While minor weight fluctuations among adults are normal, significant weight gain (generally over ten pounds) after a tummy tuck can lead to the accumulation of excess fat in the stomach once again. In addition, stretch marks and loose skin may return, all of which can impact your tummy tuck results.
Is It Normal? Swelling in the lower abdominal area after tummy tuck surgery is an absolutely normal and expected part of the healing process. Tummy tuck surgery causes changes to the patient's lymphatic drainage system.
Unfortunately, it is possible for fat to return after liposuction... if you allow it to come back. In general, the more weight gained by a patient after liposuction, the less dramatic their results will be.
How Many Times Can I Get abdominoplasty? There is no limit on the number of surgery you can undergo if you meet all the requirements and are surgically fit for the procedure. Ideally, abdominoplasty is only performed once on a patient. Abdominoplasty benefits can be lost following weight gain or pregnancy.
Tummy tuck results are considered permanent in that the skin and fat cells that Dr. Greenwald removes during the procedure cannot grow back. Likewise, any internal sutures that he places to repair stomach muscles are designed to remain in place indefinitely.
Common early complications, seen within a month, include hematoma, seroma, local infections, skin or fat necrosis, and wound dehiscence. Late complications include recurrent diastasis, scar hypertrophy, and symptoms related to nerve injury.
A tummy tuck will leave a permanent scar
This will run along the horizontal incision line, stretching from hip to hip, right above the pubic bone. While the scar will fade a bit over time, it will remain visible for years to come.
Even though loose skin and subcutaneous fat are removed, abdominoplasty cannot remove excess visceral fat that remains intact behind tightened abdominal muscles. Visceral fat surrounds your organs and can only be reduced by diet and exercise.
Tummy tuck results are considered permanent, insofar that the fat cells and skin removed during an abdominoplasty cannot grow back. Likewise, the internal sutures placed to repair abdominal muscles are designed to remain in place indefinitely.
Tummy tuck surgery results will vary depending on a person's age. For example, a younger patient can expect to see very smooth abdominal skin after abdominoplasty. However, an older patient's skin is typically less elastic than that of a younger person and won't automatically “snap back” to fit the body's new contours.
Additionally, the skin, muscles, and fat of the abdomen were all repaired or altered during the procedure. These structures need time to heal and settle into their new positions. This causes inflammation, swelling, and other temporary side effects that can contribute to the look of the stomach.
If you gain a significant amount of weight after liposuction, your body's fat cells will enlarge. You may notice new “problem areas” appear — for example, if you had liposuction on your abdomen and then gain weight, your body may start to store it in your thighs or buttocks.
Sometimes people do not have a totally flat abdomen after tummy tuck even though the excess skin and fat is removed due to the fact that the intra-abdominal contents still remain intact and are still behind the tightened abdominal muscles.
Swelling is a normal part of tummy tuck recovery, and while most of it resolves within the first 2 months, some residual swelling can last for 6 months to a year.
A recent study shows that patients who had a tummy tuck actually reported increased satiety. Satiety is the measure of how full you feel after a certain amount of food during a meal. A majority of patients during the study felt less hungry while also eating less after their tummy tuck procedure.
Most women who choose this procedure are in their late 30s, early 40s, or beyond. However, when it comes to your age, as long as you are committed to maintaining results, don't plan on getting pregnant again, and are in good health, any age is the right age.
Abdominoplasty is “Permanent”
Once subcutaneous fat has been removed, it cannot grow back. New fat can accumulate, however. If too much new fat begins to accumulate, the skin will stretch to accommodate the increasing bulk.
Tummy tuck scars after 5 years will be nearly unnoticeable. Although it will have taken several years for the scars to lighten entirely (in most patients), by this point, they will be at their lightest. Those with darker skin, however, will generally have darker scars.
With a full tuck, you will lose more weight than you would with a mini tuck because you probably have more excess skin and fat to be removed. Finally, the opportunity to lose the most weight after abdominoplasty is reserved for clients who choose an extended tuck.
Tummy tucks can produce belly buttons that are too round, too narrow or too tight and have a visible circular scar around them. “This is often a dead giveaway for a tummy tuck.”
While a tummy tuck incision is similar to a C-section, the intra abdominal component of the operation is not there. This essentially means that a tummy tuck is less invasive procedure compared to the cesarean section.
Muscle tightness - Muscles plication (or tightening) is usually a part of abdominoplasty. Either failure of the sutures or some laxity can cause a bulge. If the change in your contour was sudden or if you felt a pop - think about the plication having ruptured.
One year later, your abdominoplasty should be fully healed, and results visible. Your inflammation should be gone, and your scar faded. Although the latter will never completely disappear, it should be nearly invisible, and hidden beneath your underwear line.
As we mentioned, each person's tummy tuck recovery time varies, but most patients are ready to return to normal activities within 3-6 months after their initial procedure.