A tummy tuck can tighten the abs, but so can a few alternatives. Here are some things to think about.
A tummy tuck is a cosmetic surgical procedure also known by its more formal name of abdominoplasty. The belly region is one of the most common areas to sport bulge in both men and women. This area holds internal organs such as stomach,
intestines and uterus, all of which expand and contract over the course of a lifetime. While that’s all the normal functioning of a midsection, it can often leave the abdomen stretched out and unattractive.
Having a baby puts lots of stress on the skin covering the belly. Expecting it to pop right back into place is sometimes a bit too much to expect. This is especially true in older mothers who are beginning to lose their skin’s elasticity. Multiple pregnancies are also a tough situation in that the midsection is stretched out again and again.
The stomach and intestinal region expand just due to eating and digesting foods. For overeaters, of which there are many, the stretching is substantial. For individuals who become obese and then rapidly lose the weight, they may be lighter, but their skin’s container may still be hanging there in emptiness. This is especially true of post-op gastro-bypass patients. They have shrunken their insides but the externals don’t match up.
A tummy tuck entails clipping away redundant tissue and stitching all into a tighter and tauter position. Scars are hidden below the bikini line if at all possible. But for some individuals, surgery isn’t possible due to budget or health constraints. For them, there are some alternatives:
Girdle: A girdle is a midsection slimmer in the form of an undergarment. This item can morph a flabby midsection into an hourglass shape. Even men can wear garments under their clothing.
Tummy tuck jeans: Blue jeans now come with panels to hold in one’s gut. These have become very popular.
Personal trainer: Hiring a personal trainer to whip one’s abdominals into shape can help those with a moderate amount of bulging. Working with weights and exercises designed to attack the belly flab may help.
Core Exercises: Doing core work such as Pilates, crunches, sit ups, yoga and other exercises that strengthen the core can tone this area substantially.
Accept the imperfection: If all else fails, a person may just have to accept their imperfections. No one is perfect and if a flabby belly is the flaw that a person ends up with, at least it’s not terminal.
If a person does decide to have the abdominoplasty, he or she should make an appointment with a board certified plastic surgeon in order to find out if they are a suitable candidate for the operation. The best candidates are in good physical shape, have a healthy lifestyle, and are finished with childbearing since another pregnancy will bring them back to square one.
This operation usually requires an overnight hospital stay and general anesthesia. Drains will be placed during the operation and a compression garment will be used for several weeks post-op. When the patient is healed from his or her tummy tuck procedure, swimsuit shopping will be a pleasure.
