Planning A Tummy Tuck After Pregnancy
Pregnancy takes a physical toll on a woman’s body. This can leave many women feeling self-conscious about their body due to excess skin in their abdominal area. This can easily be taken care of with a tummy tuck. At Ohio Plastic Surgery Specialists, Dr. Bernacki has performed many tummy tucks over his last 20 years of being a board-certified plastic surgeon. However, if you’ve recently gave birth, the timing of a tummy tuck is important. Learn more about the best time to have a tummy tuck after pregnancy.
A tummy tuck can do what exercise and dieting can’t. Tummy tucks create a flatter, aesthetically pleasing midsection. Unfortunately, abdominal skin and muscles stretched during pregnancy rarely return to their previous appearance, no matter how many ab workouts you do or how many diets you try.
Types of Tummy Tucks
Dr. Bernacki specializes in 4 different types of tummy tucks. Each option tailors to different patients wants.
Mini Tummy Tucks
This procedure can benefit those that are 5-10 pounds overweight. The patient has done all he or she could with diet and exercise but can’t seem to lose those last few pounds. This can also benefit females that have had children and have excess fat in their lower abdomen area. This procedure takes about 45 minutes. The patient is put under a general anesthesia. Recovery time is usually 2-3 weeks. The procedure is done by removing a piece of skin in the shape of small football from the belly button down to the waistline. The surgeon removes fat on top of the abdominal muscles. This is the least invasive tummy tuck procedure.
Full Tummy Tucks
This is the most popular of all 4 tummy tuck procedures. A full tummy tuck removes the maximum amount of skin and fat on the abdominal muscle. This procedure tightens soft tissue from the bottom of the rib cage and breastbone down to the belt line. An incision is made around the belly button and removes fat from muscle and remove excess skin.
Extended Tummy Tucks
Extended tummy tucks are a step above full tummy tucks. This procedure benefits those that have lost massive amounts of weight in a short amount of time. Often patients that have recently undergone gastric bypass surgery have this procedure performed to remove existing fat and large amounts of skin.
Belt Lipectomy
This is the most invasive tummy tuck procedure and requires the most amount of time under general anaesthesia. Dr. Walt makes sure the patient is a good candidate for this procedure by assessing the risks based on the patient’s health evaluation and also the time it will take the patient to recover. A Belt Lipectomy removes large amounts of skin and fat from the abdomen and the incision is continued around the waist to the middle of the back. This requires the surgeon to reposition 180 degrees after the abdominal incision has been closed. The surgeon must then remove tissue from the back and take off the excess skin before closing the back incision.
During your consultation, Dr. Bernacki will discuss the options create a surgical plan based on the physical exam and your cosmetic goals.
Tummy Tuck Timing After Pregnancy
Are you breastfeeding?
When a woman is currently breastfeeding, hormone levels can be a bit out of whack. It takes some time after your child stops breastfeeding for hormones to level out back to normal. Hormonal changes usually come with fluctuations of weight. It’s best to be at a stable weight before considering a tummy tuck. Being at a stable weight you can maintain before body contouring surgery greatly increases the likelihood that you’ll be happy with the results and reduce complications.
Are you planning to have another child in the future?
Women often ask if they can have more children after a tummy tuck. While it’s possible, we recommend postponing a tummy tuck until you are sure you will not have more children. If you were to become pregnant after having a tummy tuck, the abdominal muscles will stretch again and undo the results of the tummy tuck.
Do you have young children?
Women with young children may choose to wait until their kids are older to get a tummy tuck. It’s important to remember that you won’t be able to lift a baby or toddler for at least a week after the surgery. You may need someone to provide childcare during the initial stages of your recovery since you will need plenty of rest and relaxation.
If you’re interested in learning more about a tummy tuck, call our office to schedule a consultation and take the first step of getting your pre-pregnancy body back!
