Technically known as an abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck in Houston is a surgical procedure to remove excess fat and skin and tighten weakened, separated stomach muscles. This surgery is performed to restore a smoother, firmer profile to the abdominal area, often after pregnancy as part of a mommy makeover or after significant weight loss.
The ideal client for a tummy tuck in Houston has loose, excess abdominal skin and fat, along with loose muscles in the abdominal wall, resulting in an abdomen that bulges outward. These issues usually are not treatable with diet and exercise alone.
You may also benefit from tummy tuck surgery if you have significant stretch marks below the belly button, as these are removed in the procedure. If you want a flatter belly and want to look better in clothing or a bikini, you may be a good candidate for a tummy tuck.
Our Houston abdominoplasty operations are typically performed as an outpatient procedure. The surgery takes approximately two to three hours. Most patients return home the same day.
Typically two surgical drains are placed. Their purpose is to drain any post-operative fluid accumulation that may occur. Pain medication will be prescribed to manage discomfort as well as a muslce relaxer. It is important that you begin walking around the house the night of your surgery.
For the first few days, you will need assistance getting around the house. As the days go by (usually by day seven to ten), you will start to feel better, and will be able to move about much more easily.
Your first follow-up appointment will be within ten days post-op. The surgical drains may or may not be removed at that time, depending on how much fluid remains. All sutures are buried, and do not need to be removed.
You may return to light-duty work in one to two weeks. Do not lift anything heavier than the weight of a full milk jug (including picking up small children) for six weeks. You should be able to return to full activity and exercise in six weeks but no direct core work for three months.
Dr. Lind carefully places the incisions so that they are concealed by your clothing. In rare cases, if the skin is too tight, a small vertical scar will remain where the belly button skin is closed. This leaves a scar with an inverted “T” look where the small vertical scar joins the transverse lower abdominal scar, but this is a rare circumstance and will be discussed with you before any decision is made.
It is important that patients undergoing a tummy tuck operation are not active smokers. If you are a smoker, you should stop at least six weeks before your surgery is scheduled. All blood thinning and anti-platelet medications should be stopped at least two weeks before the operation if approved by the prescribing physician.
Getting a tummy tuck can also have some other benefits. Some patients can experience a significant improvement in urinary incontinence and/or in back pain.
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