While dieting and exercise can help you shed pounds and tone your muscles, it doesn’t remove the loose sagging skin left over by excess weight or pregnancy. Sometimes, to achieve that flat, sexy stomach you desire, you may need the help of cosmetic surgery.

An abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, can help you achieve your ideal body by removing extra fat and skin, and tightening the muscles in your abdominal wall. Tummy tucks have become one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures in our country today. In 2007, 148,000 abdominoplasty procedures were performed on both men and women.

Am I a Candidate?

Ideal candidates for a tummy tuck are in good health and are physically fit, but have pockets of fat or loose skin in the stomach region that does not respond to diet and exercise. Frequently, this may be a result of pregnancy or severe weight loss.

Abdominoplasty will work well if you have:

  • Excess or sagging abdominal skin

  • An abdomen that protrudes and is out of proportion to the rest of your body

  • Abdominal muscles that have been separated and weakened

  • Excess fatty tissue that is concentrated in your abdomen

As with all cosmetic surgery procedures, ideal candidates must have realistic expectations for the results. If you are planning on having children at a later date, you should consider waiting to have an abdominoplasty, as the results of your procedure can be negated by future pregnancies.

Tummy Tuck Procedure

General anesthesia is usually used for a tummy tuck. The entire procedure will take two to five hours to complete.

Your cosmetic surgeon will make an incision across your abdomen, going from one hip bone to the other. The incision is in the shape of a semi-circle, which bottoms out right above the pubic region. A second incision is required around the belly button to free up loose skin and abdominal tissue.

Your surgeon then separates your skin from the abdominal wall so that he can reposition your vertical abdominal muscles. Those muscles are stitched into place in a way that tightens your waistline. All excess skin is then removed.

Recovery Time

This is major surgery, and recovery will take several weeks. Depending on the degree of the procedure, you may be able to go home that day, or you may have to stay in the hospital for a few days. You will most likely not be able to return to work for two or three weeks.

Your abdomen will be swollen and you may feel sore for a few days. The scarring from the procedure will remain very noticeable for six to nine months. Your scars will never go away completely, but they will eventually be relatively minor.

The results generally last for the rest of your life. Very few people need to go for a second abdominoplasty.

If you are interested in a tummy tuck in the San Francisco, California area, please visit the website of Dr. Randall B. Weil, M.D., F.A.C.S. today to schedule an initial consultation.

Patricia Woloch
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/tummy-tuck-get-that-flat-stomach-youve-always-wanted-701390.html

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Filed under: Cosmetic Surgery for Men

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