Category Archives: Abdominoplasty

Interested in Abdominoplasty? Here’s What You Should be Asking!

Saturday, 15 January 2022 09:21

Kim

0 Comments

A brief online search into the ins and outs of plastic surgery and you’ll come away with one common piece of advice: choose a board-certified plastic surgeon for your desired procedure. Ask at least one surgeon about complications, and how many procedures they have performed. These are good, but they are just the beginning. Savvy patients know that there are better, more specific questions that will help them get the best results and have the best patient experience. Here, we discuss what you should be asking as you determine who should have the honor of performing your abdominoplasty surgery.

What surgery does my belly really need?

Abdominoplasty is a tummy tuck procedure. However, there’s more to it than that. Going beyond the basics, you want your surgeon to explain to you what kind of tummy tuck you need, a full abdominoplasty, mini-tuck, rectus repair? Do you need more than one technique, or do you need something else entirely? A very good surgeon will be able to make a recommendation and also back it up with clear reasoning. The options for tummy tuck surgery are varied, which means you should know a little about your own anatomy.

The abdominal wall is made up of various layers. The skin, then fat, then muscle at the innermost layer. For a tummy tuck to successfully achieve optimal contouring, every layer must be addressed. In more detail, the abdominal wall has two vertical rectus muscles that sit front and center. They are surrounded by the oblique muscles on each side. When the central muscles split, it is referred to as rectus diastasis. If the muscles require repair, this may be done without a full tummy tuck incision if the patient does not have excess fat and skin to trim.

The layer of abdominal fat may be the primary problem that needs correction. In this instance, the surgeon would recommend liposuction instead of a tummy tuck. The skilled eye observes the skin and anticipates how it may or may not retract after fat reduction. For some patients, the skin may look loose and wrinkled after liposuction alone. Tissue laxity may be corrected surgically, with the proper abdominoplasty technique, or a doctor may correct the problem with a nonsurgical skin tightening protocol performed after liposuction incisions have healed. The same treatment protocol may be advisable for patients with minimal unwanted fat and loose skin or for patients concerned primarily with the appearance of sagging or wrinkled abdominal skin. For skin tightening alone, patients may consider Refirme Skin Tightening treatment. For nonsurgical fat reduction and skin tightening, Refirme may be combined with Liposonix. The treatment can also be added to a treatment protocol after surgical liposuction.

The question of whether or not to have a tummy tuck is just the tip of the iceberg. For a more in-depth discussion about your cosmetic goals, schedule a consultation with us in Pottsville or Hazleton.

When Does Life Return to Normal After a Tummy Tuck?

Wednesday, 15 July 2020 05:38

Keystone Cosmetic Surgery Center

0 Comments

Tummy tuck surgery is very exciting for most women who are ready to take back their shape. This procedure, whether performed alone or as a part of a mommy makeover, corrects problems like excess fat and loose skin in the midsection area, stretch marks, a muffin-top, and cellulite. Nearly as soon as women begin envisioning their new bodies once they have decided to have a tummy tuck, they also start thinking about their recovery period. Many of our patients want to know when they can expect life to return to normal after their procedure. We discuss that here.

What a Tummy Tuck Does

A tummy tuck, called abdominoplasty, is a procedure in which the abdominal muscle is tightened. Dr. Kimmel does this through an incision just below the bikini line that runs from hip to hip. Gently pulling the abdominal muscle so that it lies flat and smooth, he trims the excess loose muscle and inserts sutures to secure the tissue. This same process is repeated for the overlying skin. In some situations, it is necessary to also reposition the belly button so that it does not sit too low on the abdomen. The result of tissue tightening is a flat, taut midsection.

Abdominoplasty Recovery

We understand why patients want to know about their tummy tuck recovery. This procedure is often misunderstood as painful and lengthy. The reason this is the perception that many people have of tummy tuck recovery is that patients cannot stand upright or sleep lying flat for several days after their procedure. This, however, is related to tightness and simple mobility more than it is pain. Because the muscle has been tightened, it needs time to relax and flatten after the natural trauma of surgery.  For a few days, patients take prescription pain medication to control comfort. Usually, by the end of the first week, soreness has improved so much that comfort is achievable with over-the-counter pain relief.

So, when does life return to normal after a tummy tuck?

During the first week, patients should expect to not be able to reach overhead. After a week to 10 days, mobility should improve quite a bit. However, it can take two to three weeks to be able to stand completely upright with minimal tightness. This improves a little each day. Patients are usually ready to return to work and light activities after 3 weeks of recovery. Light exercise may resume after about 4 weeks of recovery. However more vigorous exercise and heavier lifting may need to be postponed for another few weeks.

Patients who undergo tummy tuck surgery can expect routine follow-ups to assess their healing. During these visits, we discuss which activities may be resumed based on how the muscle and skin are recovering.

Learn more about tummy tuck surgery. Call our Hazleton or Pottsville office to schedule your consultation.

Sleep Well After Your Tummy Tuck

Thursday, 15 August 2019 03:57

Keystone Cosmetic Surgery Center

0 Comments

Sleep is one of the cornerstones of good health. More than providing us with the rest we need to succeed in our ultra-busy society, sleep is the catalyst for physical rejuvenation and healing. Knowing this, plastic surgery patients can give themselves permission to rest as much as their body dictates after their selected procedure. Depending on the type of surgery, though, sleep can be somewhat of a challenge.

Tummy tuck surgery is performed to restore muscle tone to the abdomen. The procedure achieves outstanding outcomes by surgically repositioning the abdominal muscle and trimming excess that has become loose. Understandably, when abdominal tissue is altered from a very loose state to one that is flat and tight, it takes time for settling to occur. After a tummy tuck, this can be 4 to 6 weeks. During this time, it is not possible to sleep on the side or the stomach. This can be a challenge for many patients but not one that is insurmountable.

Dr. Kimmel’s patients are encouraged to sleep only on their back while they are recovering from abdominoplasty. Because pressure and strain on incisions should be minimized, it is also necessary to sleep in a somewhat included position. This can be achieved by sleeping on several pillows or in a recliner. Even in a recliner, some patients like to place a pillow behind their head and one under their knees. This slightly inclined position may also be more comfortable on a sofa than in a bed.

Some of the ways that good sleep can be fostered after abdominoplasty include:

• Pad the recovery area with various sized pillows, some that can be placed under the head and some that can be placed around the body. Contoured pillows are also an option that many patients select.
• Prepare before surgery. Because it can take time to get used to sleeping in a new position, patients may begin making this transition before surgery. This can be especially helpful for stomach or side sleepers who may be challenged to stay on their back. Placing a pillow on each side of the body works wonderfully for this change.

Schedule Your Tummy Tuck Consultation at Keystone Surgery Center

Dr. Kimmel has been providing outstanding care to patients in the Pottsville and Hazleton areas for more than 20 years. During this time, he has performed thousands of face, breast and body procedures. Schedule a consultation in an office near you to discover the benefits of a customized tummy tuck.

Abdominoplasty: It’s Crunch Time!

Wednesday, 15 February 2017 04:40

Keystone Cosmetic Surgery Center

0 Comments

The midsection can pose a significant problem when it doesn’t get into shape no matter how hard you try. Contouring is a vital aspect of looking as physically fit as you feel. The body doesn’t always agree, though, especially when fatty deposits have accumulated across the abdomen. In such an instance, the way to restore the taut tummy you once had is not with crunches, but with a tummy tuck.

Eating healthy can help you get to the overall weight that you’d like to maintain with your good eating habits. Exercise can also do your body good, but that doesn’t mean that hundreds of crunches and other core work can bring separated muscles back together. To do away with loose, sagging tissue and skin takes a surgeon’s touch. Then, it’s crunch time, but maybe not in the way you think!

Getting to it

Often, a person makes the decision to consider abdominoplasty after his or her exercise efforts have not paid off. Working so hard to bring out the best in your body can lead to a sort of dependence on exercise that can be difficult to resist after your tummy tuck. This is when the going may get tough. Working out is not the first order of business after abdominoplasty. In fact, it doesn’t really get to be what it once was for some time.

Sculpting and stitching the abdominal wall means that tissues need a full recovery before they can manage the strain of targeted exercises like crunches. In fact, any type of exercise that requires a tightened core may be off limits until the muscles have reached 100% functional use. This may be several months.

Until that time

The abdominal muscles heal approximately 60% in the first six weeks after surgery. That leaves a pretty substantial gap, though, and while you may be feeling a lot more like your old self, your re-entry into the workout world may need to wait a bit. Walking is a great activity to engage in until that time. As you feel able, you may also start light weight training, just be careful not to strain your core during any of your exercises.

Patients of Keystone Cosmetic Surgery Center receive one-on-one support from a friendly and experienced staff. If you have questions about any aspect of the abdominoplasty process, give us a call.