What Happens During a Tummy Tuck?

• 12 August 2021
• MCC Marketing

Last updated on July 10, 2024

Everyone wants a toned, flat midsection, but washboard abs take commitment and dedication. Time in the gym and discipline in the kitchen are the two essential ingredients that create a flat stomach, but sometimes stubborn fat and excess skin can act as roadblocks along your journey to better abs. At our My Cosmetic Clinic locations in the NSW area, we offer the tummy tuck, a procedure designed to help you achieve that envy-worthy midsection the easy way.

What Happens During a Tummy Tuck?

You’ve probably heard of a tummy tuck, but you may be curious how the procedure works. The goal of a tummy tuck is to strengthen the abdominal muscles and eliminate excess fat and skin from the area. Then, once excess fat and skin have been addressed and the muscles have been tightened, the skin will be repositioned to make the entire midsection tighter and more toned.

Customizing Your Procedure

There are two different types of tummy tucks: the mini and the full. Each is a version of the tummy tuck but addresses different areas of the midsection to help individuals achieve their aesthetic goals.

The Mini Version

The mini version of this procedure is also referred to as a skin-only abdominoplasty. This procedure is designed to help those who don’t suffer from any abdominal weakness but want to address loose skin and fat below the belly button.

If you have a protruding lower abdomen, this procedure can flatten and tighten the area. An incision will be made low on the midsection and loose skin and fat may be removed from the lower portion of the midsection during this procedure to create the best aesthetic results.

The Full Version

During a full abdominoplasty, Dr Ansari will address stretched or weakened abdominal muscles and facia along with any additional loose skin and excess fat to create a flat and toned midsection. During the procedure, Dr Ansari will perform the necessary techniques to address the entire midsection.

He will create an incision that extends from one hipbone to the other across the entire abdominal region and remove excess tissue. Additionally, he may use liposuction to remove excess fat from the abdomen, hips, and flanks, if necessary. Then he will suture the area, and your procedure will be complete.

Differences Between These Two Procedures

The main difference between a full and mini tummy tuck is the area treated and the incision location. Additionally, a new belly button may be created during a full abdominoplasty but will not be addressed during a mini.
The severity of your skin laxity and your primary areas of concern will determine which of these two versions of abdominoplasty is right for you. During your initial consultation, one of our practitioners will examine your abdomen to help determine which procedure will best meet your aesthetic goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Kind of Results Can I Expect?

Once your healing process is complete, you can expect a tighter and more toned midsection. Any excess skin and fat will be permanently removed from the area so that you can achieve the flat stomach of your dreams and enjoy it indefinitely.

Are Tummy Tuck Results Permanent?

This procedure creates dramatic changes in the midsection that are intended to last forever. It’s important that you understand your role in maintaining your results. If you maintain a healthy weight after your procedure is complete, your results will be long-lasting. However, any remaining fat cells in the area will expand if you do gain weight.

To help avoid negatively impacting your results, Dr Ansari recommends that women who are interested in this procedure wait until they are done having children to schedule it. Pregnancy after a tummy tuck can negatively affect the results of the procedure. Those who maintain their results by living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a healthy weight will not need to undergo this procedure again.

What Kind of Recovery Can I Expect?

You should expect to spend the first several days of your recovery resting. We will prescribe oral pain medications to help maintain your comfort during your recovery. You will need someone who can drive you to and from your procedure. You also may need to avoid standing up straight or laying flat for a short period.

Resuming Your Normal Routine

We typically advise that patients begin performing light exercises after a week of rest. Walking outside at a moderate pace or on the treadmill can help you feel more like yourself again and promote healing. You must avoid high-impact exercises like running or intense cardio for four to six weeks after your procedure. Most patients return to work within seven to ten days of their procedure but should avoid strenuous activity or heavy lifting for an additional four to six weeks.

You will be provided with a compression garment to wear 24 hours a day for the first two weeks after your procedure. Then, you will wear it overnight for another two weeks. This garment is important because it helps promote a quick recovery and helps your skin mould to your new contours. It’s important to follow the recovery instructions carefully so that you can recover as quickly as possible and enjoy your results as soon as possible.

Is There a Non-Surgical Tummy Tuck?

Different skin tightening procedures are designed to increase collagen and elastin production to tighten loose skin and address skin laxity. However, these treatments often use radiofrequency energy or lasers to heat the deeper layers of the skin to do so. While they can tighten the skin to some degree, they cannot produce drastic changes in the appearance of the midsection.

They also cannot address muscle weaknesses or issues with the fascia like this procedure can. These treatments are designed for those with minor skin laxity. Those with more significant aesthetic issues, including excess fat and excess skin, will achieve more dramatic results from abdominoplasty.

Can This Procedure Address Stretch Marks?

Both men and can suffer from stretch marks. A stretch mark occurs when the body produces too much collagen to help heal the skin after it’s been stretched too quickly. Stretch marks can result from significant weight gain and loss or pregnancy. Any stretch marks that exist in your lower abdomen before your procedure will be moved further down during the relocation of your skin.

If your stretch marks are higher on the abdomen, they may be tightened and smoothed, but they may not be completely eliminated. It will depend on the location of your stretch marks and whether you are undergoing a full or mini abdominoplasty.

Am I a Candidate?

The best candidates for this procedure are men and women who are healthy but have excess abdominal skin and stubborn fat that they cannot address with diet and exercise alone. Women who have undergone one or multiple pregnancies or suffer from a protruding stomach or excess skin can benefit from this procedure. Men who are unhappy with the appearance of their abdomen that has excess fat or skin also make good candidates for this procedure.

Weight Loss vs. Body Contouring Procedures

It’s important to note that this procedure is not a substitute for a healthy lifestyle. It is not a weight-loss procedure. Instead, it is a body contouring procedure that helps active and healthy individuals who have unsuccessfully tried to lose weight in their midsection to finally achieve their cosmetic goals.

The best candidates are not planning to become pregnant after the procedure, are aware that they will have a scar post-op, are in good physical health, are free from wound healing disorders, and are near or at their target body fat percentage.

Achieve Your Dream Stomach

A flat, tighter, and toned-looking midsection is within your reach, and our expert practitioner and surgical staff team are ready to help you achieve your dream midsection. Contact us today at one of our My Cosmetic Clinic locations in the New South Wales area to schedule your initial consultation.