Category Archives: Tummy Tuck

Realistic Tummy Tuck Recovery: Essential to Successful Outcome

Once you decide to undergo an abdominoplasty surgery or tummy tuck, do not think that the procedure already ends during the day of operation. Instead, keep in mind that the total outcome of your tummy tuck will depend upon the quality of your post-operative care and the recovery steps that you follow.

Indeed, it is not just about removing excess skin and fat around your waist or reducing stretch marks, you must give time as well for your surgical scar to fully heal and your body to recover after the surgery. For this reason, you have to discuss well with your surgeon regarding the details and specific steps to recovery.

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Christopher Saunders believes that the best recovery begins with excellent yet realistic postoperative care. Aside from being a topnotch surgeon, he has also authored the book “A Woman’s Guide to the ‘Real-Reality’ of Cosmetic Surgery”, wherein Dr. Saunders has laid down the realistic expectations and preparations that women must have when undergoing any cosmetic surgery procedure.

At his state-of-the-art surgery center, Delaware Plastic Surgeon Dr. Saunders uses a device called “pain buster” which does away the necessity of intravenous medicine and long hospital recovery. Pain buster is considered a major advancement in surgery recovery, as it is really effective in trickling in local anesthetics for pain relief following the cosmetic surgery. Furthermore, the device brings about maximum safety and comfort for all patients.

During discussion process and before actual surgery, Dr. Saunders will explain to you the step-by-step info on realistic tummy tuck recovery. In other words, what should you do during the first few hours after operation and months into the procedure.

For more of this treatment, schedule now a consultation with Dr. Saunders by contacting us through this Email Contact Form or via (302) 652-3331.

Change of Clothing Size after Tummy Tuck or Abdominoplasty Surgery

After an abdominoplasty, people often go down a size or two in clothing size –  but not always! This change of clothing size is discussed in this educational writing. A tummy tuck operation can lead to a significant reduction in post op clothing size, in addition to other benefits of the surgery. Compression garments are recommended after the surgery and are reviewed in another writing.

People decide to have a tummy tuck to improve and enhance their abdominal or stomach area. The surgery helps with excess and loose skin, stretch marks, and extra fat. The results of the surgery is highly successful and can be dramatic at times. Please see the tummy tuck before and after photos now for those interested. Many patients will ask about the size change they will have after the procedure. Phrased another way, people ask about abdominoplasty change in clothing size. The answer is not always predictable. Some will have this change and others will not.

Clothing sizes are not standardized. A size 8 will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some will run small and some big. European and American clothing can also be a variable. The same can be said for bra sizes. Manufacturing differences exist. A woman’s clothing size will also vary from her hips to her thighs to her stomach. Some women might be an 8 in the legs, but she might fit better in a 6 in the stomach areas.

This  manufacturing difference in clothing, and variation in each women, makes it impossible to exactly predict the change after the surgery. Manufacturing of clothing was indeed standardized after WWII. However, this has long been abandoned. Companies have found it profitable to alter the “fit” or size to sell more clothing. For example, some women will buy a size 6 that decades ago would have fit a size 10. The women purchasing this clothing like the smaller size. It makes you feel better and hence more are sold.

Having said this, most women after a tummy tuck will go down a size or two. Some will go down even more!  However, some patients will not have a change of size, and rarely, some will actually wear a larger size.

Most women will go down a size or two after an abdominoplasty and be very happy with their new appearance. The woman that doesn’t change sizes can unfortunately be disappointed by this. It is important to understand that even if you don’t go down a size, you still can enjoy the flatter and more sculpted stomach that the surgery achieves.

Women that wear a larger size can attribute this to swelling, if it is close to the time of surgery. If a significant time has past since the operation, than the answer lies in wearing the clothing differently. Some women will wear their pants slightly higher or lower after a tummy tuck. A large stomach roll might lead to someone pulling their pants above this “gut.” After surgery, since the stomach roll is gone, they might wear the pants in a different location,  accounting for this size change. Once again, the stomach will “look” better and flatter despite the lack of dropping down in the clothing size.

To summarize, following cosmetic surgery tummy tuck, most women will go down a size or two in their clothing size. Some woman won’t have a change of size, and rarely some will actually go up in size.

I am a board certified plastic surgeon who practices exclusively cosmetic surgery.  Please come in for a complimentary consultation. Details of your cosmetic procedure and your surgical plan will be discussed completely.

Abdominoplasty and Tummy Tuck – Blood Clots DVT and their Prevention

The following educational writing will discuss tummy tuck surgery and blood clots (DVT), and it will help a person understand what this is and how we can minimize it. DVT is the abbreviation for Deep Venous Thrombosis. This is the medical term for blood clots. It is a risk after all operations including cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery. In particular, this writing will discuss blood clot after tummy tuck, because this operation is more prone than some operations. However, understanding DVT is important for any cosmetic operation. Overall, tummy tuck and cosmetic operations are extremely safe!

Abdominoplasty is the medical word for cosmetic tummy tuck or cosmetic mini tummy tuck. These are wonderful operations that can give a person a flat, tight, and attractive abdominal area. The operation is often part of a mommy makeover and can truly get a women back into a bikini. This is done by fixing the damages of having babies! It involves improving both the breasts and stomach at the same time. Results can be amazing! Please go to the before and after pictures in the photo gallery – category- “breast enhancement and tummy tuck.”

Like all operations, blood clots can happen and this is considered part of general abdominoplasty risks or tummy tuck risks. However, it is a very safe operation overall. The risk we are discussing is DVT or deep vein thrombosis. First, we will discuss what this problem is and then focus on it’s prevention- or ways to maximize “not” having this problem.

After all operations, blood clots or DVT can occur. This tends to occur in the legs right after the induction of anesthesia or beginning of surgery. The clots are in the deep veins and not the superficial veins that we see on the surface of the legs. If these blood clots occur, there is a risk that they can break off in the veins and travel with the blood to the lungs. This is called a pulmonary embolus or PE. It can be a serious health issue and hence prevention is important.

Risk factors for DVT include but are not limited to:

Cancer
Birth control pills or hormones
Operations
High blood viscosity (thick blood)
Obesity
Obstructed venous return (vein problems)
Lack of movement – (immobility after surgery)
Previous DVT
Older age
People having cosmetic operations like a tummy tuck can have some of these risk factors for DVT. However, if you have none of them, it does not mean you will not have a DVT. Notice how stopping birth control pills wil be important and early ambulation will also decrease our chances of this problem.

Many things can be done to decrease our chances of this problem. Active leg exercises, leg elevation, and the use of elastic support stockings can increase vein blood flow and decrease clotting. Early ambulation after surgery and avoidance of prolonged bed rest can promote blood flow and prevent clots. Think of the blood flow in our veins like a slow moving stream. Anything that improves flow or helps the blood flow helps prevent DVT. Even elevating the foot of the bed 15-20 degrees can help promote blood drainage. Patient positioning after surgery will be discussed to help this also.

I recommend the acronym “PAIL” to help remember things to do after surgery to decrease DVT or tummy tuck blood clots or abdominoplasty blood clots.

P-A-I-L

P-Patient Positioning.
Keep the “toes above the nose” to help blood flow. A lounge chair is not tilted back enough. Use pillows to get those legs above the heart.

A- Ambulation (early ambulation)
Get out of bed frequently. A minimum of 4-6 times a day for 5-10 minutes a day. More is good. This encourages blood flow. It is recommended to avoid twisting of the abdomen, if you are recovering from a tummy tuck. By avoiding twisting, it encourages the skin to heal to the underlying muscles and decreases fluid accumulation. Early ambulation, without twisting the abdomen, is recommended after surgery.

I- Invisible Bicycle
Despite early ambulation, we still will have a lot of time in bed. We can promote blood flow by moving the legs, like riding an “invisible bicycle.” This can be done in bed with minimal pain after surgery, even an abdominoplasty. You can’t do this enough! Do it as much as you can.

L- Leg Compression.
I use sequential leg compression machines for all of my operations to squeeze your legs during surgery and promote blood flow. Leg stocking are recommended, as well, to help with this. Knee high stockings to compress the veins are recommended.

Remember “PAIL” to help think of the important things after surgery to minimize DVT and problems.

Dr. Saunders is a board-certified plastic surgeon who practices exclusively cosmetic surgery. Please check out the tummy tuck before and after photos on our web site. Also, please come in for a complimentary consultation to learn about your choices and options!

Wilmington Tummy Tuck

There are many factors which can lead to a person becoming dissatisfied with their mid-section. For example, the effects of weight loss, pregnancy, genetics, and aging can all wreak their havoc on the abdominal region, even the abdominal muscles themselves. Having loose or separated abdominal muscles creates a distended abdomen that can not be improved through diet or exercise alone. The same thing applies to having loose, hanging skin due to the after effects of dramatic weight loss or pregnancies. Dr. Saunders has helped many people improve their mid-section through Wilmington Abdominoplasty.

Abdominoplasty, also known as a Tummy Tuck, is a procedure which removes excess skin and fat from the abdomen and tightens the abdominal muscles. There are a few different types of Tummy Tucks which range in severity depending on the amount of work that needs to be done. In some cases, Liposuction may be done in conjunction with an Abdominoplasty for optimum results.

To find out if Abdominoplasty is right for you, contact our office today to schedule your personal consultation with Dr. Saunders.

Compression Garments After Tummy Tucks in Delaware

An abdominoplasty is the medical word for the tummy tuck procedure. The purpose of the cosmetic operation is to give a person a flatter, thinner, and more attractive stomach. Dr. Saunders believes that extra muscle tightening, which he calls the “California Corset,” gives an extra flat and sculpted tummy tuck. Dr. Saunders specializes in this procedure, and he uses the latest techniques to achieve his results. After tummy tuck surgery, Dr. Saunders will go over the important postoperative instructions to maximize your healing. There is also a section on his web page under “Patient Forms & Survey” that has the postoperative instructions covered in detail.

The compression garment is one of the requirements after your cosmetic abdominoplasty. Patients often want to know why it has to be worn and what purpose it has for healing. There are three main reasons why we wear compression garments to help with tummy tuck recovery. The first is that the pressure of the garment helps with bruising, swelling, and discomfort after abdominoplasty surgery. The physical pressure helps shift the balances of fluid in our body to encourage absorption. The pressure helps “push” the fluid out of the tissues. This leads to quicker resolution of the bruising and swelling normally seen after tummy tuck surgery. This is an important for about one month. The first two weeks is very important, but during the second two weeks the garment can be taken off for periods of rest and comfort.

The second reason compression garments are important after abdominoplasty surgery is to promote healing of the scar. Pressure has been consistently shown to be important to give an attractive and smooth scar. The pressure also minimizes the chance of keloid scars or hypertrophic scars. This can be an important factor to give the best healing and scar. An interesting fact is that burn doctors treat their burn patients  with compression garments for one year!! This is done to maximize healing of their scars.
During tummy tuck recovery, the pressure from the garment really helps healing. It is usually not mandatory for one year, but does underscore the importance of pressure for long periods to give the best scar.

The final purpose of the compression garment is that it promotes proper eating and weight control. Abdominoplasty surgery can not replace diet and exercise. Weight control is an important part of healing. A compression garment helps with diet by making us feel full. It is not uncommon to eat less with these types of garments because of the pressure. Just like when you eat too much and your pants feel tight, the garment encourages proper eating. This is an extra benefit of compression garments and is an old fashioned, but it helps us to eat healthy.

Many people ask what garment is best. A binder or girdle can both work! The concept is “put pressure” where you had surgery. Spanks tend to be too light weight. A stronger pressure is recommended.

Dr. Saunders has West Chester plastic surgery patients and Media plastic surgery patients who have recommended the following brands.

1: Cass  (from Nordstroms)
2: Flexees  (from Kohls)
3: Ardyss International

Dr. Saunders is a board certified plastic surgeon who practices exclusively cosmetic surgery in Delaware and Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Please check out the tummy tuck before and after photos on our web site. Also, please come in for a complimentary consultation to learn about your choices and options!