Some people find themselves with loose abdominal skin that gets in the way of how they’d like to look. If this is you, then a tummy tuck could be the solution. There are many factors that can lead to hanging skin on your abdomen, and they’re not always in your control.
Contact Karol Gutowski, MD in Chicago, IL, to learn about how you can achieve a slimmer appearance with a tummy tuck.
There are numerous lifestyle and medical factors associated with loose abdominal skin. Loose skin may seem permanent, but with tummy tuck surgery, you can get rid of it for good. Here are some of the main reasons patients end up with loose skin near their abdomens.
During pregnancy, your abdominal skin stretches to make room for your growing baby. Other organs also reposition in response to your baby’s growth and development. When skin stretches, collagen and elastin fibers can break. This leads to stretch marks and skin that never bounces back to its original position.
Tummy tuck surgery is one of the only effective solutions for loose skin after pregnancy.
If you have lost a lot of fat around your midsection, your skin may still be stretched out and hang down below your abdomen. This is because your skin did not adjust quickly enough to your weight loss efforts.
Losing a lot of weight is a noteworthy accomplishment, and with tummy tuck surgery, you can see the full aesthetic results of it.
While lifestyle factors can play a role in developing loose or hanging skin, genetics ultimately determines your skin’s ability to bounce back. If your family members struggle with loose skin after pregnancy, weight loss, or medical concerns, chances are that you will too.
You can use strengthening products, but the elasticity of your skin is largely based on genetics and family history.
As you get older, your skin loses collagen and elastin. These fibers are responsible for keeping your skin tight and smooth. If you have found that aging has stretched and broken your skin fibers, you could benefit from a tummy tuck. This procedure restores youthful tightness back to your midsection.
The formal name for tummy tuck surgery is abdominoplasty. During abdominoplasty, we remove excess skin and tighten the remaining skin to give your abdomen a smaller, more contoured appearance. This permanently gets rid of the skin that hangs down and bulges underneath your clothing.
We use the no-drain tummy tuck method to successfully get rid of your unwanted abdominal skin. Here’s what you need to know about no-drain abdominoplasty.
During a traditional tummy tuck surgery, most surgeons insert a drain at the end. This removes excess fluid from the area as you heal. Patients must carry around the drain for a week or two after their operations, which can be inconvenient. We do things differently.
We use the no-drain tummy tuck technique during surgery to prevent the need for a postoperative drain. We use special types of incisions and sutures to reduce fluid buildup after your procedure. As a result, you will not need to worry about a drain after surgery. You can simply focus on resting and recovering.
Your recovery time will likely be shorter than the average tummy tuck patient’s recovery because of the no-drain method. Here’s what you should expect from the abdominoplasty recovery process.
You’ll stay overnight in our surgery center to make sure everything starts to heal properly after your tummy tuck procedure. The following day, you can return home. After about two weeks of at-home recovery, you can return to light physical activity.
Four to six weeks after your operation, you can resume your normal daily activities without restrictions. We recommend being gentle with your skin near your incisions so they can heal properly. Our stitches naturally degrade over time, so you will not need to have them removed. They will fall out on their own after surgery.
While you are recovering, it’s a good idea to have a trusted family member, friend, or partner to help take care of you. You may need help with childcare, running errands, and taking care of your home. Each patient has a unique experience after tummy tuck surgery, so you may need more or less time to fully recover.
Your full results will become visible within three months of your procedure. You will notice a slimmer, tighter, more contoured midsection after your tummy tuck surgery. This is a time to celebrate.
You can enjoy the way your midsection looks in new clothing or bathing suits. Your figure will look slimmer and you can enjoy the absence of loose, hanging abdominal skin.
If you’re considering having a tummy tuck procedure in Chicago, IL, come to Karol Gutowski, MD. We will schedule an initial consultation to determine whether this type of surgery is right for you. Tummy tuck procedures are fairly simple and most patients get approved for them.
If you have loose skin that’s keeping you from achieving the body appearance you want, abdominoplasty can fix that. You deserve to enjoy the way your body looks and feels. After having kids, aging, or losing a good deal of weight, you can finally look the way you’ve always wanted to look.
Book your consultation with us today to begin your tummy tuck journey.
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