Who is a good candidate for the hourglass tummy tuck?
Who is a good candidate for the hourglass tummy tuck?
Introduction
A flat and firm tummy is important both from a health and aesthetic point of view. A healthy diet and regular physical exercise can sometimes not be enough to get a fit tummy and to eliminate the fat deposits that can accumulate with age on the abdominal area. Moreover, there are many different factors that could cause the unsightly appearance of the tummy. Among them are multiple pregnancies, weight fluctuations, and the natural aging process.
The tummy tuck is a commonly performed plastic surgery procedure that aims to eliminate the excess of saggy skin that is present on the inferior part of the tummy and sometimes the flanks as well. However, this procedure doesn’t have any impact on the layer of fat that is on the abdominal wall or the flanks and can leave the patient with a rectangular shape that is not very appealing or sexy. This is the reason why we have developed a procedure that is superior in terms of the results that it delivers. The procedure is called the hourglass tummy tuck, and it consists of liposuction on the abdomen and flanks, strengthening the loose abdominal muscles, eliminating the skin excess on the tummy, and a transfer of fat to the hips to create beautiful curves in all the right places.
In this article we will discuss the details of the hourglass tummy tuck and who is a good candidate for the procedure.
Details of the hourglass tummy tuck
The hourglass tummy tuck is a plastic surgery procedure that aims to improve the general appearance of the body by creating the hourglass tummy tuck, aside from correcting the imperfections of the abdominal wall. Experienced plastic surgeons often recommend the combination of the tummy tuck with liposuction to get better results; however, the hourglass tummy tuck entails another step which consists of fat being grafted into the hips. The procedure should only be performed by a highly experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon who performs hourglass procedures routinely, otherwise, the results might not be as satisfactory.
There are many different and delicate aspects that need to be considered with the hourglass tummy tuck. For example, when using liposuction in the first step of the procedure, the plastic surgeon needs to make sure that there is symmetry in between the left and right parts of the body and the waist has been beautifully defined with liposuction. An inexperienced plastic surgeon may not extract enough fat from the waist or leave behind skin bumps and waves on the tummy. After the fat has been removed from the areas where it was in excess, it is purified using a centrifugation process as this fat will be grafted into the hips in the last stage of the hourglass tummy tuck. After liposuction, the next step is to correct the imperfections of the abdominal wall. Often, we are talking about loose abdominal muscles, umbilical hernia, and saggy skin on the lower abdomen. The plastic surgeon will fix this issue then suture the incisions. Next, the fat that is purified is grafted into the hips to give them more volume. The grafting is done with special syringes, so the scars left behind both on the hips and the liposuction area are insignificant as the incisions are often no longer than 3 to 4 mm.
Just like any other surgical procedure, the patient will go through a recovery process that often takes no longer than ten to fourteen days. During this time it is important to follow the instructions of the plastic surgeon to the letter and avoid intense or physically demanding activities so as not to trigger the opening of the surgical incisions.
While the procedure can considerably improve the appearance of the tummy, not all people can undergo the procedure.
Who is a good candidate for the hourglass tummy tuck?
A classic tummy tuck procedure is advised for men and women who want to correct the imperfections present on the tummy. The hourglass tummy tuck mostly targets women who want the same thing and also to achieve a sexy, curvaceous body shape: the hourglass silhouette.
The first condition that patients need to fulfill to be eligible for the hourglass tummy tuck is to have an excess of adipose cells on the tummy and flanks as otherwise, fat grafting to the hips can’t be performed, which is an important part of the procedure.
Here are some other conditions that good candidates for the hourglass tummy tuck should fulfill:
– The patient has an excess of saggy skin on the lower tummy that entirely or partially covers the suprapubic area
– The patient presents an abdominal area that looks protruding and is not flat and firm
– The patient is suffering from diastasis recti: a condition characterized by the gap created between the left and right abdominal muscles during pregnancy
– The patient has loose abdominal muscles
– The patient has an excess of adipose tissue on the abdominal wall and the flanks
– The patient has narrow hips
Aside from these general conditions, there are other factors that will be taken into consideration when the plastic surgeon will assess your candidacy. For example, if you are planning to get pregnant again in the future, you should mention this to the plastic surgeon as he might advise you to postpone until you know you are done having children. Pregnancy is one of the factors that can alter the beautiful appearance of the tummy and make the muscles of the abdominal wall get distended. This can still happen after the hourglass tummy tuck and hence ruin the beautiful results. Moreover, after pregnancy and childbirth some women might also be left with stubborn fat deposits on the tummy and flanks that are resistant to diets and physical exercise, and these can alter the hourglass shape that was created with the surgery.
A good candidate for the hourglass tummy tuck is also someone who is able to sustain a constant weight for extended periods of time. Weight fluctuations can alter the results, and this is why the recommendation is to avoid strict diets but also gaining weight.
The hourglass tummy tuck will leave behind scars, just like the traditional tummy tuck and any other surgical procedure. The main scar is the one positioned on the suprapubic area that should be easily masked with lingerie and even a bathing suit. Another scar can be positioned around the belly button and is needed for the repositioning of the navel. Small scars are localized on the tummy, flanks, and hips, but these are often difficult to notice after they are healed. A good candidate for the hourglass tummy tuck understands that the scars will be permanent and they won’t disappear in time. Their appearance will indeed get better over the course of the first year, but they will never completely disappear.
Another thing that good candidates do is understand the potential risks and complications and their role in achieving the best results possible. Each surgical procedure has risks, and the hourglass tummy tuck is no different. The most important thing that the patient can do to minimize these risks is to get a board-certified and experienced plastic surgeon to play out their procedure. At the same time, following the pre- and post-operative instructions of the plastic surgeon to the letter is important to achieve good results and avoid complications.
Conclusion
The hourglass tummy tuck is a complex and modern plastic surgery procedure that aims to correct the imperfections of the abdominal wall while also improving the overall appearance of the body by creating the beautiful hourglass silhouette. The procedure entails a combination of liposuction to reduce the adipose layer, the excision of the saggy skin on the tummy, and the grafting of fat into the hips for more volume. Good candidates for the procedure will have adipose tissue on the abdomen or the flanks as fat is needed to augment the hips and create the curves. Understanding what the procedure involves, how to prepare for it, and what is to be expected after the procedure is essential to be deemed as a good candidate for the hourglass tummy tuck. Being in good health and emotional condition is also mandatory to be eligible for the hourglass tummy tuck.
