Roughly 100,000 tummy tuck surgeries are performed each year in the United States, helping women and men tighten and tone flabby bellies and improve their overall body contours. Also called abdominoplasty, tummy tuck surgery targets the lower belly, an area notoriously unresponsive to diet and exercise.
While each patient’s surgery can vary, the goal of a tummy tuck is to remove fatty tissue, along with excess, droopy skin in the lower abdomen. Most surgeries also tighten and reposition underlying muscle tissue that may have weakened with age, pregnancy, or weight fluctuations. The result: a toned-looking tummy and greater self-confidence in your appearance.
Connie Hiers, MD, has extensive experience in tummy tuck surgery, helping patients in San Antonio, Texas, achieve their goals and feel better about their appearance. If a tummy tuck is in your future, these three tips can help you prepare.
Smoking, medications, and supplements
If you’re a smoker, kicking the habit in the weeks and months before your surgery is one of the best things you can do to prepare your body for the procedure and recovery afterward. Chemicals in tobacco products constrict blood vessels and impair circulation, reducing oxygen flow to the surgery site and making it a lot harder for your body to heal. Delayed healing increases your risks of tissue death and serious infections that can spread to other areas.
If you take any dietary supplements or medications, including over-the-counter medicines, be sure to let Dr. Hiers know during your initial consultation visit. Some medicines can cause bleeding issues or interact with anesthesia during surgery. She can let you know if you need to stop taking any supplements or medicines or change your dose ahead of your surgery.
Diet and physical activity
Surgery can be physically and emotionally stressful. Optimizing your physical health before your surgery supports a smooth recovery while improving your overall wellness, too. Focus on eating a healthy diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables and plenty of lean protein to enhance your immune system and support tissue repair and healing. Avoid sugary products, processed foods, and fast foods that could lead to inflammation.
Making physical activity part of your daily routine in the weeks leading up to your surgery helps your body prepare for surgery and recovery. Just be careful not to overdo activity right before surgery. Dr. Hiers can guide you to ensure you reap the benefits of daily exercise without straining your body before your tummy tuck.
Preparing for recovery
After your tummy tuck, you’ll need assistance with many daily chores, like grocery shopping, cleaning, and running errands. Since you won’t be able to drive during the initial healing period, you’ll also need someone to drive you to your follow-up appointment.
Stock up on groceries and do some meal prep before your surgery. Have plenty of healthy snacks on hand, along with medications and toiletries. Be sure you have plenty of comfy clothing to wear during recovery, and prepare an area for rest and relaxation during the days immediately after your procedure. Finally, review the recovery instructions provided by Dr. Hiers as soon as you receive them so you can ask any questions or address concerns early.
If you’d like to enjoy a flatter, slimmer, more toned tummy area, we can help. To learn more, call 210-494-8446 or request an appointment online with Dr. Hiers and the team at Dr. Connie Hiers Plastic Surgery & Med Spa today.