Abdominoplasty, commonly as a "tummy tuck," is a major surgical procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen.
It also tightens the muscles of the abdominal wall.
The reason this procedure is so popular is because it dramatically reduces the appearance of a protruding abdomen.
However, anyone who is considering abdominoplasty needs to realize that there is a large, permanent scar that you will have from the surgery that goes from hip to hip.
Anyone considering abdominoplasty should have a good understanding of what is involved in this procedure.
Therefore you should do your homework and research as much as you can about this surgery so you will know exactly what to expect.
Other reasons you should research is so that you are well aware of any complications that can arise from have abdominoplasty or any other type of surgery.
Excellent candidates for abdominoplasty are men or women who are generally in overall good health but have folds of skin hanging over their abdomen.
This can be a result of multiple pregnancies or significant weight loss.
Theses folds of skin cannot respond to exercise because they have lost their elasticity by being stretched out of shape.
If you intend to lose a lot of weight, but have not yet done that then you should not have an abdominoplasty until after you have achieved your weight loss.
This also goes for women who are planning on becoming pregnant in the future.
Also if you have abdominal scarring from previous surgery you may not be a good for surgery, your doctor will let you know about that.
Some post-operative complications may include but are not limited to blood clots and infection.
It is true that this rarely happens, but you need to be aware of it.
Sometimes poor healing occurs and this can leave conspicuous scars.
You should always follow your doctors directions completely to avoid any complications.
Here are some things you should expect in your initial consultation with your surgeon.
They will evaluate your health, assess your skin tone and decide to what extent you have fat deposits in your abdominal area.
It is also during this consultation that you should ask any questions you may have.
Be sure to do plenty of research ahead of time so you are familiar with the procedure and you can have a list of questions ready to ask at that meeting.
All reputable cosmetic surgeons will have their credentials in plain site.
The should also be very willing to answer any questions you may have.
If the surgeon you are meeting with is not happy to answer every single question you have, then by all means you should look somewhere else.
You need to feel comfortable with this procedure and with you surgeon before you move forward with any decision.