Aesthetic Surgery FAQ

• You have had significant weight loss (defined as a minimum of 5 BMI points, unrelated to pregnancy)
• Your weight has been stable for at least 6 months
• Degree of excess skin interferes with daily living (such as recurrent rashes or skin breakdowns from loose skin folds/friction)
• Treatment of above skin irritation caused by excess skin has failed conventional or non-surgical treatment for 3 months

• Over 12 months after your lsat pregnancy
• Have a diastasis (six-pack muscle gap) of at least 3cm demonstrated on diagnostic imaging
• Documented symptoms: at least moderate severity of pain/discomfort at site of muscle separation during functional use, and/or low back pain, or primary symptoms likely due to the diastasis
• Symptoms above have failed conventional or non-surgical treatment (including physiotherapy)

Some of the potential downsides to having an Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) include:

• Long scar.
• Sometimes if the amount of skin excess is big, there may be excess bunching of skin on the sides (what we call "dog ears") which may require revision surgery later on.
• Depending on your skin quality, and general health status, you may be at a higher risk of post-operative wound breakdown.
• If you put on weight after your operation, loose skin may return.
• Recovery - 2-3 weeks to get comfortable enough to drive. 8 weeks for return to heavy activities/lifting/sports. This may impede return to work and ability to look after young kids and family at home.
• For best results you should lose weight prior to having a tummy tuck. An abdomen which has little fat and lots of loose skin will heal much better and give a much more cosmetically pleasing result than a fatty abdominal wall. This is a contour restoration procedure, and not a weight loss procedure.

They are perfectly safe in healthy and fit, young individuals, in saying that:

• A tummy tuck does take 2-3 hours to complete safely - it is not a "small" operation by any means, and certainly carries some risks.
• Every operation will carry both surgical and anaesthetic risks and will be discussed during your consultation. If you are on any blood thinning and heart or lung related medications this may be an indication that you are not as fit as you can be for this type of aesthetics surgery, and may place you at a higher risk of post-operative complications (eg. bleeding, wound breakdown and blood clots in your legs/lungs).

A full tummy tuck generally involves removal of all the loose skin between the belly button to the pubic hair line. The upper abdominal skin is re-draped and pulled down to meet the lower abdomen at the pubic hair line to create a tightened look to the entire abdomen. The belly button is re-positioned through a new hole, and the abdominal muscles are tightened with sutures to give a long lasting result. This result will yield a much tighter looking abdomen with a more hourglass contour across the waistline.

A mini tummy tuck differs from this standard procedure by giving a shorter scar, with loose skin excised from the lower abdomen only. The belly button will not be repositioned and hence will not have a scar around it. This means the results will yield a somewhat smaller degree of tightening compared to the traditional, more radical technique as the upper abdominal region is not accessed and re-draped via this approach.

A tummy tuck can be combined with liposuction to the "love handle" region to give a better contour result. This is not necessary in every patient and will be tailored to your needs on an individual basis. Liposuction therefore works more like an adjunct to surgery.

Liposuction alone rarely (if at all) gives satisfactory results, and may even paradoxically cause more loose skin to become evident. The analogy I like to use would be like sucking mashed potatoes (fat) out of a bag, where the bag (ie. the skin) does not change size. The result would be the same sized bag, which then becomes more floppy as the contents of the bag decreases in volume.

You will initially be admitted to hospital overnight to ensure your pain is under control, and that you are able to care for yourself (toileting, eating and drinking, able to visit the bathroom) prior to being discharged home comfortably. Your recovery during the first week will be a little bit uncomfortable due to the tightened abdomen. As a result it is advisable to have someone stay and help you at home to ensure you are comfortable and safe with getting around the house. You will be able to move around with more ease during the second week, and most patients will be able to drive by the third week and be quite independent.

You will need to wear a supportive abdominal binder over your clothes for at least 6 weeks after the operation to ensure your inner abdominal muscles (which have been tightened during surgery) heal properly along with your outer wound. At 8 weeks you should be able to return to heavy activities and exercise.

The benefits you can expect after an abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) include:

• Tighter abdominal skin.
• Tighter abdominal muscles (often stretched from pregnancy).
• A more flattering contour (esp around the waist).
• Increased self esteem and self confidence as a result of all the above.
• Most people are bothered by their loose skin folds rolling over their pants at the waist. This is one of the motivating factors to come and see a surgeon.