Abdominoplasty, often known as a tummy tuck, is a popular cosmetic procedure that can help you achieve the flat, smooth, contoured tummy you’ve always dreamed of. Let’s take a look at who is a good candidate for abdominoplasty so that you can decide if it could be the right surgery for you.
Who could benefit from abdominoplasty?
Abdominoplasty is a popular procedure with women who have had multiple pregnancies and are subsequently experiencing loose skin on the belly. In some cases, the muscles supporting the abdominal wall are also lax which worsens the sagging appearance of the tummy. A full tummy tuck involves sculpting and contouring of both the muscle and skin tissue in order to achieve a flat tummy.
Many people undergo abdominoplasty following significant weight loss. The skin can only stretch so far to accommodate weight gain before its structures are permanently damaged. In these cases, the skin won’t completely shrink down after weight loss and will instead remain lax. Abdominoplasty is a fantastic solution when there is lots of excess skin on the tummy.
Finally, if you simply have some excess fat and tissue on the lower abdomen below the navel that doesn’t seem to improve no matter how much exercise you do, you might be a good candidate for a mini tummy tuck. This is a significantly less extensive procedure than a full tummy tuck.
Who is not suitable for an abdominoplasty?
If you still have a lot of excess fat in the abdominal region, you may not be a good candidate for a tummy tuck. Research has found that patients with lower BMIs tend to get the best results with an abdominoplasty, so if you are still overweight or obese, particularly if you carry lots of excess fat in the midsection, it might be better to wait until you have lost more weight before having a tummy tuck. If you have just a small amount of stubborn excess fat on the lower abdomen in addition to loose skin, it may be possible to combine liposuction with a tummy tuck to achieve optimum results.
You may not be suited to a tummy tuck if you have very minimal subcutaneous fat on the lower abdomen and no laxity of the skin in this area. In this case, you could be a good candidate for liposuction alone to flatten out the tummy.
Book a consultation to discuss abdominoplasty
If you think you’re a good candidate for abdominoplasty, be sure to book a consultation with consultant plastic surgeon Mr. Shaheel Chummun.