
Does saggy skin appear again after abdominoplasty?
Abdominoplasty is not a weight loss method, and it does nothing to the adipose tissue on the tummy or the flanks. What the tummy tuck does is to strengthen loose abdominal muscles, correct umbilical hernia, and eliminate excess skin from the tummy. Before undergoing the procedure, patients might be concerned about many things, including the sustainability of the results and what results will occur and when.
The tummy tuck entails a surgical incision on the lower part of the abdomen which might also be made with another incision around the belly button when the skin sagginess is more severe. After the incision, the plastic surgeon will detach the skin from the abdominal muscles. After getting access to the muscles, the plastic surgeon will bring them together on the median line and use sutures to strengthen them. In this manner, he ensures a flat and firm appearance of the tummy.
Weak abdominal muscles can occur after pregnancy but also in the case of patients who were obese or severely overweight and lost a considerable amount of weight. The condition is called diastasis recti and is among the factors that can lead to an unpleasant appearance of the tummy. Once the muscles are distended, there are no physical exercises or other methods aside from surgery that will bring them back together. Distended muscles won’t allow the abdomen to look firm and flat, not even if the patient has a normal weight and little excess skin on the tummy, and this is the reason why the tummy tuck might be needed.
After strengthening the muscles and correcting umbilical hernia (if present), the plastic surgeon will re-drape the skin on the abdominal wall, making sure to create an optimal tension and eliminate the surplus of skin. Does this mean that there will be no skin folds on the tummy when the patient sits down? No, not by far. The skin folds that occur when sitting down are normal, and the tummy can be improved by exercising and toning the muscles of the abdomen. But those skin folds can’t be eliminated. The results of abdominoplasty need to be assessed with the patient standing up as this is how the procedure is performed. If there were no skin folds when sitting down, the patient wouldn’t be able to stand up as there wouldn’t be enough skin.
If you are worried about dealing with saggy skin again after abdominoplasty, chances are your abdomen will keep a firm and flat appearance if you avoid an ulterior pregnancy and weight fluctuations. Also, keep in mind that aging is another factor that will affect the results. Saggy skin can occur again on the tummy if you had the procedure early in life, as a result of the loss of skin elasticity and the natural aging process.