The Anatomy Of A Tummy Tuck
Suck it in, compress it, hide it, squish it, try to ignore it?! How do you recover from pregnancy, childbirth, or weight loss?
Sure diet, exercise, and good genes allow plenty of women a chance to get their pre-pregnancy bodies back, however, for those other women who are troubled by loose abdominal muscles, lower abdominal fullness, a pouch, a FUPA…or anything else you’d like to name it, there’s a plastic surgeon waiting to assist you.
The structure of a person’s abdomen includes muscle, facia, skin, and fat. Oh, and a belly button (or umbilicus) if you will. An abdominoplasty should address each of these things in order to deliver a person the desired outcome. It’s all about results! Let’s face it. Not everyone can or wants to end up on the cover of Shape magazine, or the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, BUT I perform tummy tucks so that each person can have confidence when looking at themselves in the mirror. It’s all about their perception of themselves. And yes, a two-piece bathing suit is a wonderful construct and should be worn by anyone who would like to. I see it as my responsibility to help get my patients in that bikini mindset… that sincerely impacts their life in the best of ways.
No one wakes up in the middle of the night dreaming about a tummy tuck. It’s not a procedure anyone is dying to put themselves through. BUT, I’ll tell you, as bad as the rumors and stories out there are, I’ve never had a patient who regretted having an abdominoplasty in my 26 years of practice. When you’ve reached the point that you’ve stopped breastfeeding, you’re done shedding your baby weight, you’ve been to yoga, Orange Theory, and kickboxing classes for 8 months, and you STILL can’t wear your favorite jeans, dress, or bikini; That’s when it’s time to start thinking about an abdominoplasty. And it’s an “I need this” or an “I deserve this” moment. Not an “I want this” moment.
Now, no two tummy tucks are ever the same. Each person’s body is different and each person’s goals are different. People are unique individuals, and bring his or her individual stories, burdens, and wishes to their consultations. Whether that’s in person or virtual. So before the show begins, I have to tune in directly to my patient and listen to exactly what she or he wants and expects. Plastic surgery is about giving the patient what they want, within reason. I want to give each of my patients the results they are hoping for and step one is listening to them describe them. You should always feel comfortable telling a surgeon what it is that you want. It’s teamwork, and it begins with the initial visit. Get it?
So, the goal of an abdominoplasty: to re-create a more youthful-looking, flatter, and firmer abdomen! And to add/enhance the natural curves of the waistline, and produce a belly button that’s worth looking at. People with excess skin, stretch marks, or fatty tissue from pregnancy, aging, or weight loss (from dieting or from bariatric surgery) can greatly benefit from a tummy tuck. A tummy tuck (TT) is a safe and effective way to permanently change the shape of your abdomen, tighten weakened or stretched muscles, and restore desirable curves. Thinner and firmer! I want my tummy tuck patients, women and men, skinny or thick, to have their posture and self-esteem fortified through our efforts.
Get started. Your effort is important, crafting a strategy with yourself, your trainer, your support team, and your plastic surgeon is also important! Let’s get you #bodiedbydenk
