When you hear the words “tummy tuck” you might conjure up images of bikini ready bodies and scantily clad statuesque models; but what you may not realize is that this popular and sought after cosmetic procedure is also used to correct and improve a variety of medical conditions.
Tummy tucks, medically known as abdominoplasty, is a type of plastic surgery designed to reshape the contours of the stomach area by removing excess skin and fat, and suturing the abdominal tissues. The process, which is performed under general anesthesia, can take between one to five hours and the resulting recovery time for the average patient is up to six weeks.
Patients who seek tummy tucks for aesthetic reasons can see their stomachs firming up and their abdominal muscles becoming tighter after the surgery, but for those who seek this procedure for medical purposes, tummy tucks can correct and/or improve different ailments.
Tummy tuck helps with post childbirth medical conditions
According to a study conducted on 214 women in Deakin, Australia, tummy tucks can help women who suffer from post-childbearing symptoms such as back pain (51%) and urinary incontinence (42.5%). Women who opt for vaginal birth may develop stress urinary incontinence (SUI) – this is where the bladder relieves itself, usually at inopportune moments such as coughing, sneezing or laughing. This can be corrected by having the surgeon obstruct the bladder using soft tissue during a tummy tuck procedure.
Back pain is another common post-childbearing symptom caused by weakened abdominal muscles. Tummy tucks can improve this condition and relieve the pain by having a surgeon flatten the abdomen, tighten the weakened muscles and removing the excess fat.
The link between lumbar hyperlordosis and tummy tuck
If you’ve lost a significant amount of weight, you might just end up with an “apron” of excess skin around your stomach area. This, combined with weakened abdominal muscles, can result in a medical condition called “lumbar hyperlordosis”, also known as hollow back or sway back, which is where there is an excessive extension of the lumbar region of the spine. This can result in back pain and poor posture and tummy tucks can correct this by strengthening and tightening the abdominal muscles so you can stand straighter, which not only improves your posture but also alleviates your back pain.
Tummy tuck procedures can also help heal ventral hernias
Lastly, tummy tuck procedures can be performed on patients who suffer from ventral hernias, which occur when the intestine or abdominal tissue breaks through the abdominal wall, creating a kind of pouch of sack. Ventral hernias may develop due to abdominal weakness from extensive weight loss, appendectomy or a cesarean section and a tummy tuck procedure can correct this issue by flattening the stomach and tightening the abdominal muscles, which reduces pressure on the skin.
In conclusion, tummy tucks are not just to help you get your body bikini ready or to return you to your pre-pregnancy figure; they can also correct a variety of medical conditions brought on by giving birth, losing a lot of weight or having other undergone other surgical procedures such as appendectomies or cesarean section.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
