounds like such a good deal, right? Go through childbirth, and at the end of the day, look just like you did when you first got pregnant. Well, unfortunately, this is not possible. The body needs time to get back to the initial shape after childbirth. The uterus needs time to shrink back, so getting a tummy tuck too soon after childbirth is not wise. The recommendation is to weigh at least six months after childbirth or more before undergoing plastic surgery to correct the aspect of the abdominal wall.
8. A diet and exercises can get you similar results to a tummy tuck
Believing that anything can be sorted with diets and exercises might give people some peace of mind that they could do it… someday if they really wanted to. However, this is not always the case. Actually, the plastic surgeon will indicate a tummy tuck when there is a considerable amount of excess skin. When we lose weight, we actually lose fat or muscle mass, but never skin. This means that an excess of skin at the level of the tummy might actually be the result of weight loss, and you do need surgery to get rid of it!
9. Abdominal liposuction is better than a tummy tuck
Abdominal liposuction is one of the most-wanted plastic surgery procedures, and for a good reason! However, it is not a substitute for abdominoplasty. The results achieved with these procedures are very different – liposuction deals with the layer of fat under the skin, while the tummy tuck can strengthen muscles and eliminate the skin. In some cases, the plastic surgeon might even recommend combining the two procedures to get superior results.
10. The recovery process is complicated after a tummy tuck
In most cases, the plastic surgeon will advise you to take about two weeks off from work for the recovery after a tummy tuck. But you also need to keep in mind that recovery is a very subjective issue, each patient recovers at his own pace. To get a fast and uneventful recovery, it’s important to follow the recommendations of the plastic surgeon and avoid intense physical activities.