How a Tummy Tuck Can Help You Reach Your Body Goals

You’ve likely heard of tummy tuck surgery. A tummy tuck promises to flatten your abdominal region, eliminate pouches and sagging skin, and correct separation of the stomach muscles. 

New moms and others who have experienced significant weight fluctuations often turn to a tummy tuck to tighten their abdomens. And for a good reason — many of our patients who choose abdominoplasty wish they had undergone the procedure years ago. 

What Is Tummy Tuck Surgery?

A tummy tuck removes excess skin and fat while tightening the stomach muscles. Oftentimes, patients who have given birth or experienced multiple pregnancies benefit the most from a tummy tuck. 

Excess weight fluctuations, including those experienced during pregnancy, can result in hanging skin — an “apron” that droops from the belly button to the pubic area. This apron can make it challenging to find clothes that fit. 

Weight fluctuations also result in fat pockets. A fat pocket is an area of bulge that will not respond to diet and exercise efforts. Fat pockets are common in the abdominal region, lower belly, and love handles. 

Besides hanging skin and fat pockets, patients who have given birth commonly have diastasis recti. This term refers to the separation of the abdominal muscles.

As a fetus grows, it pushes against the muscles of the abdomen, weakening them. Once the baby is born, the mother’s abdominal muscles can remain lax. Diastasis recti is manageable through exercise, but nothing can fully correct it except abdominoplasty.

Tummy tuck surgery can address all three of these problems, resulting in a tighter, more toned stomach.

Who Is A Good Candidate for a Tummy Tuck?

The best candidates for a tummy tuck are those who are reasonably close to their goal weight. They haven’t experienced recent weight fluctuations, and they consider themselves close to their ideal body size. However, they haven’t been able to ultimately achieve their goals because of skin laxity or overstretched abdominal muscles.

If you’re considering a tummy tuck with us, you’ll begin the process with a consultation. During the consultation, we’ll evaluate your medical history and any prescriptions that you are taking. We’ll also examine your abdominal region to determine whether a tummy tuck is an appropriate procedure for you. 

If you’re a good candidate for abdominoplasty, we’ll schedule an appointment for the surgery.

What Are the Benefits of a Tummy Tuck?

Choosing to undergo a tummy tuck is an important decision. Keep these benefits in mind when deciding whether abdominoplasty is suitable for you.

A Tummy Tuck Builds Your Core Muscles

Part of the underlying tummy tuck procedure involves correcting diastasis recti. You can gain a stronger abdominal region that supports your daily activities by tightening the core muscles. 

Patients who undergo a tummy tuck often find that their posture improves and back pain lessens. Since your core supports all of your everyday actions, including bending and lifting, you could find that movements become much easier once you recover from your tummy tuck.

Curtail Problems with Urinary Incontinence

Mothers who go through natural childbirth sometimes have urinary incontinence issues. During birth, the pelvic walls stretch, resulting in weakness in the bladder. 

While you may not think of a tummy tuck as helpful for these issues, it can be. A tummy tuck lifts the tissues in the pelvic area and strengthens muscles, which curtails urine leakage in many cases. 

Rectify a Ventral Hernia

Ventral hernias are common in people who experience significant weight loss or undergo a cesarean section. These hernias occur when parts of the intestine or abdominal tissues tear through the abdominal muscles, resulting in a small pouch in the lower belly.

In some cases, ventral hernias are painful. Tummy tuck surgery repairs ventral hernias, resulting in a tighter abdomen and a flatter stomach.

Motivational Tool

When you decide to undergo a tummy tuck, you invest money and time in improving your physique. Many patients find that seeing the results of a tummy tuck is enough to encourage them to adopt healthy habits for the long term. 

By adopting healthy habits, you’ll not only look fresh; you’ll feel good, too. Healthy habits have a way of bleeding into all areas of your life — physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Better Fitting Clothes

One of the most problematic struggles experienced by new moms and others who have gone through weight fluctuations is finding clothes that fit. 

Abdominal pouches and excess fat pockets make finding clothes with the right proportions difficult. Not everyone has the same build, and many people struggle for hours looking for clothes that are proportional to their frame.

Following a tummy tuck, patients often find clothes-hunting to be a much more enjoyable process. A tighter physique makes it easier to identify clothes that fit smoothly over the abdominal region. Muffin tops, be gone!

When Will I See the Results from a Tummy Tuck?

A tummy tuck is a surgical procedure that significantly changes your muscles and skin. Your body will need adequate time to heal before your full results become apparent. 

Usually, patients require two weeks of downtime before returning to everyday activities. Individuals who regularly perform intensive exercise should wait at least six weeks before returning to their program.

At the two- to three-month mark, your results should be noticeable. However, your body will continue to heal with time. 

Learn More About Tummy Tuck Surgery

At Legacy Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics in Exton, PA, our board-certified plastic surgeons bring decades of experience in many plastic surgery procedures, including abdominoplasties. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.