Tummy Tuck: What Is It and How Does It Work? If you’re looking for the best tummy tuck surgeon in St. Louis, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve compiled a list of some of the top providers in the area and prepared a quick overview of what this procedure entails.
First things first, let’s talk about what exactly a tummy tuck is, who it benefits, and how it works to make your body look more like what you’d like it to be.
What Is a Tummy Tuck? A tummy tuck is a surgical procedure that helps smooth out skin on your abdomen and waistline. The goal of this procedure is to reduce excess skin and fat deposits around your midsection while tightening up muscles so that they don’t sag over time (which often happens after pregnancy). This can also help improve the appearance of scars left behind after previous abdominal surgeries such as c-sections or hysterectomies – another common reason why people choose this procedure.
You may find it hard to access the right information on the internet, so we are here to help you in the following article, providing the best and updated information on Best tummy tuck surgeon in st louis, tummy tuck cost. Read on to learn more. We at cosmeticsurgerytips have all the information that you need about tummy tuck recovery. Read on to learn more.
Best tummy tuck surgeon in st louis
Patients fly from across the country and even internationally for Dr. Samer Cabbabe‘s High – Definition tummy tuck (a.k.a. abdominoplasty). This procedure is not just a simple tummy tuck but a complete re-contouring and reshaping of the entire torso, hips and buttocks with Hi-Def/4D lipo (ab etching) and fat injections/Brazilian Butt Lifts routinely performed.
High-definition liposuction/ab etching, muscle tightening, pubic lift and belly button relocating are usually included with all these procedures. Sometimes new belly buttons need to be created in cases of umbilical hernias, other incidental hernias are always repaired as part of the procedure unless they are severe or significant and generally this is known and discussed ahead of time during your consultation.
Dr. Cabbabe incorporates his experience with reconstructive and cosmetic surgery of the body to give his patients the best results possible to meet their desires. He is an expert in cosmetic, reconstructive and minimally invasive body surgery. During your consultation, Dr. Cabbabe will carefully examine you and will make recommendations in order to help you achieve your desired result.
Revision body contouring and revision tummy tuck is something Dr. Cabbabe has become very accustomed to doing for patients who have had unsatisfactory results including high or irregular scars, non-lifted pubic areas, poorly performed liposuction or fibrosis from previous liposuction procedures where a tummy tuck/skin removal was needed but not offered or done. Results after revision surgery are always more expensive to patients, the risks are higher, and the result is less than if Dr. Cabbabe had done the original procedure.
Prior to Surgery
During your consultation Dr. Cabbabe will review your concerns and make recommendations to help you reach and exceed your goals. Dr. Cabbabe believes the key to a great result involves the correct proportions and harmony flowing from the chest to the abdomen, hips, pelvis and buttocks.
Before & After Gallery
View before-and-after pictures of real patients of Cabbabe Plastic Surgery
Surgery
All surgeries are performed with safety as the #1 priority. Dr. Cabbabe is a double board – certified plastic surgeon and the current Chief of Plastic Surgery at his hospital. He has an impeccable track record of safety with minimal complications for the extended scope of work being done for his patients. There are never elective marathon surgeries exceeding 6-7 hours as this is well-established as leading to a high rate of complications, including death. All surgeries are performed in the hospital and overnight stays with IV fluids and monitoring are required for these surgeries with discharge generally the following day after approval from Dr. Cabbabe or his staff.
Multiple things are done to minimize scarring including techniques during surgery and dressings and incision care after surgery. We carry a silicone gel in our office, silicone tape is also helpful to minimize scarring and can be purchased online, silicone is the active ingredient to look for. Patients should take iron supplementation prior to surgery, a multivitamin with iron once a day or iron with calcium once a day is recommended 3 months prior to surgery. Blood loss is always a part of surgery, particularly liposuction, and anemia must be minimized prior to surgery for optimal results. Patients need to be in good general medical health with no significant heart, lung or other organ problems. Risks increase in patients with increasing BMI and 35 is generally recommended for safety and optimal results. The results for patients over BMI 35 is often unsatisfactory and weight loss is recommended.CALL US: (314) 842−5885SCHEDULE CONSULTATION
Your Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) will be performed in a hospital or surgery center in St. Louis, MO.
Recovery
Patients will be expected to wear compression garments for a minimum of 6 weeks after surgery and lymphatic massages are generally recommended starting within 1 week of surgery. We can help you with recommendations.
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Useful items to have on hand include: additional compression garments/FAJA’s (more than one size), extra pillows, BBL pillow (as needed), extra gauze, polysporin ointment and Vaseline or other similar moisturizers. It is helpful to have a recliner to sleep on for the first week or two when you transition to a bed. Extra compression garments, including FAJA’s in different sizes, are helpful as your size will decrease after swelling goes down. Female urination devices can be purchased on Amazon to be used while garments are worn.
Return to full work and exercise is generally within 3 weeks of surgery due to Dr. Cabbabe’s protocols which he has built based on hundreds of tummy tuck and body contouring surgeries.
What is a Tummy Tuck?
A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a surgical procedure that removes excess, stretched or sagging skin from the abdomen to restore a flatter, and tighter abdominal area. A tummy tuck is also highly capable of repairing weakened or stretched abdominal muscles.
In many cases, when we’re talking about the stomach and abdominal area, there is also the issue of excess, sagging skin. Pregnancy, aging, and large amounts of weight loss can result in sagging, stretched “flaps” of skin around the stomach. In these cases, liposuction may not be the best treatment because the excess skin is better addressed through treatments such as a tummy tuck.
Tummy Tuck vs. Liposuction Houston, TX
Both a tummy tuck and liposuction can deliver great results for achieving a flatter, leaner abdomen. To answer the question of which treatment is right for you comes down to the issue of excess skin versus excess fat.
Belly Fat versus Excess Skin
The struggle to achieve a slimmer stomach is one of the most common issues and only tends to get more challenging as you get older. Fat distribution is highly individualized and is affected by age, gender, genetics, and lifestyle. For women, they may notice a pronounced change of excess fat deposits around the waist after menopause, which studies show is linked to the changing levels of estrogen in the body.
Hormone levels have an important influence on how your body stores fat.
Aging, genetics, and lifestyle also play a big role in skin elasticity. Skin elasticity is the ability of your skin to hold a taut shape and resist the effects of gravity. When skin becomes stretched due to weight gain, age, and pregnancy, sagging skin can develop. Additional dieting and weight loss cannot treat sagging skin and may actually make the appearance of sagging skin worse.
Tummy Tuck or Liposuction? Which treatment is right for me?
The best choice for you is based on a number of factors unique to your body and goals. At a glance, the key differences between a tummy tuck and liposuction are:
Benefits
Liposuction: Fat removal and reduction
Tummy Tuck: Skin reduction and abdominal muscle repair
Cost:
Liposuction: Between $4,000 to $8,000 ~ average costs $6,000. (Learn more about liposuction pricing.)
Tummy Tuck: Between$6,000 to $$10,000 ~average cost $8,000.
Recovery Time:
Liposuction: 2 days off work and light physical activity, return to high impact exercise after 2 – 3 weeks.
Tummy Tuck: 2 – 3 weeks off work and light physical activity, returning to high impact exercise after 2 – 3 months.
Ideal Candidates for Liposuction
You may benefit from liposuction treatment if you:
- Are in good overall health, within a reasonable range of your ideal body weight
- Are a non-smoker
- Do not have sagging skin around the abdomen
- Have excellent skin elasticity
Ideal Candidates for Tummy Tuck
You may be better served by a tummy tuck if you:
- Are in good, overall health, close to your ideal body weight
- Have a “paunch” or excess flab of sagging skin around the abdomen
- Have completed your last pregnancy
- Are open to a surgical procedure that will involve significant recovery time
In general, patients under the age of 40 are better-suited for liposuction because they tend to have better skin elasticity. Patients over the age of 45 may benefit from a tummy tuck’s ability to tighten weakened or separated abdominal muscles. Weakened abdominal muscles can occur due to age or as a result of multiple pregnancies.
Your Consultation
The best way to be certain of which treatment will achieve your desired result is with a consultation. Speaking in person with a fat reduction and body sculpting specialist is the best way to get an accurate assessment. An experienced cosmetic surgeon will always recommend the treatment that will best serve the patient’s realistic goals and their unique anatomy.
Your consultation is a private personalized meeting where you can discuss your goals and concerns in detail.
After a physical examination and assessment of your medical history, you will receive a tailored treatment plan that is created to fit your body and goals. In some cases, our patients may discover they may even qualify for non-surgical options such as CoolSculpting.
Only a consultation with an experienced surgeon can determine which options are best for an individual.
How is Liposuction Performed?
Liposuction is a safe, effective option for spot-reducing and eliminating stubborn pockets of exercise-resistant fat. At Houston Liposuction Center, SmartLipo, Vaser Lipo, and Tumescent Liposuction techniques are available for reducing fat from the abdomen.
Liposuction treatments are performed on an outpatient basis and typically range from one to two hours in treatment time. The modern techniques used make it possible for patients to remain awake and comfortable during the entire treatment. Patients are back on their feet and able to return home as soon as the treatment is complete. The procedure requires 1 to 2 mm incisions near the treatment site to enable a specialized tool called a cannula to suction fat from the body.
After treatment, mild swelling and bruising is common, but are managed with pain medication and compression garments.
How is a Tummy Tuck Performed?
Tummy tucks are relatively more involved surgical treatments compared to liposuction. The procedure requires about two to three hours to complete.
First, a tummy tuck is typically performed under general anesthesia. A horizontal incision is made across the lower abdomen. Every effort is made to locate the incision where it will be well-hidden by the bikini line. Then, excess skin is trimmed and the abdominal skin is pulled taut for a flatter appearance. In some cases, an additional, circular incision will be made to make an appropriate space for the belly button.
A tummy tuck is indicated for repairing stretched or weakened abdominal muscles. This is achieved by stitching the two vertical muscle groups of the rectus abdominis together with permanent sutures. The most common type of abdominal muscle separation occurs along the vertical line between the two major muscle groups of the abdomen, a condition called rectus diastasis.
After the muscles have been tightened and excess skin removed, sutures close the incision sites. Drains, compression garments, and surgical dressings are applied to protect the treated area as it heals.
Results of Liposuction versus Tummy Tuck
Both liposuction and tummy tuck can achieve a flatter, smooth stomach with long-term results. Weight gain in the future can impact the results of both procedures.
Liposuction permanently removes excess fat tissue from the body, which will not return to the treated area unless there is future weight gain. Most patients are encouraged by their great liposuction results, which instills a newfound enthusiasm for healthy habits.
The results of a tummy tuck are permanent unless there are future pregnancies or weight gain that can re-stretch the abdominal wall. The excess skin is permanently removed by the procedure. Tummy tucks will leave a visible surgical scar along the lower stomach, but this will continuously fade over time.
Cost of Liposuction versus Cost of Tummy Tuck
Liposuction is a less intensive treatment and typically costs less than a tummy tuck. Liposuction costs between $4,000 and $8,000 with an average cost of $6,000, whereas a tummy tuck ranges between $6,000 and $10,000 with an average cost of $8,000.
The numbers above are rough estimates. You will receive a personalized quote for your treatment at the end of your consultation.
Tummy tuck recovery
When deciding whether to have a tummy tuck, it is important to consider how long it will take to recover and how to take care of the scar.
There are many reasons a person may choose to have a tummy tuck procedure, or abdominoplasty. Those who may consider having a tummy tuck include:
- women who have loose skin or abdominal sagging after pregnancy
- people who have excess skin after weight loss
- individuals with a protruding abdomen despite losing weight
Regardless of the reason, a person needs to follow all postsurgical instructions to avoid infection or other complications.
In this article, we provide tips for recovery from a tummy tuck. We also examine how long recovery takes and what to expect following a tummy tuck procedure.
How long does recovery take?
Typically, a person can expect to feel themselves again around 8 weeks after surgery.
According to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS), tummy tucks are an outpatient procedure for most individuals, meaning they can go home the same day.
Recovery time from a tummy tuck procedure will vary, depending on factors such as:
- the type of tummy tuck
- the age of the recipient
- postsurgical care
- general health of the person
People should discuss their recovery timeline with their surgeon who can give an estimate that they will base on the individual’s situation.
Stages of recovery
A person should discuss recovery time before the procedure. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, a person should ask their surgeon:
- how to bathe after the procedure
- when to remove their bandages
- when to return to normal activities
- when to return for follow-up care
- what drugs they must take after the procedure
Asking these questions can help a person prepare and take the right steps for the smoothest recovery possible.
Recovery timeline
Immediately following the procedure, a person can expect to go to a recovery room. A healthcare professional will monitor them and check the incision.
During recovery in the hospital, they will receive instructions on:
- recovery time
- how to care for the incision
- when to expect to resume normal activity
When a person is free to leave the hospital, they will need someone there to take them home. Doctors do not recommend they drive themselves home after surgery.
There may be drainage tubes that need emptying, and the individual will have to record the amount of fluid draining from their wound each day.
At home, a person should make sure they have someone to help them for the first few days, as their mobility will be limited. They may experience tightness around their tummy and only be able to walk hunched over for a week or two.
Initially, they can expect the incision to feel sore. They will likely need to lie in bed at an angle and may also have trouble with:
- standing
- lifting objects
- general movement
Many people take up to a month off work, particularly if their occupation is physically demanding.
After a tummy tuck, an individual may need help caring for young children for several weeks to months. They should also avoid exercise for the first several weeks until a doctor gives them the all-clear.
However, a person can typically return to activities, such as driving, within 1 to 2 weeks and gradually do more everyday tasks as time passes.
Finally, a tummy tuck scar will likely feel sore or tight for several weeks to months following surgery. The visibility of the scar will slowly fade.
Factors affecting recovery time
Recovery time after a tummy tuck can vary. Some common factors that impact this include:
- type of tummy tuck
- age
- postsurgery care
- general health
The types of tummy tuck include:
- Mini tummy tuck. This procedure has the shortest recovery time and minimal scarring.
- Classic or full tummy tuck. The scar will stretch from hip to hip, and recovery will take longer, but a person should be able to hide the scar under their bathing suit.
- Extended tummy tuck. This tummy tuck creates the largest scar. The scar may be visible under bathing suits and takes the longest time to heal.
It can be helpful to take steps to avoid constipation after surgery, as some pain medications can slow down the bowels. Straining to have a bowel movement will cause discomfort.0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Tips for recovery
During recovery from a tummy tuck, people need plenty of rest and must follow all of their doctor’s recovery instructions.
They will need to carry out daily maintenance of their incision and drainage tubes. Typically, daily maintenance includes:
- keeping the incision site clean and dry
- changing the bandage daily
- taking any prescribed antibiotics
- applying topical creams at the incision site
A person will likely have a supportive wrap, binder, or compression garment for their abdomen to prevent swelling and reduce discomfort.
Following a tummy tuck, they should avoid smoking and drinking alcohol for at least 3 months. Tobacco and alcohol can negatively affect healing.
Also, they should:
- avoid lifting heavy objects, including small children
- temporarily stop exercising until told otherwise
- take time off from physically demanding work
Side effects of surgery
After surgery, a person may have limited mobility and experience some pain. Typically, the surgeon will prescribe pain relief medication.
The incision will also typically feel tight, causing a pulling sensation on standing or moving.
Finally, a person will find they can no longer do some of their normal activities immediately following the procedure. However, they can return to activities slowly as they start to recover.
When can you resume certain activities?
How soon a person can return to their normal activities will vary.
The ABCS suggest the following guidelines:
- up to 2 to 3 weeks for tasks such as cooking, driving, and shopping
- around 2 to 4 weeks to return to work
However, it is not uncommon to take up to 2 months before a person can return to their normal activities.MEDICAL NEWS TODAY NEWSLETTERKnowledge is power. Get our free daily newsletter.
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Summary
Full recovery from a tummy tuck — also called an abdominoplasty — can take several months. During recovery, a person should follow all postsurgical instructions and advice, including:
- avoiding lifting anything heavy
- keeping the incision clean
- taking time to return to normal activities
They should talk to their surgeon before the procedure about what to expect in their individual case.