When you’re contemplating a tummy tuck (also referred to as an abdominoplasty), depart all of your inquiries for Houston, TX plastic surgeon Olga Bachilo, MD, who’s answering the 4 most frequently-asked tummy questions in her follow.

1. What’s a full tummy tuck versus a mini tummy tuck?

“In a full tummy tuck, the entire stomach is addressed so the incision is good and low and the complete stomach is tightened, so we carry the muscle tissues collectively above and beneath the umbilicus (stomach button). The surplus pores and skin—often the complete part beneath the umbilicus—is totally eliminated. In a mini tummy tuck, solely the underside of the stomach is addressed, and solely a small quantity of pores and skin is eliminated proper above the pubic bone. On this case, solely the muscle tissues beneath the stomach button are tightened. Usually, it’s a restricted sort of process and never everybody is an effective candidate for it. Mostly, individuals who endure these procedures have simply completed having kids, had important weight reduction, or they need to tighten the getting old pores and skin on their higher stomach.”

2. What does restoration entail for a tummy tuck?

“The total downtime is about six weeks after a tummy tuck. There are restrictions in opposition to heavy lifting and strenuous actions. After this time, sufferers can absolutely return to all regular actions.

Moreover, I don’t use drains in my tummy tucks as a result of I take advantage of one thing referred to as progressive pressure sutures, so all the pores and skin that we increase is then positioned again down with stitches to the belly wall. This ensures that no fluid accumulates and absolutely replaces any drains or tubes. Sufferers like not having to fret about draining tubes, and this system helps with restoration. I additionally use a long-acting numbing injection within the stomach, and it gives 72-hour ache management. Most sufferers do very well with this—they’re up and strolling instantly after surgical procedure and so they bodily come to the workplace the subsequent day.”

3. Is there loads of ache after surgical procedure?

“Sufferers typically ask for liposuction as a result of they’ll’t afford the downtime of a tummy tuck, however, whereas liposuction incisions are small, the work beneath the pores and skin is sort of intensive and the ache can typically final for longer. Typically, a number of months after surgical procedure there’s nonetheless some ache from liposuction, and I discover that the discomfort lasts for much longer than from a tummy tuck, which often solely lasts every week or two.”

4. How lengthy is surgical procedure?

If we’re doing a tummy tuck, surgical procedure lasts between three and 4 hours. Most frequently, we mix procedures, so we do liposuction on the again or liposuction with a fats switch alongside the stomach tuck. Or, we do the total mommy makeover, the place it’s an all-in-one tummy tuck, liposuction, fats switch and breast augmentation or elevate. The size of the process will depend on what different remedies the affected person is receiving alongside their tummy tuck.”