Crunching, planking, sit-ups: these are all exercises which fitness experts claim will give you the stomach of your dreams. What happens, though, when diet and exercise alone cannot give you the stomach you want? Mountain State Cosmetic Surgery, serving Beckley, WV, understands that not everyone can achieve their body goals through just exercise. Keep reading to learn about the tummy tuck procedure.
Who Can Benefit From a Tummy Tuck?
Mothers
Pregnancy and childbirth can have a tremendous impact on the abdominal wall. The female abdomen is designed to stretch along with the growth of the baby. The abdominal muscles are made in such a way that they can open up to make room. However, these muscles do not always fuse back together properly. When this happens a Mommy Belly can develop.
Many mothers will seek to correct this through crunches and sit up. In many cases, these exercises can never fuse the abdominal muscles back together. A tummy tuck is needed to truly re-shape the stomach in some cases.
The Mommy Belly is a term used to describe the soft, often protruding stomach many women develop after giving birth. The more births you have, the more predominant this Mommy Belly can be. Many women find that exercise and diet alone will not solve this problem. In many cases, a tummy tuck procedure is the only way to correct this.
Those Who Have Lost Weight
Following any significant amount of weight loss, the stomach area can be left looking loose and unattractive. For those men and women who have lost a great deal of weight, loose skin can also be an issue. Unfortunately, loose skin cannot be corrected through exercise. If your skin lacks the appropriate amount of elasticity, the skin simply will not go back into shape, even over time.
The tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is often the only way to truly shape the stomach in a controlled way. For those who have worked hard toward a weight loss or body goal, this can be a great option. It can be discouraging to work hard on your goals and then discover you still do not have the body you were working towards. Abdominoplasty is the perfect compliment to all of your hard work during your weight loss journey.
Dr. James Paine, Jr has been a practicing surgeon for over 25 years. He has been in Beckley, WV since 1995, growing his practice as well as his community-minded reputation. Dr. Paine prides himself on helping each and every patient obtain the body they dream of. If you have lost weight and are looking to sculpt your stomach, Dr. Paine can help.
Those Suffering From a Diastasis
There are certain genetic dispositions that cause the abdominal muscles to function poorly. This is not a result of someone being lazy or overweight, necessarily. Rather, your genes simply may not have given you a strong abdominal wall. When this happens, a diastasis can occur.
A diastasis is a separation in the abdominal wall which will cause the muscles to be soft and lack definition. This can occur after childbirth, after weight gain, or simply as a result of your genetics. A diastasis can be difficult to correct without surgery. The tricky thing about a diastasis is that many of the abdominal exercises which are recommended to help you achieve a flat stomach make the diastasis worse. Crunches and sit-ups, for example, can actually cause the muscles of the abdominal area to separate further.
Many people do not realize they have a diastasis. If this condition goes undiagnosed, you could be doing harm to your abdominal area without even knowing it. Dr. James Paine of Mountain State Cosmetic Surgery can help to diagnose a diastasis and advise if an abdominoplasty is right for you.
Abdominoplasty FAQ
1. What Are the Advantages of Abdominoplasty?
Abdominoplasty is a surgical procedure that can help to reduce the appearance of fat and bulging around the mid-section. An abdominoplasty is a great option for individuals who have not gotten the results they want from diet and exercise alone. People who suffer from protruding stomachs from either childbirth, weight gain, or genetics can achieve the abdominal look they want through this procedure.
2. Who Is a Good Candidate for Abdominoplasty?
In order to be a good candidate for this procedure, you need to be in relatively good health. Your health will be evaluated at your initial consultation. Because of the nature of the abdominoplasty, it is advised that individuals having this procedure should be done with their childbearing. Becoming pregnant again after having abdominoplasty can greatly compromise the results of the procedure for you.
It is also advised that an individual be at their ideal weight before having the abdominoplasty performed. Weight gain, as well as weight loss, can both have an effect on the results of this procedure. You can discuss with the doctor what your ideal weight is during your consultation. The doctor can also give you information on how best to maintain your weight following this procedure.
3. What Is a Brazilian Tummy Tuck?
At Mountain State Cosmetic Surgery, Dr. James Paine specializes in the Avelar Abdominoplasty. This is a specialized type of abdominoplasty surgery sometimes referred to as a Brazilian Tummy Tuck. This procedure focuses mainly on the lower part of the abdomen and is a less invasive procedure when compared to the traditional abdominoplasty. This procedure is best for men and women who are dealing with stubborn fat in the mid-section.
This type of abdominoplasty is often beneficial to those who wish to get rid of an obstinate paunch or bulge. If you are dealing with excessive hanging skin or a severe diastasis after childbirth or weight loss, this type of procedure may not be best suited to you.
You can discuss with Dr. Paine the best options. During your initial consultation questions like these can be answered. Often a patient has a certain type of procedure in mind only to find out another procedure would be better suited to them. Dr. Paine can help you navigate these questions.
4. How Does an Abdominoplasty Work?
During this procedure, the doctor will use anesthesia. During your consultation, the doctor will discuss any concerns you may have about anesthesia. If you have had any negative reactions to anesthesia in the past, this will be discussed as well.
During the procedure, a series of small incisions will be made into the abdomen. It is important to note that the Avelar Abdominoplasty which Dr. Paine performs is somewhat different than a traditional abdominoplasty. Large incisions are not made.
Tumescent liposuction is then used to remove excess body fat from the area. Following this, the doctor will stretch the skin downward, repositioning the skin for a firmer appearance. This procedure gives the entire abdomen a slimmer, firmer look. Because the incisions used are very small, there will be very little evidence of your procedure.
5. What Can I Expect During My Consultation?
The first step toward your new stomach will be to call Mountain State Cosmetic Surgery and set up a consultation with Dr. James Paine. During this consultation, Dr. Pain will review your overall health and medical history. It is very important that you have this step completed so that the doctor can determine if you are a good candidate for this type of treatment.
This will also be a good time to discuss with the doctor exactly what your expectations are concerning this procedure. Some patients find it helpful to bring in photos of what they hope to achieve. You can either bring in photos of yourself in which you feel that your abdomen had the look you hope to achieve, or you can bring in photos of other people.
Be sure that the photos you reference are realistic to your body type. Cosmetic procedures can help patients achieve results within their body types. Cosmetic procedures cannot change your body type. The doctor will take into account your body type and your expectations to help you project what your results will be.
6. How Will Exercise Change After Abdominoplasty?
Patients are encouraged to resume their normal active lifestyles following a complete recovery. During the recovery time, it is not recommended to do any type of physical activity including exercise. Once you have made a complete recovery, you can resume your normal exercise activities.
If you experience any discomfort following your abdominoplasty, discuss these changes with your doctor before proceeding with strenuous exercise. Often time the results of the abdominoplasty can be enhanced through exercise as long as a complete recovery has been made.
7. What Can I Expect During Recovery?
Because the abdominoplasty is considered a surgical procedure, you will experience some recovery time. The recovery time for the Avelar Abdominoplasty is much quicker than the recovery time of the traditional abdominoplasty. You should be prepared to take a one to two-week break from work and other physical activities.
It will be important to have support people with you during this time to help with lifting heavy objects. You will want your support people available for daily chores and responsibilities as well. You will be given a compression garment to wear during your recovery. It is very important that you follow your doctor’s instructions concerning the use of the compression garment. This garment will help train your muscles and also to reduce swelling and fluid buildup.
You should take any medications that your doctor prescribes for this time as well. Allowing yourself ample time to heal properly will greatly increase the chances of good results from your procedure. Remember that the recovery time really determines how well your procedure results will appear long term.
8. Can I Have Sex During Recovery?
It is recommended to take a break from all physical activities while recovering from an abdominoplasty. This would include sexual activity. Any strenuous activity or movements can compromise the effectiveness of the procedure. If the area is not given proper time to heal, the results of the procedure can be altered.
Regain Your Confidence
If you are hoping to achieve a shapely sculpted abdominal area and have not been able to achieve that through diet and exercise alone, Mountain State Cosmetic Surgery wants to help. Dr. James Paine has helped many patients achieve their body goals, and we look forward to the opportunity to help you as well. If you are tired of working hard and not getting the results you want, it could be time to try a different approach.
If you would like to learn more about abdominoplasty, please call us today at Mountain State Cosmetic Surgery in Beckley, WV.
