The Tummy Tuck: Are You A Candidate?

Tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is designed to help a class of patients who have lost weight but are left with loose, excess skin. They are probably also left with stomach muscles that are stretched out and not as strong as they once were. This scenario can lead to a wide variety of problems, not all of them limited to cases of vanity. Of course, the tummy tuck is above all else a cosmetic procedure and it has helped millions of people—women who have had pregnancies, men and women who have lost considerable amounts of weight—get back into the shape they remember.

As far as determining whether or not you are a candidate, you should be in overall good health and not be very overweight. Overweight patients will benefit from a diet and exercise program designed to return them to their ideal weight. The tummy tuck is for those who have already lost most of the weight and now have sagging skin in the belly region from having housed the adipose tissue. Diet plans will do nothing to remove this sagging skins, nor will so-called miracle creams that are sold to hopeful consumers. Older patients are often good candidates, since their skin will have lost much of the elasticity it had in their younger days.

The first step towards having a tummy tuck is to find a good, qualified surgeon in your area. What many people don’t understand is that any licensed physician is allowed to perform cosmetic surgery in most states. However, plastic surgery procedures are as much an art as they are a science and without the proper specific training and experience, the outcome will not be as good as desired. That’s why you want to look for a doctor who is board certified and has a good reputation for quality work.

When you find a good surgeon, you’ll set up an initial consultation. During this consultation, you’ll tell your doctor what you want to get out of the tummy tuck, what specifically you are unhappy with right now, and ask him what can be done about it. If you have concerns about the surgery, don’t be afraid to speak up. A good doctor will not downplay the risks that come along with major invasive surgery, even if being frank about them could result in the patient deciding against the procedure. Listen to the doctor carefully and follow his instructions if he tells you to stop smoking, drinking, or taking any kinds of medications that could interfere with a successful surgery.