Tummy Tuck Candidates - Are You One?

It is appealing to think that there is a surgical solution for excess weight. Many of us would love to be able to go to the doctor’s office, be put under and wake up looking trim and fit. Unfortunately, that is not a realistic option. Although there is surgery available to help with slimming down it is by no means a magic cure for being in bad shape. In fact it requires a large amount of work on the part of the patient in order to even be eligible for these procedures let alone have them be their most successful. With tummy tuck it is necessary to establish and maintain a benchmark of health.

First of all a tummy tuck operation, technically called abdominoplasty, is used to remove excess fat deposits and loose skin. It is designed to remove and repair areas that are resistant to weight loss through diet and exercise and also to remove excess residual tissue after significant weight loss. As such it is only for people who have reached the limit of their natural weight loss ability. It is not intended to be a substitute for eating right and being fit. 

Many people are good candidates for a tummy tuck. People who have lost a significant amount of weight often have a large amount of loose skin left over that does not ever fully firm back up. For them this is a great way to remove this ugly reminder of their previous heft. It also allows them to remove any stubborn areas that were resistant to diet and exercise.

Another group of people well suited to having a tummy tuck are women who have had children. Often their stomachs are stretched and distorted as a result of their pregnancies. They may have stretch marks or loose skin that they want tightened back up. For them the surgery allows them to have the body they had before their pregnancies and lets them wear more form fitting clothing or even bathing suits again. 

Finally older patients often have this done as the muscles and skin of the body loosens as we age. A tummy tuck lets this be repaired by tightening the muscles and removing any sagging tissue.

It is critical to be aware that this is not a solution for every problem. It may make a person look better and feel better which will lead to better self-confidence. It may even allow a person to be more outgoing and social. On the other hand these changes must come from within. A major surgery like this should only be undertaken by people who want it for themselves not for pleasing other people.