Abdominoplasty or Tummy Tuck surgery is one of Dr Jane’s specialities. It involves removing the roll of loose skin and fat from the belly button to the pubic bone, repairing the underlying abdominal muscles and recontouring the hips.
It is ideal for women who have had children and have stretched abdominal muscles, skin and stretch marks or for those women who have lost a significant amount of weight and have an overhang of excess skin. It is not a weight loss procedure. It is a shape changing procedure.
Having an abdominoplasty will result in a flatter tummy. This allows women to exercise more comfortably, improving long-term fitness. Repairing the muscles strengthens the core and often relieves back pain. Removing the overhang of skin will prevent skin rashes, odour, rubbing and chaffing.
This is major surgery involving a 2 hour general anaesthetic and ideally, a 2-4 night stay in hospital. The length of your hospital stay depends on how mobile you are, how you respond to the anaesthetic, your pain threshold and who is at home to help you.
You will require strong pain relief medication during your hospital stay and you will be up walking to the toilet in the afternoon of your morning surgery. You will probably require ongoing regular Panadol and Nurofen for 2-3 weeks. Your bandages are waterproof so you can shower and you will wear a compression garment for 6 weeks.
You will have a drain tube coming out each side of your abdomen. These will usually be removed the day you go home, however, some patients go home with their drains in and have the drains removed the following week at your first post-operative appointment in Dr Jane’s rooms. At this appointment, all of your bandages will be removed and you will be instructed on the first phase of scar management. You will see Dr Jane personally at all of your appointments.
For the first 3 weeks, you will slowly increase your activity to include some gentle walking. Generally, full healing will take 4-6 weeks. You do need to find time in your life to undergo this type of major surgery.
The down side of abdominoplasty is the scar. This scar will sit in the crease above the pubic area from hip to hip. It is permanent and will take 1-2 years to fade. Long term it should be a pale thin line that is easily covered by standard underwear.
For you personal, confidential consultation with Dr Jane phone 9429 3343 or email reception@drjanepaterson.com.au