How long does the hourglass shape last after an hourglass tummy tuck?

Introduction

Many women suffer from a condition whereby their abdomen becomes saggy and affects their quality of life in negative ways. Furthermore, many of such women also have a bigger waist and narrow hips. As a result of these cosmetic flaws and shortcomings, these women look aesthetically unwelcoming. Their body outline and overall appearance are affected. So, what can these women do to fix the aesthetic flaws in their appearance?

The hourglass tummy tuck is a major plastic surgery procedure that delivers effective results. It not only restores the abdomen’s firmness and youthfulness but also delivers the hourglass body that features smaller waist and wider hips. Many women who consider undergoing the surgery wonder as to how long the aesthetic improvements achieved with the surgery can last. To get the answer to this question, you should first understand the hourglass body and the importance of a firmer abdomen. 

 

The hourglass shape and why a firmer abdomen is important

The hourglass tummy tuck is basically a combination of the traditional tummy tuck, liposuction, and fat transfer to the hips. The hourglass shape is the most famous female body type. Its main characteristics include wider hips, narrow waist, and a curvaceous body profile. These cosmetic features are highly admired because they make a woman look more feminine, fertile, and aesthetically welcoming. Wider hips signify your femininity and make you look sexier and capable of producing better offspring. Men prefer to mate with women having wider hips and a smaller waist. 

In addition to having the hourglass body outline, many women also want to get back their firmer and tighter abdomen. Factors like pregnancy, massive weight changes, hormonal changes, the use of certain medicines, and aging affect the contour and appearance of the abdomen, making it saggy, loose, and aesthetically unwelcoming. When the abdomen becomes saggy, it affects your overall body profile and makes you look aged. Most women desire to get back their firmer and youthful abdomen.

 

The hourglass tummy tuck

So, if your abdomen is saggy and you want to get the hourglass figure along with firmer and tighter abdomen, you may consider undergoing the hourglass tummy tuck. The hourglass tummy tuck is a major plastic surgery procedure, and you should choose only a board-certified plastic surgeon with experience to perform it. The procedure, developed by renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Wilberto Cortes, has a record of delivering impressive results. 

The plastic surgeon will determine your candidacy during the pre-operative consultation. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia and on an outpatient basis. The plastic surgeon will first make incisions on your abdomen and then tighten the abdominal wall muscles, besides removing the excess skin and repositioning the navel. In the next phase, he will perform liposuction on the abdomen, sides, flanks, upper back, etc. to reduce the waist and collect fat for transfer to the hips. In the last step, the plastic surgeon will process the fat and then inject it into the hips.

 

How long do the results last?

The results of the hourglass tummy tuck do not emerge immediately after the surgery. After the procedure, your abdomen and the fat donor areas will be swollen and bruised. It will take many weeks and even months for the swelling to vanish and the incisions to heal. Furthermore, the fat transferred to your hips require time to be vascularized and nurture. The results will slowly emerge over the course of many weeks and months. When the outcomes finally come to the fore, you will see that your abdomen has become firmer and flat. Moreover, your hips will become wider, and the waist will be narrow.

Many women are curious as to how long the results will last. The longevity of the results is dependent on many factors; however, the results generally last for many years. On average, the results last for more than ten years. Your abdomen may remain flat even after ten years as long as you take proper care and follow the surgeon’s instructions.

The first and most important thing that you can do to prolong the results of the hourglass tummy tuck is to choose your plastic surgeon carefully. There are only a handful of plastic surgeons that can do the hourglass tummy tuck. Not all plastic surgeons, even board-certified ones, may perform the procedure to deliver you satisfactory and sustainable outcomes. When choosing your surgeon, make sure he is board-certified and has extensive experience in the hourglass procedures, especially the hourglass tummy tuck. 

The board certification indicates that he has undergone intensive training in general surgery and plastic surgery. During the consultation session, ask the surgeon to show you before and after pictures of patients that he has treated for the hourglass tummy tuck. It will give you a pretty good idea about his experience and skills.

Next, you must be a good candidate for the surgery to achieve sustainable results. If you are suffering from serious health complications, it can affect your health and the aesthetic results. As such, you must share your complete medical history with the plastic surgeon prior to the procedure. For example, if you have diabetes, you may heal slowly and poorly after the surgery.

Moreover, diabetes and the precautionary measures for diabetes can affect the sustainability of the results.

Another important instruction is to maintain a stable weight. If your weight is not stable, it can reverse the improvements achieved with the hourglass tummy tuck. Massive weight gain and weight loss must be avoided. Keep in mind that when you gain massive weight, it will deposit more fat in your abdomen. As a result, your abdomen will expand and bulge. The expansion will not only cause the abdominal wall muscles to be separated and weak but also damage skin elasticity. As a result, the abdomen will become saggy again.

Furthermore, the fat injected into your hips are subject to weight changes. In other words, it means that weight changes will affect the fat in the hips in the same way as it affects the fat in other regions of your body. What this means is that when you undergo massive weight loss, it will shrink the fat in your hips, which in turn will narrow down your hips and will reverse the results. If weight loss is massive and continuous, it will liquefy the fat cells in the hips. It is for this reason that patients are advised to avoid massive weight changes after the hourglass tummy tuck. You must follow this instruction if you want to get long-lasting results.

The next important thing that you can do is to be extremely careful with your physical activities during the recovery period. You must sleep only on your side for one or two weeks after the surgery and avoid sleeping on your back or front because it can apply pressure to the fat grafts and result in incision splitting. Also, avoid sitting for two weeks. Doing so will keep the fat cells intact and prevent wound dehiscence that can help prolong the results. 

Furthermore, the results also depend on whether you wear compression garments for the recommended time after the surgery. Compression garments are designed to reduce the swelling, speed up healing, and hold the operated areas until they gain enough strength. It can help make the results effective and more sustainable. Be sure to wear the compression garments according to the surgeon’s instructions. 

Pregnancy after the hourglass tummy tuck is a dominant factor that affects the sustainability of the results. When you become pregnant, it causes your abdomen and other body areas to expand. This expansion can make the abdominal muscles weak and affect skin elasticity. As a result, your abdomen will become saggy again. You should avoid pregnancy after the surgery, and if you want to get pregnant, do not undergo the surgery until you are done with having babies.

 

Conclusion

The hourglass tummy tuck is a popular plastic surgery procedure that is used by thousands of women each year to enhance their beauty and femininity. It effectively tightens saggy abdomen, reduces waist size, and widens the hips. As a result, your body becomes curvaceous and sexy. Many women wonder how long the results will last. I have answered this question in detail in this article. If you want to know more about the surgery and the results, you should consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon with experience in the hourglass tummy tuck.