Tummy Tuck

A full abdominoplasty usually takes four to five hours, depending on how much work is necessary. A mini abdominoplasty will take an hour or two.

Post-surgery, your abdomen will be swollen and you’re likely to feel some pain and discomfort which can be controlled by medication prescribed by Dr. Rajagopal for the first few days. Dr. Usha will instruct you on how to shower and change your dressings. After surgery, you may not be able to stand up straight, however you should begin to walk again soon.

It may take you weeks or even months to feel like yourself again. Depending on your physical condition before surgery, if you have strong abdominal muscles, recovery from an abdominoplasty will be much faster. While some patients will be able to return to work after two weeks, others may need to take three or four weeks to rest and recuperate.

As you heal, your scars may actually appear to worsen during the first three to six months after surgery. Do not be alarmed, this is normal. A tummy tuck patient should expect it to take nine months to a year before scars will begin to flatten out and lighten in color. Tummy tuck scars will most likely never disappear completely, however, they will not show under most clothing, even under bathing suits. This video will be able to provide you with more information about treating your tummy tuck scars.

Liposuction is a technique that is used to remove unwanted fat deposits from specific parts of the body. The result of liposuction is a sculpting of overly fatty areas into more attractive contours. This procedure improves your body’s natural shape by removing fat cells. However, liposuction is NOT a weight loss procedure, it is a body contouring procedure. In a tummy tuck procedure, Dr. Rajagopal separates the skin from the abdominal wall all the way up to the ribs and lifts a large skin flap to reveal the vertical muscles in the abdomen. These muscles are tightened by pulling them close together and stitching them into their new position which creates a firm abdominal wall and narrow waistline. The skin flap is then stretched down and the extra skin is removed.

Abdominoplasty surgery (Tummy Tuck) will cost approximately $8,000- $12,500.

Abdominoplasty surgery could be a good option for you if:

• You are in good physical condition and are at a stable weight
• You are a non-smoker (smoking and anesthesia are a dangerous combination)
• You are bothered by the feeling that your tummy is too large