The tummy tuck in Kansas City is an extremely popular procedure because countless people are worried about the way their abdominal area looks or feels. Patients might suffer from extra fat tissue or lax muscles, and if they have lost a lot of weight quickly, they might also experience sagging skin. Here at Aesthetic Surgical Arts and Mia Bella Donna Medspa in Overland Park, KS, our surgeons perform plastic surgery on your abdominal area.
While the tummy tuck is a type of operation, it is often performed under local anesthesia, so the risk is minimal. This makes the procedure available to a wide variety of patients who are close to their target weight but suffer from excess skin or fat tissue in their abdomen. Read on to find out more about abdominoplasty and to discover whether this could be a good treatment for you.
Who Is a Good Candidate for a Tummy Tuck in Kansas City?
If you have loose skin and fat tissue in your upper or lower abdomen, you should come to the clinic and speak to one of our experts. We can help you figure out why you are suffering from this issue and come up with a suitable solution. Patients who are overweight will need to try holistic weight loss measures like dietary improvements and increased exercise levels, but those who are close to their target could be good candidates for surgery.
Your provider will also ask you about your future plans. They must check that you are done having children and that you are willing to maintain a healthy lifestyle after the procedure to prevent the problem from recurring. What’s more, your surgeon will need to make sure that you are in good health and you don’t have any medical conditions that preclude you from taking part.
You Have Excess Loose Skin or Fat Tissue in the Abdomen
People develop cosmetic issues for a wide variety of reasons. Most commonly, loose skin, fat deposits, and lax muscles are a result of pregnancy or carrying around excess weight and then losing it quickly. While patients might look much slimmer than they used to, their bodies often have a hard time adjusting to the change, and some of the tissue remains, spoiling the person’s perfect figure.
The natural aging process can also be a culprit. As we grow older, the tissues in the body become less firm, which can lead to wrinkling and sagging. Even people who have maintained their weight for years can experience these issues in their abdominal region. Finally, genetics play a role in the way our bodies look, and some people are more prone to having excess tissue on their stomachs than others.
You Are Done Having Children
Arguably, pregnancy is the most taxing process a woman’s body goes through. It can deplete her resources, change her hormonal balance, and alter the shape of her hips, abdominal region, and breasts. Once the baby is born, the body slowly recovers, but some of the changes can be permanent. For example, many women experience increased abdominal laxity, and their breasts may sit lower than before.
Although these changes are normal, they can negatively affect a patient’s self-confidence and enjoyment of life. A tummy tuck in Kansas City is the perfect post-pregnancy procedure, as it can help women achieve a flat stomach once again. However, your doctor will check that you’re not planning on having more children in the future. If you fall pregnant after the tummy tuck, you might need to return to the clinic for a second surgery after your child is born.
You Are in Good General Health
We don’t usually have to use general anesthesia when performing a tummy tuck, but the treatment is still considered surgery. Therefore, we must evaluate all candidates to make sure they won’t experience any side effects or allergic reactions. When you come to the clinic for your initial consultation, your provider will ask you about substances you are allergic to, medical conditions you suffer from, and drugs you take on a regular basis.
If you have heart disease, cancer, or a condition that affects wound healing, you should speak to your primary physician before contacting the clinic. Depending on the severity of your medical issue, you might not be eligible for a tummy tuck. However, that doesn’t mean that there are no treatment options for you. At our MedSpa, we offer various minimally invasive methods that can tone, tighten, and smooth out your body’s tissues.
You Have Achieved Your Target Weight
Many people mistakenly believe that plastic surgeries like the tummy tuck and liposuction are designed for weight loss. Since we can’t remove large quantities of fat at a time, this isn’t the case. The purpose of the tummy tuck is to address loose skin and fat deposits that can’t be removed with diet and exercise, and we can only accept patients who have lost weight naturally and are already close to their goal.
If you’re struggling with obesity, you should speak to a weight loss specialist before coming to the clinic. Such a professional can help you optimize your diet, encourage you to start exercising and give you supplements to support your weight loss journey. Once you’re within 30% of your target weight, you can speak to your local plastic surgeon, since you might now be eligible for a tummy tuck or liposuction.
You Are Ready to Do What it Takes
Compared to other types of surgery, the tummy tuck doesn’t take very long. But despite this, you will need to spend at least 1-2 weeks at home, recovering from the procedure. Before signing up, you should think about what you will have to do to prepare for the operation. For instance, you might need to figure out childcare options, take time off work, and hire someone to help you out around the house.
In the long term, you will have to maintain your weight, so you don’t experience issues like excess fat tissue again. Patients who gain a lot of weight after surgery often have to return for a second tummy tuck, so it is essential that you optimize your diet, exercise routine, and lifestyle before your operation. Your surgeon will speak to you about your current habits and let you know what you will need to change.
What Is the Treatment Like?
As mentioned, you will have to come to the clinic for an initial consultation before being allowed to participate in the tummy tuck in Kansas City. At that time, your surgeon will go through your medical history to see whether there are any contraindications. Depending on your current health, they might also run some tests and take your blood.
If the surgeon determines that you are eligible, they will speak to you about what to do before and after the operation. Most importantly, you will have to pause any drugs or supplements that could increase bleeding or thin your blood. Patients who smoke must stop at least two weeks before their surgery, and those who drink large amounts of alcohol should moderate their intake in the weeks prior to the appointment.
The Operation at the Clinic
On the day of your treatment, you should drink plenty of water and eat a high-protein, low-fat meal. Your surgeon will begin by numbing your tissue with a local anesthetic. Then, they will cut away the excess fat and skin tissue, re-shape the ab muscles, and if necessary, re-position the belly button. If you’ve opted for a mini tummy tuck, the provider will only work on the lower abdomen, but if you’ve chosen full abdominoplasty, they will address the entire area.
The surgery can take one to five hours, and for most people, it is a one-off procedure. Unless your shape changes significantly, the results of the treatment are considered permanent. Several weeks or months after your session, the doctor will invite you to a follow-up consultation, during which you can discuss the results and whether any further intervention is necessary.
Recovery and Results
It will take you several weeks to recover from the tummy tuck. At first, you will have to wear a special bandage around your abdomen, which protects the treatment area and helps to maintain your new stomach shape. You might also need to change your sleeping position, and you’ll have to avoid any physical exertion, since moving the body too much could slow down the healing process.
Most patients can return to work after one to two weeks, but if your job involves a lot of heavy lifting or strenuous exercise, you will have to wait for longer. After six weeks, you can stop wearing the medical corset and resume virtually all activities. At that time, you can also see the results of the surgery. As mentioned, the tummy tuck is a permanent treatment because fat cells can’t re-grow once they’ve been removed from the body.
Combining the Tummy Tuck with Other Methods
Often, patients who suffer from loose skin and excess fat tissue in their stomach also experience issues with other areas of their body. For example, many women who gave birth suffer from sagging breasts and fat deposits on their hips or backside. For them, the mommy makeover could be a perfect option. This fully customizable treatment combines surgeries like liposuction, the tummy tuck, and the breast lift to help patients regain their pre-pregnancy shape.
In addition to plastic surgery, we also offer various minimally invasive options at the clinic. If you’re worried about wrinkles or a loss of volume in your face, you could benefit from dermal fillers or Botox. Patients with small scars or other impurities on their skin could combine their tummy tuck with laser skin resurfacing or microneedling.
Get Rid of Excess Tissue in Your Abdominal Area Now
If you’ve spent months losing excess weight or you’ve been careful to maintain a healthy body shape over the years, you deserve to enjoy the results of your hard work. But unfortunately, loose skin, excess fat, and lax muscles in the abdominal area are a big problem for many people. The tummy tuck in Kansas City can be a good solution because it can remove stubborn tissue that can’t be shifted with exercise or dietary changes.
Although the procedure is suitable for many patients, there are various factors to consider. Women must be done having children since pregnancy affects the look and feel of the stomach. Similarly, all patients must be in good health, close to their target weight, and prepared to rest and take time off work after their operation. Get in touch with us today at Aesthetic Surgical Arts and Mia Bella Donna Medspa in Overland Park, KS to book your consultation.