Are you at the end of the childbearing stage of your life, looking to erase some of the unwanted side effects of pregnancy? Or, are you perhaps one of the 1 in 8 American adults who have used GLP-1 medications and recently lost a good deal of weight?
Whatever brought you here, we assume you have some loose skin hanging around your belly that you’d love to tighten up with a tummy tuck.
Tummy tucks are quite effective, routinely among the top five cosmetic procedures in the United States. At McHugh Plastic Surgery, Dr. Thomas McHugh regularly helps clients flatten their tummies through this procedure, also called an abdominoplasty. And he can do the same for you.
If you want to be ready for swimsuit season, now’s the time to get serious about scheduling your tummy tuck. Here’s what to expect, and why timing is important.
A tummy tuck is not a simple procedure. It often involves several steps, including:
After Dr. McHugh gets you comfortable with anesthesia or sedation, he begins by making an incision across your lower abdomen horizontally. He uses your natural contour lines and creases to camouflage any potential scarring.
Dr. McHugh often makes a second incision to isolate your belly button and to trim away loose skin in your upper abdomen, if necessary.
It’s not uncommon for pregnancies or excess pounds to separate your abdominal muscles. Dr. McHugh can bring them back together during your tummy tuck.
With the incisions made, Dr. McHugh pulls your skin taut down your lower abdomen and trims away the excess tissue.
Dr. McHugh makes a new hole in the surface of your abdomen and pops your belly button through.
Lastly, Dr. McHugh sutures the ends together, and you have a tummy with a much flatter surface.
As you might imagine, you’ll have some healing to do after a tummy tuck. Part of that healing includes time for your newly tightened skin to resettle over your abdomen.
During early recovery, you’ll wear a compression garment. You might also have some dressings and drains to manage. Rest assured, we provide you with complete aftercare instructions and are available for questions during the entire process.
In most cases, after about a week or two, you’ll be able to slowly get back into your usual routine, but you should expect some lingering swelling. This swelling can last for several weeks or months, depending upon how your body responds. As the swelling subsides and the incisions heal, you’ll be delighted to see your slimmer profile emerge.
Any residual scars can take 6-12 months to fully fade away. This is why we emphasize that if you want to bare your belly in the summer, you need to get your tummy tuck done well in advance of swimsuit season.
That said, your results will be camera-ready well before that, and you’ll be happily showing off your flatter belly throughout the recovery process.
So, if you want to don that bikini or those bathing trunks this summer with confidence, now’s the time to schedule your tummy tuck. Contact our office in The Woodlands, Texas, to schedule a consultation.
