Abdominoplasty or “tummy tuck” as the operation is called in English is often done after a pregnancy or weight changes that have changed the body. Sometimes these changes can be dramatic. It is very common for the stomach to not regain its shape and stability. Stretch marks and excess loose skin are also common. Many women recognize themselves in constantly pulling in their stomach. The stomach may be fairly flat in the morning, but during the day it swells up and by the afternoon you can look almost pregnant. The reason may be that the stomach muscles are split or stretched and have not contracted on their own.
If the muscles are split or very stretched, it is doubtful whether it is possible to train yourself to have a flat and strong stomach. Weak stomach muscles affect both posture and the lower back. The excess skin that has not contracted one to two years after pregnancy will probably not do so either. It may of course be visible that you have had a baby, but if the stomach is too stretched, it negatively affects the quality of life. For some women, the muscles contract and then a small amount of excess skin below the navel is usually the only thing that bothers you. A cesarean section scar can cause it to look like a small bag of skin above the scar.
Abdominoplasty is among the most common procedures in both private and public healthcare. Nevertheless, it is important to find a clinic that knows how to perform it, as a contributing expert in Skönhetsfällan on TV3, Dr. Borén saw several patients with failed abdominoplasty procedures, often due to ignorance or sheer carelessness.
operations
In a full abdominoplasty, we make an incision low on the stomach, below the panty line, basically from side to side. How long the scar will be depends on how much excess skin you have. In order to get to the point where we can sew the abdominal muscles together, we cut out the navel and loosen the skin and subcutaneous fat. By sewing the abdominal muscles together, you get a more stable torso, and the waist is also emphasized. The skin is then stretched downwards and we can usually cut away skin and fat from the navel down to the scar. In connection with the abdominoplasty, we almost always perform liposuction of the “love handles”. The operation takes about two hours and is done under general anesthesia. After a full abdominoplasty, an overnight stay is always included. There will be scars below the panty line and around the navel. If there is only disturbing skin and fat below the navel, a mini abdominoplasty may be enough. The bikini scars will be the same as with a full abdominoplasty, but shorter. However, there will be no scar around the navel. Mini-tummy tuck can be combined with liposuction of the “love handles”. If you have little or no excess skin, but divided muscles, you can do a variant of mini-tummy tuck. Then the navel is loosened at the bottom to access the abdominal muscles and sew them together. This way there is no scar in the navel, but you also cannot stretch the skin.
Results
Abdominoplasty is a common and highly appreciated operation. As a female surgeon and mother of two children, Carolina knows what she is talking about. When core stability returns, clothes fit better and you don't get as tired in your lower back, your quality of life increases significantly. With a flatter and stronger stomach and firmer skin, it is also easier to exercise and stay in shape, not to mention how comfortable you feel in a swimming pool or on the beach. The end result depends a lot on your starting point. It is absolutely best if you are of normal weight, i.e. BMI <25.
Follow-up
Immediately after the operation, you will be given a girdle to wear for 5–6 weeks. After about a week, you will come back to the clinic to check that everything is healing properly. Of course, you are welcome to book more visits if you feel it is necessary.
Aftercare and convalescence
A full tummy tuck is a relatively large procedure that takes some time to fully recover from. During the first week, it is good if you walk slightly bent forward and do not use all your movements. Usually, you need a sick note for 3–4 weeks. It depends a bit on what kind of work you have and what shape you are in before the procedure. You will receive a solid girdle with you from us that works well to wear under your regular clothes. Since the girdle facilitates healing by pushing away swelling, you should wear it around the clock for the first few weeks. You will still swell, how much varies from person to person. It can linger for months, but it decreases as time goes by. Scar formation and scar maturation are also very individual. It often takes a year, sometimes longer, for the scar to fade. Likewise, the sensation on the stomach often becomes a little numb. Expect it to take at least a year for the sensation to recover.
You will also need to wear a girdle after a mini tummy tuck. This procedure is much smaller and often you do not need a sick note. If you feel you need to stay home for a few days, you can take sick leave yourself. You will also return home the same day as the surgery.
The variant where a mini tummy tuck is combined with sewing the muscles together requires about the same recovery as after a full abdominoplasty.
Risks and complications
As with all surgery, there is a certain risk of bleeding and infection in the aftermath. With slightly larger operations, there is also the risk of blood clots. We always evaluate whether to give blood thinners to reduce the risk of blood clots. In the event of major post-bleeding, we may need to operate again to stop the bleeding. Both bleeding and blood clots can be serious, but are thankfully rare. Healing problems and infection can occur, but it is rarely serious. Smokers and those who are severely overweight may, however, suffer from more serious problems with healing. Therefore, it is an absolute requirement to stop smoking before and after the operation. For this reason, we also do not perform abdominoplasty if you have a BMI> 30.
Book a consultation and talk to a specialist to find out what is best for you.