Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)–Are you a candidate?
The Choice. Are You a Candidat e?
You’ve been through pregnancy and childbirth and sacrificed for others,
and now you’re ready to reclaim your body. You exercise and eat right,
yet as the months pass, you have little to show for it. Your post-pregnancy
body just won’t cooperate. If this sounds familiar, you may be a candidate
for abdominoplasty. If you are considering an abdominoplasty, commonly
known as a tummy tuck, research about the procedure and choosing a qualified,
experienced surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
are the two major keys to success.
Abdominoplasty, or Tummy Tuck, is a two-hour surgical procedure to remove excess skin
and fat from the abdomen as well as to tighten the muscles of the abdominal
wall. The procedure can dramatically reduce the appearance of a protruding
abdomen, something many women experience after pregnancy. A majority
of tummy tucks are performed in conjunction with other procedures such as
liposuction and breast augmentation/lifting as part of a “mommy makeover”
once a woman has finished having children.
“Few things in life are more rewarding and filled with joy than having
children,” says Dr. Robert Wilcox, a double board-certified plastic surgeon
with Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Center of Texas. “Pregnancy, however, can
take a huge toll on a woman’s body. A once-taut abdomen can protrude
after pregnancy due to permanently stretched skin and abdominal muscles.
Breasts that were full and uplifted can lose volume and begin to sag. The
truth is that it may be impossible to accomplish this without the help of
cosmetic surgery. Remember that you cannot exercise skin, only muscles. In
addition, pregnancy or massive weight loss stretches the abdominal muscles
to a degree that only a tummy tuck can restore.”
Robert D. Wilcox, MD