Tummy Tucks and Scarring

Plastic surgeons are doing more and more tummy tucks as the effects of poor nutrition, stress and a lack of exercise takes affect on all of us. This brings up the issue of tummy tucks and scarring.

Tummy Tucks and Scarring

Many people who find that diet and exercise are not enough to shape their abdominal area are turning to abdominoplasty. Abdominoplasty, which is also known as a tummy tuck, is one of the most common body sculpting plastic surgery procedures that is performed today. While this procedure is a relatively quick method for getting rid of that spare tire, you need to give some thought to the potential scarring that will result in some cases.

Tummy tuck scarring is very common after having the operation. The traditional tummy tuck procedure involves making a large cut horizontally across the lower abdomen from hip to hip. This cut allows surgeons to access the underlying abdominal area, where they can remove fat, tighten muscle and get rid of excess skin in the stomach area. Often, this procedure can require other areas to be cut and realigned such as the area around the navel or belly button. All of these cuts can, and will, leave scarring to some extent.

Luckily, most tummy tuck scarring is usually positioned below the waistline where bathing suit bottoms and underwear cover the scar from view. Some people are still upset by the idea of purposely inflicting a large mark on their body, however, it becomes an issue of weighing them against the excess skin and fat in the area. Furthermore, your plastic surgeon is not a mad scientist. They are trained to provide you with body enhancements, not large disfigurements. They will do everything possible to minimize scarring.

So, should your abandon the idea of undergoing abdominoplasty because of scarring? It is a decision that only you can make, but you must only make the decision when you have all of the facts. In this case, the facts mean sitting down with your plastic surgeon and reviewing pictures of other patients. The surgeon should have before and after pictures of tummy tuck patients. You can view their tummy tuck scarring and ask your plastic surgeon to identify the pictures that represent what he or she believe will be closest to yours.

Tummy tuck scarring sound like a serious matter and they are for some people. The key is to make an informed decision with your plastic surgeon after viewing before and after pictures. For most people, they are sufficiently small that they do not constitute a reason to avoid the surgery.

April's Tummy Tuck Scar update one year Nov2012