Aging, pregnancy, or weight gain can cause excess skin in your abdomen and weakened abdominal muscles. A tummy tuck improves these concerns that are often difficult to address via the traditional diet and exercise route. The flat, contoured midsection you achieve with a tummy tuck should last for many years, as it’s considered a permanent procedure.
However, the longevity of your results depends on several factors. This post discusses the results you can expect from your tummy tuck, how long they will last, and how you can enjoy your results for as long as possible.
Results You Can Expect After a Tummy Tuck
During a standard tummy tuck, I remove excess and sagging skin, strengthen your abdominal muscles, and reshape your bellybutton’s look. A full tummy tuck addresses the area above and below your bellybutton, whereas a mini tuck focuses only on the area below your bellybutton. Read our related blog post to learn about some additional benefits of a tummy tuck.
After some initial swelling and soreness during the first few weeks, you will see the full results of your tummy tuck around the 3-month mark.
Combining liposuction with a tummy tuck is common to address stubborn areas of fat on the abdomen. Discuss whether you are a good candidate to incorporate these procedures with your plastic surgeon.
Factors That Can Impact Your Results
It’s normal to want your tummy tuck results to last forever, but certain factors can affect your results, such as:
- Weight fluctuations
- The natural aging process
- Not following your plastic surgeon’s aftercare recommendations
How To Maintain Your Tummy Tuck Results
You can do several things to prolong the longevity of your tummy tuck results.
Follow Your Plastic Surgeon’s Recommendations
As a busy individual, sometimes it’s tough to take the time to relax and recover from your procedure. You may be tempted to drive, exercise, or perform strenuous activities before you’re really ready. However, if you jump into activities too soon, before your body has healed, you can strain your incisions, risk your results, or slow your progress.
Avoid Weight Fluctuations
Sudden weight gain stretches your skin and then causes it to sag when you lose the weight, making your midsection look soft or flabby. Even though excess skin is removed during a tummy tuck, weight fluctuations can impact your results and create the need for a repeat procedure.
Have Your Children Before Your Tummy Tuck
Sudden weight gain is a normal and healthy part of pregnancy. However, rapid weight gain imperils your results. If possible, plan your tummy tuck after you are done having children. This way, you can also address diastasis recti (separation of abdominal muscles), typically caused by pregnancy.
Tummy tuck surgery is incredibly satisfying for tens of thousands of people each year. You can continue to enjoy your tummy tuck results indefinitely if you focus on proper recovery and maintenance. It all starts with choosing a skilled and knowledgeable board-certified plastic surgeon to perform your procedure. You can see some of my patients’ tummy tuck results in my before-and-after gallery.
To learn more about how to get the best results from your tummy tuck, request a consultation or call us at (201) 967-1212 to schedule an appointment.
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