Making the decision to undergo an elective surgical procedure is not a decision that should be taken lightly. While considered to be safe, the tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) procedure is a major surgery. Once you have made the decision to move forward with the procedure, it’s important that you ensure you are scheduling your surgery at the right time.
Healthy Weight, Healthy Mind
The abdominoplasty procedure should not be a substitute for weight loss. You should have worked to reduce your stomach size, with diet and exercise. You should be actively working to tone your stomach. The abdominoplasty procedure is effective at ridding your stomach of excess skin and stubborn areas of fat. It should never be used as a replacement for diet and exercise.
Your healthy weight should be maintained for a minimum of six months. Only then should you take steps to scheduling your surgery. Any major fluctuations in your weight after your abdominoplasty can impact the results of your surgery. Whether you lose more weight or gain a few pounds, it can all impact your results.
Ensuring a healthy mind is just as important ensuring that your body is at a healthy weight. Surgery will not be the ultimate solution to all of your body image concerns. You should have realistic expectations from the surgery. You should recognise that you will have a length recovery period and that you will have scarring from the procedure.
Your Work Schedule
Your tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) recovery will require taking some time off from work. Most patients take a minimum of a week off from work. Other may need to recover at home for up to three weeks. If your job is strenuous in nature, you will need to take additional time off or return with restrictions.
Will your current work schedule allow for this type of time off? Do you have urgent and stressful deadlines coming up at work? The last thing that you need to be worried about is rushing your recovery. All so that you can rush back to work.
The Tummy Tuck (abdominoplasty) and Pregnancy
There is often a fair bit of confusing swirling around about the timing of a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) for women who have yet to have children, or who may want to have additional children. Some surgeons suggest that women postpone their abdominoplasty until after having children. However, a want for children in the future should not exclude a woman from reducing loose skin and areas of stubborn fat on her abdomen.
The biggest concern that is related to getting pregnant after having a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is that the pregnancy will stretch the skin and abdominal muscles and diminish the results that were gained through the surgery. Postponing a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) until after building your family will offer the benefit of not needing to undergo a repeat tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) in the future.
Consider Your Future Plans
Do you want to rock up to your wedding with a slim and trim tummy? Perhaps you’re scheduling a summer vacation and you’d love to show off your new figure in a two-piece? It is pertinent to keep in mind that the recovery time from the abdominoplasty can be a minimum of six weeks. Results and timelines can certainly vary between individuals, however.
Keep in mind that during your recovery period you will need to wear compression garments that will help to prevent fluid retention and swelling. You will also need to keep your activities limited until you’ve passed the six-week recovery milestone. If you plan on travelling or showing off your new flat tummy, you should ensure that you have plenty of time to rest, heal and recover.
