Frequently asked questions about tummy tucks

What is abdominoplasty?

Abdominoplasty is an option for those who experience discomfort due to excess skin on the abdomen that cannot be eliminated through dieting or exercise. For many women and men, excess skin can cause embarrassment and discomfort. Dr. Alexander Vigen answers questions about abdominoplasty in this post.

Fat can be exercised away, but not excess skin

If you have been overweight, you may have lost so much weight that you now have excess skin and fat. Whenthis hangs over the waistband of your pants, it can be bothersome. What you need to know is that you can exercise away fat, but you cannot get rid of excess skin through exercise. For some people, this area can also be very difficult to exercise. In such cases, abdominoplasty or tummy tuck surgery may be a good solution.

How is abdominoplasty/tummy tuck surgery performed?

During abdominoplasty (also known as tummy tuck), we remove excess skin from the abdomen and tighten the skin. If necessary and desired, we perform liposuction on the waist. If the skin's elasticity is preserved and not too saggy, we can address the issue with liposuction alone. This can pull the skin back somewhat.

If there is a lot of excess skin, it must be corrected with a full or mini tummy tuck to achieve a tight stomach and bring out the shape and underlying contours. There can be several reasons for excess skin:

• If the excess skin appears after weight loss.
• Pregnancy
• Or old age, so that the skin's elasticity has begun to decline.
• It may also be a combination of several factors that come into play.

What happens during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, the abdominal muscles move to the side and do not always contract again afterwards. Women who have given birth to several children often suffer from rectus diastasis ("split abdominal muscles"), which can cause a flaccid abdominal wall that cannot be trained again. This lack of support for the front of the abdominal wall can in some cases cause back pain. The good news is that this can now be corrected by suturing the abdominal muscles back together ("rafing").

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Frequently asked questions about tummy tucks

What exactly is abdominoplasty, and who is a candidate for the operation?

Abdominoplasty is a procedure that is suitable for those who have excess skin on their stomach, often after significant weight loss or childbirth. The skin on the stomach can become loose and saggy, and in some cases hang over the waistline. This can cause discomfort in the form of chafing and eczema.

If there is less excess skin, particularly in the lower abdomen, for example after childbirth, a mini tummy tuck is often the best option. Skin is removed from the lower abdomen and the scar is placed under the waistline. We often combine these procedures with liposuction of the abdomen and waist to achieve a better contour.

What are split abdominal muscles?

Some people have a condition called rectus diastasis, or "split abdominal muscles." When the uterus expands during pregnancy, the abdominal muscles move apart, and they usually come back together after childbirth. However, in some people, they do not come back together completely, especially after multiple births or twins. This can cause back pain and a feeling of lack of support in the front.

Split abdominal muscles are easy to feel when lying on your back and doing sit-ups. You can then feel whether there is a long distance between the muscles when the abdominal muscles are tightened. Many people with split abdominal muscles suffer from fatigue or back pain. These symptoms usually disappear after surgery.

What will the scars look like after surgery?

The scar is placed along the edge of the underwear or below the edge of the underwear so that it is as inconspicuous as possible.

If you want, can you get a new look for your belly button?

This depends somewhat on what you mean by a new appearance. Some people have minor umbilical hernias where the navel protrudes, which can be corrected at the same time. However, most people with a normal navel will have roughly the same appearance afterwards. With a full tummy tuck, there will be a scar around the navel, while with a mini tummy tuck, the navel is not altered.

Some people who have lost a lot of weight have deep belly buttons. In such cases, we can make them less deep. We do what we can to make the belly button aesthetically pleasing, as it is visible in the middle of the stomach. There are several different methods for doing this.

If you are overweight, can abdominoplasty replace dieting?

No, these are two different things. Tummy tucks are not suitable for people who are overweight (e.g. with a BMI over 30), as this is primarily an operation to remove excess skin – which is a result of dieting or weight loss.

If you have a high BMI, it is recommended that you lose weight first. Liposuction is not a substitute for weight loss, as only some of the fat is located under the skin, and much of it is located intra-abdominally (behind the abdominal wall, around the intestines, etc.).

What happens if I gain weight before or after surgery?

Any weight change will alter the results of plastic surgery. It is better to reach your "target weight" first, or the level you think you can maintain over time, and then have the operation.

Minor weight changes are insignificant, but if you lose a lot of weight, you may end up with loose skin, and if you gain weight afterwards, it may look a little tight and strange.

Will my stomach be completely flat after abdominoplasty?

It depends on the abdominal wall behind. If there is a lot of intra-abdominal fat, it will not, and the surgeon will then recommend losing weight first. If there is a rectus diastasis that prevents the stomach from being flat, it will become completely flat after correction. We often tighten the abdominal muscles at the same time to make the stomach as flat as possible. In other words, in most cases, the stomach will be completely flat after abdominoplasty.

What can I expect if I have stomach surgery/abdominoplasty?

In addition to a large amount of local anesthetic, you will be given a general anesthetic. There is generally little pain after the procedure.

The operation takes approximately 3 hours. After the operation, compression garments are applied, and food and drink are served. Painkillers are prescribed to be taken for a few days.

You will have two drains if you have a full tummy tuck, but this is not necessary for a mini tummy tuck. After a few days, you will return to the clinic for a check-up, and all the stitches will disappear on their own.

For a full tummy tuck, you should plan to take a week off from office work. If you do physical work, you should allow for a longer recovery time. You can allow for a slightly shorter recovery time for a mini tummy tuck.

Light physical activity can be resumed 2 weeks after the operation, and full physical activity can be resumed after 6-8 weeks. We schedule a final check-up 3-6 months after the operation.

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