FAQ abdominoplasty

Q. I’m 44. After three pregnancies and due to a considerable weight gain, my stomach is protruding and sagging. I would like to resort to an abdominoplasty operation, but I fear that it will be painful and leave some bad scars.
A. The abdominoplasty operation is certainly indicated to solve your problem, in that abdominoplasty allows the removal of the excess skin and fat from the upper and lower parts of the abdomen and the tightening of the muscles of the abdominal wall. However, I advise you to go for a specialist examination in that the plastic surgeon will be able to show the kind of treatment most suitable for your situation.
Normally, if muscular tone and skin elasticity are good and one wants the depot fat localized in the abdominal region to be eliminated, liposuction or liposculpture may be sufficient. If, on the contrary, the depot fat and the excess skin are limited to the area under the navel, it is possible to perform a less complex operation called miniabdominoplasty.
Instead, if there are depot fat and laxity even in the upper part of the abdomen and on the sides, complete abdominoplasty will be needed, sometimes in combination with liposuction.
Abdominoplasty is usually performed under general anaesthesia and two-day hospitalization. In some cases (miniabdominoplasty or small liposuction), the intervention can be performed under local and loco-regional anaesthesia and in outpatient care.
During the first 2-3 days after the operation, you may feel slight pain and pressure in the treated area and you may have difficulties in bending forward. Such troubles will disappear after 7-10 days.
As far as scars are concerned, I remind you that, in abdominoplasty, the incision is made above the pubic area and, thus, remains hidden inside the pants.

Q. After pregnancy, how long should I wait before going for abdominoplasty or abdomen liposuction?
A. The time that should elapse between childbirth and surgery depends both upon the health of the patient and the kind of operation she intends to go for. Normally, it is advisable for the women who are planning pregnancies to postpone the intervention, because the endoabdominal pressure increase might separate once again the muscles just repaired through abdominoplasty. In case of liposuction, the operation can be performed even after a few months.

Q. Can I expose myself to sunlight after an abdominoplasty operation?
A. Yes, but it is advisable not to expose the scar to sunlight for at least 12 months, because it might become pigmented and more visible.

Q. After abdominoplasty, how long should I wait before practising gym and resume my sports activity?
A. One month after the operation, it is usually possible to resume all one’s normal activities, including the sports activity, provided that this does not involve the abdominal muscles directly.