Everyone loves their pooch. Well, as long as that pooch is furry and chases a tennis ball. Otherwise, the pooch is a dirty word. Usually caused by loose skin that has sagged due to weight gain and loss or just the passing of time, stomach pooches don’t usually respond to exercise or changes in diet. They’re stubborn, like that other type of pooch can be if he or she wants a walk.
A tummy tuck with Dr. Lavey can teach your stomach pooch some new tricks, namely how to present a slim new contour to the world.
What is a tummy tuck?
People wonder how a tummy tuck differs from liposuction. Both seem to have the same goal — a slimmer, tauter tummy. The difference is skin and underlying muscle. A tummy tuck removes excess skin and repositions stretched and separated muscles. Liposuction only removes pockets of fat.
In full tummy tucks, there are two incisions: one along the bikini line usually stretching from hipbone to hipbone, the other around the belly button. The lower abdominal incision can vary in length. The longer the scar, the more skin that can be removed. In cases where there is a good deal of sagging skin, the incision may wrap around the back so that Dr. Lavey can access the flanks and lower back.
Most tummy tucks with Dr. Lavey also involve removal of excess fat. He prefers to remove excess fat in the center area of the abdomen surgically and the excess fat of the sides with liposuction. He believes this makes for the more accurate and effective contouring coupled with fat reduction.
He brings the muscles in the center of the abdomen closer together. These have been stretched either from weight gain or when a developing baby pushes on the muscles.
What will healing after a tummy tuck involve?
Dr. Lavey puts his tummy tuck patients in a custom girdle for 2-3 weeks after their surgery. Bruising from the procedure lasts for 1-2 weeks in the center of the abdomen and up to three weeks in liposuction areas. The incision areas and muscle repositioning areas have a mild to moderate degree of pain for usually the first week. Most patients can return to work in two weeks, without any heavy lifting. Heavy lifting and full exercise need to wait for 4-6 months.
Want to train your pooch? Call Dr. Lavey at 925-820-3633 and ask about a tummy tuck.
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