Abdominoplasty: Mommy Makeover

Often after many pregnancies athletic women return to the gym and spend many hours trying to improve their abdominal contour. Despite numerous hours of Pilates, Yoga, or weight-training these women have a difficult time restoring their abdominal contour. In addition, while spending many hours in the gym burning calories, a significant amount of volume can be lost from the breast tissue.

It is very common for women to undergo an abdominoplasty to restore their abdominal contour as well as a concomitant breast augmentation to restore their breast volume. After these procedures, patients feel comfortable with the manner in which they fill out clothing. Typically, patients are allowed to return to unrestricted exercise within four weeks following their operation.

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Revision Abdominoplasty Surgery

Revision abdominoplasty is becoming a very popular part of my practice. There are many women who had abdominoplasty procedures several years ago an who did not have muscle tightening of their lower and upper abdomen to improve body contour. In addition they may have gained additional weight.

I have found it very helpful in these patients, when their skin laxity allows, to perform a second abdominoplasty. It is important in these patients to perform significant muscle plication above the umbilicus or "belly button" as well as below.

I also find it helpful in these patients to re-locate the umbilicus or "belly button" on the most concave portion of the abdomen to give the best abdominal contour.

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Abdominoplasty

Abdominoplasty procedures are a very common operation. Patients who typically get the best results following an abdominoplasty operation, are those patients who attempt to maximize their diet and exercise prior to their procedure. I encourage patients to do both cardiovascular as well as weight training exercise.

When patients add weight training to their exercise regimen, weight loss occurs more rapidly. This is sometimes counterintuitive to patients. Weight training or resistance exercise allows patients to increase their muscle mass. When one increases their muscle mass, the body's basal metabolic rate increases. An increase in the body's basal metabolic rate means that one's body burns more calories during their regular daily activities.

Often after a tummy tuck operation, patients continue to loose weight because they are more motivated to go to the gym, feel more comfortable in exercise clothing, and often the muscle placation from the tummy tuck causes patients to feel full after eating. It is important that patients continue to consume a diet rich in protein following aesthetic surgical procedures.

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Abdominoplasty & Liposuction

The type of "body habitus" or body shape the patient presents with allows different techniques of abdominoplasties to be performed. For example if there is very little loosening of the muscles of the abdominal wall, then there is little muscle tightening to be done.

However, if there is a larger than normal deposits of fat in the anterior abdominal wall, then these patients are candidates for liposuction in combination with their tummy tuck. In these cases, if liposuction is performed, than a majority of the blood supply to the abdominal wall skin and fat remains intact. There is little subcutaneous undermining. Because there is no muscle tightening, then the recovery process tends to be very quick. Patients are required to wear an abdominal binder for 4 weeks post-operatively.

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