Tummy Tuck in Chicago, also known as abdominoplasty
For many people, the abdomen is the area of the body where fat deposits often accumulates. When it does, it stretches the skin on the stomach and sometimes the lower back. Over time, people are left with stubborn fat and rolls on the abdominal, fat and skin that do not respond well to dieting and/or exercise. Visit our gallery of plastic surgery before-and-after pictures to see how our doctors, our expert cosmetic surgeons, treat these conditions using tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty) at our practice in Chicago.
Are you a tummy tuck candidate in Chicago?
Abdominoplasty is a good surgical producer for a wide variety of people who are concerned with having a flat abdomen. You might be a tummy tuck candidate if you have experienced any of the following:
Pregnancy: Pregnancy stretches the abdominal muscles, adds fat, and loosens skin in a way that is virtually impossible to reverse without the help of a good plastic surgeon. Using modern tummy tuck techniques, our doctors can tighten the muscles and skin in addition to removing unwanted fat.
Weight Loss: After losing massive amounts of weight, many people are left with loose skin and sagging skin that exercise can’t get rid of. There are a lot of procedures available for these people, including tummy tuck, breast lift, thigh lift, and lower body lift. For most of these patients, some combination of procedures including abdominoplasty is the answer to their prayers.
Aging: Over time, as our bodies, age skin begins to lose its elasticity which makes it wrinkle and sag. There are many reasons why this happens including genetics, diet, smoking, drug use, and fitness levels, but eventually, mother time catches up with almost everyone. Patients whose skin has sagged with age can turn to abdominoplasty to aid in rewinding the hands of time.
Patients also need to meet certain basic requirements, including a minimum level of health, to qualify for a tummy tuck in Chicago
Chicago Tummy Tuck Surgery
The first step in an abdominoplasty is to make an incision across the stomach, below the navel. The length of the cut varies based on the amount of skin to be removed. In some cases, the incision will stretch from hipbone-to-hipbone. After separating the abdominal skin and cutting it away from the navel, the cosmetic surgeon adjust and tightens the abdominal muscles. Lastly, the plastic surgeon pulls the skin down, trims away the extra skin, creates a new hole for the navel, and reattaches the skin and thus the tummy tuck is complete.
Tummy Tuck Recovery and Results
Tummy tuck is a major procedure, and the patients should be prepared for a significant recovery period after surgery. Certain patients may need to stay overnight in the hospital after abdominoplasty. Swelling and pain are to be expected, but they can be controlled with compression bandages and medication. Patients should spend the first few days after surgery resting and recovering.
The doctor usually removes stitches about a week after surgery. At this point, most tummy tuck patients are ready to begin a light exercise regimen that will speed the healing process and help prevent blood clots. Patients need to continue wearing their compression bandages and exercising gently for several weeks, but should avoid strenuous activity for up to six weeks as they heal.
Some scarring is inevitable even after healing is complete, but the doctor works with every abdominoplasty patient at our practice, to choose an incision site that will best be concealed by his or her clothing. Ultimately, most patients feel that this scarring is a small price to pay for a flatter, smoother stomach.
