A protruding, loose, or uneven midsection can make you dread swimsuit season, shy away from form-fitting clothes, and feel self-conscious during intimacy. If diet and exercise have not adequately firmed your stomach, a surgical intervention like a tummy tuck could be the solution. As you explore your options, understanding all aspects of abdominoplasty is imperative, from ideal candidates to the procedure itself and recovery specifics. Armed with this knowledge, you can decide if a tummy tuck aligns with your needs and expectations.

How Do I Know if a Tummy Tuck Is Right for Me?

The best tummy tuck candidates share common traits beyond simply disliking stubborn belly fat. Dramatic weight fluctuations, prior pregnancies, aging, or hereditary tendencies often cause stretched abdominal muscles, excess skin, and localized fat deposits that diet and exercise alone cannot resolve. Otherwise, healthy individuals who have achieved their goal weight may be great contenders if they have one or more of these anatomical challenges and want to refine their midriff’s form permanently.

What Does the Tummy Tuck Procedure Involve?

During surgery, our surgeon will make a hip-to-hip incision just above the pubic area. We will tighten and stitch together weakened abdominal muscles for a firmer, sleeker contour. Excess skin and fat will be trimmed away before re-draping the remaining tissue for a smoother, more youthful profile. In some cases, the navel may need to be re-positioned higher on the flat, tight tummy. Surgery time ranges from 2 to 5 hours depending on the technique and whether other procedures are combined, like liposuction or a panniculectomy for lower hanging tissue.

How Should I Prepare for My Abdominoplasty?

Our surgeon will provide pre-op instructions to minimize health risks and maximize your aesthetic outcome during abdominoplasty. For a month pre-surgery, you will stop smoking, stay hydrated, maintain a stable weight, and find someone to assist you post-op. Just before surgery, blood work, medical clearances, and photos may be required. Carefully following all doctor’s orders makes recovery faster with fewer complications so that you can unveil your sensational body makeover sooner.

Schedule a Consultation Today

To see if a tummy tuck is right for you, schedule a consultation with Houston, TX, plastic surgeon Dr. Alfonso Barrera by calling (713) 468-5200. Together, we will decide if this procedure will help you achieve your aesthetic goals.