Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck is a procedure that has both cosmetic and functional benefits. Read more here about what an operation includes and how to go forward with your thoughts on the subject.
Why a tummy tuck?
Accentuated waist and flatter belly
The skin has an amazing ability to adapt as the body changes, but the older we get, the worse its ability to contract becomes. Maybe you’ve been pregnant or have lost (not managed) a lot of weight and have excess skin on your stomach. Maybe it's so saggy that you avoid being seen in a bikini, in tight tops or naked. Maybe you’ve had eczema or other skin problems in the folds that have appeared.
As a result of pregnancy and obesity, the straight abdominal muscles, on the front of the stomach, also slip away from each other and do not return where they originally were. The result is that your waist disappears and the stomach bulges forward. When the abdominal muscles are relaxed, the space around the intestines also increases, which in turn can impair intestinal function and cause problems such as constipation.
Also, your posture can be negatively affected and this can cause back pain. For a tummy tuck, the skin is tightened, smoothed and the excess is removed. The navel looks more attractive and the abdominal wall is strengthened. Your waist is accentuated, becoming more noticeable, and your stomach flattens. The back problems also often disappear and the bowel function improves after a tummy tuck.
If you have unsightly or irritating scars in your abdominal area as a result of previous operations, this can also be remedied with a tummy tuck.
Before the procedure we meet for a consultation with every patient. You can choose to have your consultation at the clinic in Landskrona or at our reception in Malmö.
Who can have a tummy tuck?
In general, we can say that if any of the above applies to you, then a tummy tuck is often the right solution. During the consultation, you and your surgeon go through your expectations to see if the procedure can help you or if there are better alternatives. But if you intend to lose a lot of weight, plan for an early pregnancy, or are a smoker, you should wait until after you’ve reached your ideal weight, given birth to your baby or have stopped smoking.
Tummy tuck
What does a tummy tuck mean?
At Citadellkliniken, we always strive for an appealing result, from an aesthetic perspective. The incision is made from one hip to the other, as far down as possible so it will be hidden by all types of panties and bikinis.
The skin is loosened and the straight abdominal muscles are sewn together on the inside, from the sternum down to the pubic bone. The skin is then stretched down and sewn into its new position. If you have a large excess of skin, the navel will also be moved upwards and the only thing visible afterwards is a small, discreet scar.
Sometimes a thin drainage hose will be inserted before the operation ends, which of course is removed before you return home. The operation takes about two hours.
What happens in a tummy tuck?
If you are considering a tummy tuck, it’s always best to make an appointment for a consultation first. At the consultation you’ll meet the plastic surgeon who will later operate on you. A thorough examination is done, partly general, but also partly directed at the skin quality of the abdomen and the position of the abdominal muscles. We find out your expectations and make sure they match your circumstances. You’ll find out how a tummy tuck happens and what possibilities for cosmetic and functional improvement a tummy tuck can be expected to give you.
If everything is good at the examination and you feel satisfied, you have the opportunity to book an operation immediately after your visit to the surgeon. You’ll meet the surgeon's coordinator who will help with this, and who will also provide more information and can answer more of your questions.
The operation
What happens in the operation itself?
If you chose to have a tummy tuck with us at Citadellkliniken check in at Strandpaviljongen on your day of surgery. You get a room, take a shower, try out girdles and, if necessary, take some medicine to calm you down. After that, you’ll meet your plastic surgeon who will photograph the surgery area and draw on your body. Then you go to the operating room toegther and meet the anaesthesiologist who will sedate you.
The time after the tummy tuck
After the operation, you wake up in your bed, lying with the head end lifted and a pillow under your knees to relieve the operated area. You stay at the clinic for one night for maximum comfort and safety.
Before you return home, you’ll see your surgeon again, and get tips and advice on what is important for healing. You also get a sick leave certificate, a return visit time and painkillers, tablets that you can take as needed.
You should wear the girdles day and night for four to six weeks. During the time up to your return visit (which is about two weeks after your surgery) you should avoid extreme movements and heavy lifting, as well as completely avoiding stretching your back.
On your first return visit, we’ll check that everything is healing properly, remove any stitches. check that the girdles fit properly and show you how to tape your scars yourself. You have the opportunity to have your return visit at any of our receptions.
The last visit is after about 5-6 months to check the result. We take photos and compare them with the photos we took before the tummy tuck surgery, which is usually very much appreciated and is an enjoyable experience.
Risks and Complications
- Infection and unsatisfactory healing: These are problems that usually affect smokers and can cause ugly scars. We inform you in detail about the risks of smoking. You must completely stop smoking for two weeks before and at least four weeks after Your surgery.For Your guarantee to be valid, you must completely stop smoking during the guarantee period.
- Water retention: If you move around too much or the girdle is not fitted properly, fluid can accumulate in the lower parts of the operated area. If the amount of fluid becomes problematic, we siphon it away with a thin needle.
- Loss of sensitivity: The sensitivity around the scar is always impaired, sometimes for up to a year after surgery. This is because the thin sensory nerves in the skin are cut off during the operation, these grow back together relatively quickly, but it can take up to a year.
- Scars: The scar is always pink to red and hard for the first three months. Then it fades and softens. After nine months it’s usually barely visible. If the scar becomes too wide or visible, it’s always possible to correct this with a simple surgery under local anaesthesia, it’s included in the price of the tummy tuck carried out at Citadellkliniken.
Area
Upper or lower tummy tuck?
Upper tummy tuck
In some cases, the skin of the abdomen does not return to its original size after a pregnancy or weight loss. This is because the skin is excessively stretched in combination with impaired elasticity. At the same time, the straight abdominal muscles may have slipped apart and not returned to their original position, leading to increased waist size. This can cause eczema and other functional problems. It can also be difficult to find nice clothes that fit or to take part in sports and other physical activities as the excess skin can get in the way. Often, the aesthetic problem is also very pronounced, due to sagging abdominal skin and a bigger waist size. In these cases,a tummy tuck can restore the original shape by tightening up the skin and muscles. Through an incision from the edge of the pubic hair and towards the hip bones, the skin is separated from the layer below, the excess is removed, and the skin is pulled back over. The straight abdominal muscles are sewn together and regain their original position, thereby reducing your waist size.
The operation takes about two hours and is done under general anaesthetic. You stay at the clinic for one night. Your first return visit is about two weeks after your surgery. Then we check that everything is healing properly, remove any stitches. check that the girdles fit properly and show you how to tape your scars yourself.
The sick leave period is generally four weeks and during this time you should wear your girdle day and night.
In some cases, tummy tucks can be combined with liposuction, as long as only the surrounding areas are liposuctioned. It’s therefore advisable to avoid liposuction on the stomach at the same time as a tummy tuck to avoid complications such as fluid retention.
Lower tummy tuck
In some cases, tummy tucks can be combined with liposuction, as long as only the surrounding areas are liposuctioned. It’s therefore advisable to avoid liposuction on the abdomen at the same time as a tummy tuck to avoid complications, such as fluid accumulation. In cases where only the skin on the lower abdomen is limp and saggy, a lower tummy tuck may suffice.
A lower tummy tuck may also be suitable in cases where you have a pulled-in or unappealing scar after e.g. caesarean section where the skin sometimes folds and hangs over the scar. In this operation, the skin of the lower abdomen is stretched and tightened.
The skin around the navel and the upper abdomen is not affected by a lower tummy tuck. It’s also not possible to sew the straight abdominal muscles together to reduce the waist size. The operation is done under light anaesthesia and you can leave the clinic the same day. The sick leave period is about two weeks and during this time you need to have a girdle.
Other issues - tummy tuck
For more questions about the procedure itself, about our prices, or if you want to book a consultation time you can contact us, see below.
Phone 040 - 30 17 50, 0418-22 000 | Phone times Mon-Thu 8 am to 7 pm | Phone time Friday 8 am-5pm
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To book a consultation time, call us on 0418-22 000 or 040-30 17 50. You can also find a time and book yourself.
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