Have you finally decided to go ahead with a tummy tuck surgery? You should have a significantly flatter and more sculpted tummy after your surgery. While all surgery can be quite daunting, this is actually a fairly superficial procedure which seeks to repair abdominal muscles and remove excess skin and fat, but the results will last a lifetime. It may well be worth opting for this procedure if you have been finding it rather difficult to get a flat tummy. This is a particular issue for many women post-pregnancy as their abdominal muscles become separated and their skin around their tummy loses its elasticity. A tummy tuck is a proven method to get a smooth and attractively flat tummy while regaining abdominal strength. To get the best out of the procedure, you should be adequately prepared and here are a few important factors to keep in mind when you are getting ready for your tummy tuck procedure.
First you need to understand the terminologies used in this field so that you would know what your plastic surgeon is actually talking about. You will come across terms like tummy tuck, mini tummy tuck, fleur de lis tummy tuck, abdominoplasty and so on. All these essentially mean the same thing, they refer to the amount of skin and fat that needs to be removed, but all are geared towards repairing the abdominal muscles and tightening the saggy skin in the abdomen. First you should be totally clear on these terminologies. So talk to your consultant plastic surgeon to get the required clarification. If you do not understand any term that they use, do not hesitate to ask them to clarify those terms for you before moving on with the consultation.
The preparation before the tummy tuck procedure is twofold – physical as well as mental. An experienced surgeon will give you clear pre-operative guidelines and outline the surgical results that you could expect. You must adhere to their pre-surgical instructions as the quality of your outcome will depend on how well you follow their guidelines. For example, giving up smoking in the months prior to your surgery will reduce the risk of complications with wound healing and recovery after surgery.
Share your complete medical history with your consultant plastic surgeon, only then they will be able to guide you correctly. Understanding your full medical history will help them decide your suitability for the procedure. It is important that you find a qualified and licensed cosmetic plastic surgeon registered on the General Medical Council’s (GMC’s) Specialist Register to ensure they have your best interests and desired result in mind rather than any potential business objectives. If a surgeon believes that a procedure is not suitable for you, or if they feel they cannot give you the results that you desire, they should not proceed with surgery.
You will have a pre-assessment appointment with the anaesthetist in the weeks prior to your surgery and they may ask you to stop selected medications for a period of time in the lead-up to your surgical date. You should follow their guidelines and not try to make your own decisions regarding medications as they are trained professionals with your wellbeing in mind. You need to follow professional guidelines on all these matters. It is also essential to undergo your complete pre-assessment check-up before the surgery and your surgery may be cancelled if you do not attend your pre-assessment. You should go into your surgery as healthy as possible as this will greatly improve your recovery process.
As with any surgery, recovery can take some time which you need to be adequately prepared for. Your consultant plastic surgeon will prescribe you pain medication as well as give you full aftercare instructions that will outline how long you should wear your compression garments for, when you can resume driving, when you can return to exercise and when you can resume sexual intercourse. You may need someone to support you during your initial recovery phase.
It is a good idea to take care of all your shopping needs prior to your surgery to ensure you have all the required supplies that you would need during your recovery phase.
