Tummy Tuck

It is possible to see excessive weight gain and loss, hormonal conditions, fat in the abdominal area after previous pregnancies, sagging of the skin, formation of stretch marks and laxity of the abdominal muscles. In these cases, tummy tuck surgery is applied.

Especially people with sagging abdominal skin and abdominal muscle laxity that does not improve with appropriate diet and exercise are suitable candidates for abdominoplasty. Abdominoplasty should be seen as abdominal shaping surgery rather than weight loss.

Before deciding on tummy tuck surgery, if the patient is overweight, it is recommended to lose weight and drop to the ideal weight. Since the thickness of the abdominal skin is also higher in overweight patients, it is not easy to achieve as good results as in normal weight patients. Therefore, diet and exercise are recommended first. Patients who come for sagging after losing weight with exercise and diet are among the most suitable patient group.

How is the surgery performed?

When the ligaments between the muscles in the anterior abdominal wall weaken and tear, there are separations between the muscles. With the pressure of the internal organs, the abdomen appears protruding and sagging. With tummy tuck surgeries, the muscles in the abdomen are tightened, the anterior abdominal wall is narrowed, and excess fat and skin tissues are removed. With this surgery, the location of the belly button that hangs downward can also be changed. With tummy tuck surgery, most of the stretch marks in the abdomen are corrected, although not completely.

Depending on the deformity in the abdomen, it is performed as a total or mini abdominoplasty. Total abdominoplasty is considered in cases where sagging and adiposity in the abdominal region are prominent and abdominal muscle separation is advanced. If the fat and sagging is limited to the area below the navel, then mini abdominoplasty is considered. If the navel is to be relocated, there will be scars around the navel and in the underwear area.

Liposuction surgery is usually added to the tummy tuck procedure. This provides a better appearance.

How long is the operation time?

The average duration of tummy tuck surgeries is between 2-4 hours. Depending on the patient’s condition, the patient is discharged after being hospitalized for 1 or 2 days.

Are there complications in the postoperative period?

After tummy tuck surgery, especially in smokers, diabetic patients, patients with additional systemic diseases or patients with various wound healing problems, problems may occur in the healing of the wound site.

What are the points to be considered after surgery?

During the operation, drains are placed in the surgical field to prevent the accumulation of blood and fluids called seroma, which will be removed after 1 to 4 days. For the first few days, pain is made less noticeable with painkillers. As the days go by, the pain decreases and the patient starts to feel better.

Patients are advised to walk by leaning forward, especially in the first few days to avoid tension in the suture line, and to sleep with a pillow behind their back during sleep.

If the patient does not work in a heavy job, he/she returns to work after 1-2 weeks on average. However, it is recommended to use a corset for about 1-1.5 months. They are advised to avoid heavy exercises for 2-3 months.

It takes an average of 6-12 months for the abdominal swelling to completely disappear and the abdomen to take the desired shape. After tummy tuck surgery, patients should pay attention to their weight and avoid excessive weight gain.

Patients who have too much weight and who are planning to lose this weight should postpone this surgery until after birth if they plan to become pregnant in the future after losing their excess weight.