Do you have loose or excess abdominal skin? Do you have a bit of extra tummy fat that makes you feel self-conscious? Do you have muscle problems in your abdominal region? If so, you may be considered a good candidate for a tummy tuck, also known as abdominoplasty, at DrYoungForever in San Antonio, TX. To help you discern whether this is the appropriate procedure for you, keep reading to learn more about it.
You may only lose a couple of pounds after a tummy tuck depending on the scope of the procedure. If you’re only receiving a mini tuck, you should not expect to lose more than three pounds. However, you may lose closer to five pounds if you get a full or extended tuck. If you have a lot of excess skin, you may be able to lose up to 10 pounds.
If you opt for liposuction in addition to your abdominoplasty, you can expect to lose a lot more weight. As a general rule of thumb, it is safe for up to 11 pounds of subcutaneous fat to be removed during liposuction. Therefore, you may lose closer to 15 pounds when considering the fat removed from liposuction and the skin removed during abdominoplasty.
What’s more exciting than how much weight you can lose from your abdominoplasty is how much weight you can lose after the fact. One of the most incredible benefits of abdominoplasty is that people find exercise far easier when there is no longer a significant amount of excess skin hanging from their abdomen. Whether exercise is physically easier for you or you find you have the self-confidence to try new physical activities, the weight is sure to melt off post-op.
If you’ve never fallen in love with exercise, you may find a sport or other physical activity that you love. Finding a form of exercise you enjoy will make it easier to exercise consistently. For instance, you may find that you love swimming when you never had the self-confidence to take off your shirt before your procedure. Alternatively, you may find that you cycle five days weekly once there is no longer excess skin getting in your way.
Even though you can lose as much weight as you want after your tuck, you should wait to start losing weight until your recovery period is over. To ensure a smooth recovery, you need to focus on resting and eating nutritiously. Unfortunately, if your focus is on cutting calories, you may not consume enough protein and vitamin C for your skin to produce an adequate amount of healing collagen.
Similarly, if you try to burn more fat via exercise rather than diet, you may push yourself too hard, too quickly. If you don’t get enough rest, your recovery will take longer than it should. It is advisable to walk as much as you can without feeling too tired starting the day after your procedure. Eventually, you should be able to walk for 30 minutes per day. You don’t need to exercise any more than a gentle walk if your goal is the shortest possible recovery.
To find out whether you are a good tummy tuck candidate, you need to come in for an initial consultation. During this initial consultation, we will discuss your health history and current health thoroughly to verify that you are currently healthy enough to qualify. We also will verify that this is the appropriate procedure to address your concerns. As a general rule, this treatment will be deemed appropriate if your goal is to:
You will not be considered a good candidate for this procedure if you are currently pregnant or breastfeeding. We recommend waiting at least six months from the last time you nursed your infant before considering this procedure. This ensures your body has plenty of energy to heal itself in a timely manner. You also will not be considered a good candidate for this procedure if you have a bleeding disorder, pulmonary disorder, or nerve problems.
You may be considered a good candidate for liposuction if you are at or near your goal weight but frustrated by excess fat under your skin that you just can’t budge. However, you need to come in for an initial consultation to verify that liposuction is appropriate for you. While it is important that there is enough excess lower abdominal fat for you to qualify for this procedure, it is also important that you do not have too much excess tummy fat.
Generally, you can expect your procedure to take around 2.5 hours. However, you will spend longer than that in our office because we have to administer your anesthesia and prepare you for your return home. Since this is an outpatient procedure, even if you choose to add liposuction, you will not need to spend the night in a hospital. Nevertheless, we still need to ensure you have woken up from the anesthesia and understand your responsibilities.
One of the most important rules you must follow during your recovery period is remaining hydrated throughout the process. Little will slow your recovery process down more than allowing yourself to become dehydrated. If you find it hard to drink enough water to remain hydrated post-op, we strongly recommend eating fruits and veggies that are high in water.
Eating nutritiously is another very important post-op recovery rule. If you eat processed foods and don’t get enough protein or vitamin C, your recovery will take much longer than it should. Another important part of your diet is that you shouldn’t consume too much sodium. Also, you should keep in mind that you cannot consume alcohol during the first two weeks post-op. The same goes for tobacco consumptions.
It is highly advisable to sleep for nine hours consecutively each night during your recovery. This allows you to get around six full cycles through all the phases of sleep. If you can’t get nine full consecutive hours of sleep each night, do your best to sleep for at least 7.5 hours nightly. This way, your skin can take advantage of five full sleep cycles. We also recommend taking 90-minute naps during the first week or two of your recovery.
Taking 90-minute naps is a good idea because it usually takes around 90 minutes for people to cycle through every stage of the sleep cycle. It is only during the final stage of the sleep cycle that your skin is most efficient at healing itself, and you start over from the first stage every time you wake up and fall back asleep. Therefore, if you took a 30-minute nap, you would not be unlocking your body’s full self-healing potential.
It is very important that you sleep on your back following your procedure. If you sleep on your stomach or side, there is a very good chance that too much pressure will be applied to the healing incisions. This will slow your recovery significantly.
Consider sleeping in a recliner during the first portion of your recovery if you have a tendency to toss and turn in your sleep. If you don’t have a recliner, consider surrounding yourself with pillows or rolled beach towels. Practice sleeping on your back prior to your procedure.
The only way to find out whether a tummy tuck is right for you is to come in for an evaluation. This safe, effective tummy tuck procedure can result in a weight loss ranging from two to 10 pounds depending on the scope. With liposuction, you may be able to lose closer to 15 pounds of excess fat and skin. Please drop us a line at DrYoungForever in San Antonio, TX to schedule your initial consultation. We’ll see you soon!
A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, continues to be a popular choice for those seeking to…
Many choose breast implant removal for various medical and personal reasons. At DrYoungForever Plastic Surgery…
In today’s fast-paced world, looking and feeling your best has taken a front seat in…
In recent years, the Brazilian butt lift (BBL) has emerged as a prominent procedure for…
Tummy tuck and liposuction are two popular cosmetic procedures designed to enhance the abdomen's appearance.…
Many choose to undergo breast implant replacement for various personal and medical reasons. At DrYoungForever…