As the body loses excessive weight, the skin also loses its elasticity. A tummy tuck is a type of cosmetic surgery in that surgeons remove excess fat and skin from the patient's body. Thus, the abdominal area tightens and the stomach comes to its ideal shape compared to the rest of the body. Patients generally have this operation after losing extreme weight due to pregnancy, diets or gastric surgeries. If you've lost a large amount of weight recently and do not like the sagging look on your abdomen, you may be eligible for a tummy tuck. At Apera Clinic, we perform tummy tucks on hundreds of patients yearly. Let us go through this procedure and explain all the details you should know before having a tummy tuck.
Who Is Eligible For A Tummy Tuck?
A tummy tuck can be performed on any patient over the age of 18 who doesn't have any chronic diseases that may be an obstacle to this operation. Generally, this procedure is preferred for patients who lost a significant amount of weight but need a little help sculpting their abdomens. Sagging is normal after such weight losses. Thus, you may be eligible for a tummy tuck if you're close to your ideal weight; but exercise and diet don't work anymore. While these can be the ways to identify if you're eligible, we always advise patients to speak with experts before fixing their minds to a specific operation.
Getting Ready For A Tummy Tuck
Just like in any major cosmetic surgery, patients need to prepare their bodies for a tummy tuck as well. If the patient is smoking or consuming alcohol regularly, it's best to quit one week before the operation. Also, the patient should inform their doctor about medications they take as the doctor may ask them to stop taking blood thinners and similar pills for their surgery.
How Is A Tummy Tuck Performed?
Surgeons perform a tummy tuck by making incisions on the lower abdomen. The incision size depends on how much skin and tissue is there for extraction. If the patient needs a complete abdominoplasty, the incision can be from hip bone to hip bone. The surgeon makes a great effort to place the incision on the least visible area for the patient's comfort. Then the surgeon begins to take out the excess skin, tighten the muscles and shape the abdomen.
Tummy Tuck Recovery
Recovery from a tummy tuck depends on how the patient takes care of their body and follows the doctor's advice. It can take up to six-eight weeks to fully recover from a tummy tuck. The patient has to wear compression garments and avoid exercise and lifting for the first few weeks. Patients should also avoid household chores, even if they look like simple tasks. It is possible to continue to work within one week if the job doesn't require physical labour. Otherwise, the patient has to wait until the doctor allows such activities.
Tummy Tuck Prices in Turkey
The prices for this operation depend on many things like the plastic surgeon and their team's expertise and hospital expenses. If the patient needs additional treatments, that will also affect the fees. Therefore, patients should ask for a quotation after their consultations.
At Apera Clinic, we have an "all-inclusive" policy. We include operation expenses, medication fees, accommodation and in-city transfers within the offers. Our patients don't need to worry about finding hotels or arranging transportation. We handle them all. They just have to purchase their flight ticket and let us know so we can greet them at the airport. Once they step foot in Turkey, everything else is taken care of by Apera Clinic.
Top 5 Most Asked Questions About Tummy Tuck
1. How much weight will I lose after a tummy tuck?
As this is not a weight loss surgery, patients shouldn't expect to lose a great amount of weight after a tummy tuck. The specific amount depends on how much skin and fat tissue is taken out. This procedure is generally performed after weight loss.
2. How long does the tummy tuck take?
The answer to this question also depends on the patient. This surgery can take between one to five hours. The exact operation time relies on how much skin & fat tissue are taken.
3. What is the difference between a tummy tuck and liposuction?
While tummy tuck helps reconstruct the muscles in the abdomen and removes the skin, liposuction removes fat cells. Thus, they are not appropriate treatments for the same patient. That's why we advise patients to keep an open mind about treatments. Not all patients can have the same treatments even though they think their problems are similar.
4. Is this operation painful?
As surgeons perform tummy tuck under anaesthesia, the patients do not feel pain during the procedure. However, patients might feel slight aches and pain in the operated area. In this case, they can ask for painkillers at the hospital and the doctor can prescribe them accordingly.
5. Does tummy tuck remove stretch marks?
This procedure can help with the elimination of stretch marks to an extent. Surgeons can take out only some parts of the skin. Therefore some of the stretch marks can remain after the operation.
We're delighted to welcome patients from all over the world with our experienced medical staff and top-notch service. If you think you need a tummy tuck or you have other medical problems, contact us today so we can find a solution together! We perform gastric treatments, hair transplants and additional cosmetic surgeries. Still, got questions? Let's book a consultation!
