 "No matter how many sit-ups I do, I can't seem to get rid of this."
If lower abdominal wall poochiness and overhanging skin and stretch marks are the bane of your existence, don't blame yourself! Sit-ups can strengthen the abdominal wall muscles but cannot make your stomach flatter or tighten the loose skin. These changes are secondary to stretching of the tissues over time.
Abdominoplasty is the only way to tighten the deep abdominal wall muscles and rid yourself of the stretch marks and redundant skin that are the result of age and childbearing.
The incision is hidden by a bikini (which you might actually start wearing again!) or underwear. If you have seen your friends’ tummy tuck incisions and have been scared by how high they seem to be on the abdominal wall, don’t worry; Dr. Trott makes a special effort to keep the incision low enough to be concealed by today’s low-cut jeans. Dr. Trott combines this procedure with Liposculpture (liposuction) of the hips (“backfat” or “muffin top”) when necessary for total circumferential body contouring.
In her abdominoplasty procedure, Dr. Trott will tighten your deep abdominal wall muscles with permanent stitches and remove all of the skin from below ayour belly button down to the hair-bearing area. Your belly button will be in the same place that it was before—just much more aesthetically pleasing in appearance and not all stretched out. Dr. Trott performs the Lockwood “High Lateral Tension” Abdominoplasty on all of her patients. This technique, developed by the late Ted Lockwood, the father of body contouring surgery, incorporates a special deep layer of stitches which will give you an upper thigh lift at the same time. Nearly all of the stitches that she places are absorbable so that you will not have to endure suture removal postoperatively in the office. She also uses an On Q ™ pain pump which stays in place for three days postoperatively, bathing your tissues in local anesthetic to help give you the easiest, most comfortable recovery possible.
Mini-Abdominoplasty
If your abdominal muscles are already tight and you just need to smooth out some of the skin, you may be a candidate for a mini-abdominoplasty. This is often the case for women who have had abdominal wall liposuction later in life and now have a “lumpy” appearing abdomen because the skin did not retract well. In this procedure, just a small amount of skin is removed from the lower abdomen and the resulting incision is shorter. This procedure is associated with considerably less downtime than a full tummy tuck.
FAQ's
Q) If I keep working out will this skin on my abdomen eventually tighten up?
A) No. Exercising tightens muscles, not skin.
Q) Is there anything that I can put on the stretch marks to make them go away?
A) No. Stretch marks or “Striae” are scars in the dermal layer of skin. The only way to get rid of them is to remove them by way of a body-contouring procedure.
Q) What is the recovery like for abdominoplasty?
A) Of course, everyone is different, but Dr. Trott recommends taking two weeks off work and “taking it easy” during that time period. This is generally on the outside estimate of what most women need to get back to normal activities. We have found that women who have gone through childbearing recover faster. You can walk as soon as you are able , but strenuous exercise should be postponed to six weeks after surgery.
Q) Will an abdominoplasty be covered by my insurance?
A) No. Abdominoplasty is a cosmetic procedure. If you have an abdominal wall hernia from previous surgery, this will be covered by the insurance company, but they still will not cover the abdominoplasty. In some cases—usually in postbariatric patients who have lost 100 pounds or more—if the overhanging skin and fat causes skin irritation and infection, a “panniculectomy” will be covered by insurance.
Q) What is the difference between a panniculectomy and an abdominoplasty?
A)A panniculectomy is just removal of the overhanging skin and fat below the umbilicus to prevent rashes and infections. An abdominoplasty involves tightening of the abdominal wall,aesthetic improvement of the umbilicus, and removal of as much fat, skin and stretch marks as possible.
Q) Do I need a tummy tuck or do I just need liposuction?
A) Dr. Trott’s aesthetic approach is based on your goals for your body. If you have loose skin and extra fat but just want to look better in clothes, liposuction may be all that you need. However, if your skin is less than perfect to begin with and you want a flat abdomen that you can show off in a bikini or midriffbaring top, then you will most likely need a tummy tuck.
Q) What if I get pregnant again after the abdominoplasty?
A). An abdominoplasty will not affect your ability to become pregnant or carry a baby to term. Your abdominal wall will be able to stretch out adequately for the baby. However, this will also most likely stretch everything out again and ruin the result. Since undergoing an abdominoplasty is such a significant financial investment, as well as a major investment in your time, the decision to do so really should be made when you are done with childbearing.
Q) What is a “Mommy Makeover”?
A) “Mommy Makeover” is a buzz word—most likely coined by a man who thought he was being very ingenious—used to describe combination breast and body contouring procedures on women whose bodies have stretched and sagged after childbearing. Dr. Trott feels that this term is demeaning to women, and therefore does not like to use this catch phrase to advertise her procedures.
Click here for more information on Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck).
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View before-and-after photos of Dr. Trott's patients who have undergone abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) and mini-abdominoplasty (mini-tummy tuck). |
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