Tummy Tuck in Indianapolis & Carmel, IN

An abdominoplasty is a plastic surgery technique commonly referred to as tummy tuck surgery. During an abdominoplasty, skin and tummy fat are removed from the mid and lower abdomen as upper abdominal skin is pulled downward. The muscular wall is repaired by pulling the abdominal muscles tightly back together, thereby narrowing the waistline and strengthening the abdominal wall. As the upper skin is pulled taut downward, a new opening is created for the navel which has been preserved throughout this procedure. Oftentimes, it is necessary to place drains in the abdominal cavity which will stay in place throughout a portion of the tummy tuck recovery period. Recently, however, our surgeons have perfected a new technique that doesn’t require drains at all. Whether or not you are a candidate for our “drainless” abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) will be decided by the physician on an individual basis.

Anyone who desires an improvement in the contour of their abdomen, and who is in reasonably good health is a candidate. Disease processes by themselves rarely contraindicate abdominoplasty. However, uncontrolled diabetes, hypertension, or other chronic illnesses may delay our decision to proceed until those illnesses are adequately treated. Those with a body mass index of greater than 35 should hesitate to undergo this procedure before they lose significant weight. Greater than 40 BMI suggests dangerous or morbid obesity. Those patients should be under the care of a weight loss physician or bariatrician. A BMI of 25 is a fair body mass index to aim for if 1 wants the best result obtainable. To check your body mass index, look it up on Google. There are charts available. Online BMI calculators are plentiful. There you enter your height and weight to obtain this information.

Tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, recovery is also something you will want to consider when making your decision. You should expect to stay in the hospital for at least 23 hours following tummy tuck surgery. It is unrealistic to expect you will be able to return to work any sooner than one week after your surgery. Ideally, you would take two weeks to rest and recover. Because the skin is pulled so tight, your posture will be affected the first few days following surgery. You may walk slightly bent over for 7-10 days but will notice with each passing day that you are able to stand up a bit straighter than the day before. A low-grade fever is not uncommon in the first few days after surgery and usually improves with deep breathing exercises. Any drains you might have will be concealed under your clothes and will be removed in our office 1-2 weeks after surgery. There will be daily progress, but you must be patient! Although results are impressive early on, they will continue to improve as swelling subsides over 12-16 weeks. After many years of performing this procedure, we know that each person recovers slightly differently and at different rates of speed. Tummy tuck or abdominoplasty results usually last for years if your weight remains stable. We are committed to treating each patient as an individual and will discuss those individual concerns regarding your recovery during your consultation.

The decision to have elective surgery is, in 1 major way, more difficult than a decision to have surgery for an illness. Elective surgery is not immediately necessary to save a life or limb. It is more of a long-term quality-of-life issue. Therefore, many of us will feel the weight of the decision in a special way; are we asking for trouble? Are we tempting God? There are many and varied ways that patients get through this decision. It helps greatly to talk with those whom you trust; loved ones, close friends, your plastic surgeon, and your family doctor. Not all will come off on the side of proceeding with the surgery, but all are worth listening to. Opinions from acquaintances, coworkers, or those with an agenda other than your well-being are not worth considering on the other hand. The decision process will be lonely unless you let those who truly care for you participate by being heard. Made in this way, your plastic surgeon has never seen a wrong decision. Ultimately, the decision is yours, of course.

Healing, like preparation for surgery, is in 3 parts; physical, emotional and spiritual. The parts overlap in most patients. In most patients, the course is marked by steady but uneven progress in all 3 areas.
Physical healing involves pain resolution, mobility, and return to normal activities. Swelling is as much or more of an impediment to this process as is pain. Most patients do take narcotic pain medication such as hydrocodone in the 1st week postoperatively. Most patients say they dealt with swelling tissues for several more weeks postoperatively. Those patients who physically heal fastest are those who work diligently at increasing their activity level every day and who get professional or family member massages regularly as well.
Emotional healing seems to take less time than physical healing for most patients. It seems to involve a mental acceptance that discomfort in contour irregularities are normal parts of the healing process. Focusing on things and people outside of the physical healing process seem to help. Concentration on slow, regular breathing is helpful as well. When you are breathing in a slow, deliberate fashion, your mind tends to understand the body’s needs for oxygen and calm in good measured doses. Long walks seem to help not only with mobility, but tend to resolve swelling more rapidly and are meditative in nature. Many of us believe walking is as good for the mind as it is for the body.