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You may notice with the passage of
time you formed a tummy. This can be due to many factors: excess
or loose skin, excess fat, or stretching of the abdominal fascia and
muscles. Significant weight loss and pregnancy can stretch the
abdominal muscles and skin beyond the point they can return to
normal. A healthy diet and regular workouts may not correct the
problem.
An abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) works in two ways. First,
under the skin the abdominal muscles are tightened, like an internal
?corset.? The muscles loosen during pregnancy, causing a separation
of the rectus muscles. This separation is called a ?diastasis.?
Sometimes this happens with a hernia near the belly button. A hernia
is an actual hole in the fascia, and is less common. You cannot fix
a diastasis by sit ups, as the muscles do not cross the midline. I
find you notice this looseness when you ?suck it in? and still
cannot get your belly as flat as before children. The muscle
tightening helps narrow your waist and firm your abdominal wall.
Second, an abdominoplasty removes excess skin and fat,
frequently removing all the skin between the belly button and the
pubis. The scar looks like a C-section scar with a scar around the
belly button. The length of the scar depends on the amount of skin
and fat removed. Removing skin will rid stretch marks and wrinkling
of the lower abdomen, and flatten and tighten the contour of the
entire abdomen.
The abdominoplasty procedure is done under general anesthesia
in one of two surgical facilities near my office in Palo Alto. The
surgery facility in Palo Alto is outpatient; the Menlo Park facility
has the capability of an overnight stay. Surgery lasts about three
hours. I use a pain pump for many patients. The pain pump is put in
at surgery and drips numbing medication internally for the first
three days after surgery. I find it reduces postoperative pain
significantly.
I frequently combine abdominoplasty with liposuction or other
cosmetic surgery procedures such as breast augmentation, breast
reduction, breast lift, or eyelid surgery. Depending upon the length
and size of surgery, an overnight stay may be required.
Abdominoplasty can be combined with non-cosmetic procedures, such as
hysterectomy or umbilical and ventral hernia repair. When this is
done, the surgery is done usually at Stanford or Sequoia Hospital.
Recovery takes two to three weeks. People who are still losing
significant weight or who are planning another pregnancy should
wait.
To schedule your consultation for a body contouring treatment such
as liposuction or abdominoplasty, contact call us in Palo Alto at
650-321-7100
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