Tummy Tuck: Do the Results Last?

To learn how long a tummy tuck will last, you must understand the basics behind the surgery. You can lose skin elasticity due to significant weight loss or natural aging. Pregnancy can also lead to saggy skin in your midsection area. 

It severely weakens your abdominal muscles or, worse, separates them. Luckily, a tummy tuck can correct these issues. In some cases, doctors can use liposuction during this surgery. It helps remove stubborn fat pockets in your abdominal region.

What Is a Tummy Tuck?

A tummy tuck also goes by the name abdominoplasty. It is a cosmetic surgery aimed at improving the appearance and shape of your abdomen. During the surgery, your doctor removes excess fat and skin from the abdomen. 

Additionally, sutures tighten the connective tissue in your abdomen. This tissue is also known as fascia. The doctor then repositions the remaining skin, creating a more toned appearance.

How Surgeons Do It

To begin the tummy tuck cosmetic surgery, the doctor will make a horizontal incision in your pubic region. This incision will run from hipbone to hipbone. It is possible to conceal this area easily using a bikini or underwear line. After this, the doctor will remove the excess sagging skin and repair your abdominal muscles with sutures.

At this point, your doctor will see if you require liposuction and perform it. Then they will re-drape the remaining skin as they reposition the navel. This aligns it with the new contour of your abdominal area. Lastly, your doctor completes the surgery using sutures to close the incision. After applying a bandage, you are good to go. The whole procedure takes about one to two hours.

How Long Will the Results Last?

Generally, the results of a tummy tuck surgery are permanent. The fat and skin cells removed during abdominoplasty cannot grow back. Moreover, the sutures used to repair the abdominal muscles remain intact indefinitely. However, this is not true in some instances.

Drastic fluctuations in your weight cause the skin in your abdominal region to lose more elasticity. This brings back sagging again. Some of the factors that may be detrimental to the results of a tummy tuck include:
 

• Significant weight instability.
   

• Significant weight gain.
   

• Pregnancy. In addition to stretching your skin, pregnancy after abdominoplasty causes further damage to your abdominal muscles.

What You Should Do

The results of a tummy tuck should be permanent, but the factors indicated above can negate the effects. You should ensure the results last. One way to do this is by maintaining an optimal weight after the surgery. 

For women, the ideal time to get a tummy tuck is after having all the children they want to have. Also, exercising and following a healthy diet ensures the results last long. Not smoking also helps with maintaining optimal results.

In Conclusion

While good results are common for the surgery, there are no guarantees. In some instances, you require more than one abdominoplasty procedure to achieve optimal results. Also, getting a tummy tuck from a qualified and experienced doctor increases the chances of lasting results.

For more on tummy tucks, visit Aron Kressel, MD, at our office in New York, New York. You can call 212.772.6968 today to schedule an appointment.