Should Mummy Get a Tummy Tuck?

 Every wonder how all of those movie stars lose their post pregnancy paunch so fast? It's probably not through diet and exercise. It's probably because she got a tummy tuck. 

 It is unrealistic to think that you can lose the belly you get after birth immediately. It usually takes months of exercise for your body to recover after labor.  However if you are impatient you can get a tummy tuck, just like a celebrity would. Abdominoplasty, or a tummy tuck is an operation that costs between $4,000 and $6,000 and can help reduce the appearance of loose, sagging and flabby skin around the abdomen. The doctor removes flesh and fat and tightens stomach muscles.  Most plastic surgery magazines say that technically you should not even consider this operation after a pregnancy unless you are absolutely certain that your stomach muscles are not responding to diet and exercise.   

Most people however see getting a tummy tuck as a replacement for diet and exercise after getting pregnant. This isn't 'right' but it does save time.  However don't think about getting one if you are planning to gain weight, lose a lot of weight or become pregnant again in the future. One pregnancy will simply counteract all of the effects of the operating.  Depending on how much flesh and fat is going to be removed a tummy tuck can be performed as either an outpatient or inpatient procedure. It can be done with a sedative and local anesthetic but most people refer to be under general anesthesia as it is bloody.  The surgeon will m make one long cut from one hipbone to another. A second incision is then made to remove the navel skin from the abdominal wall. The skin is then clipped; repositions and the abdominal muscles are pulled tighter and stitched together.  After the skin is stretched over the abdomen a new opening is cut out of the flesh for the belly button and it is stitched. 

If you do think that a tummy tuck is the answer to a post baby belly bulge then you need to have realistic expectations. This is a serious medical procedure that will leave a big scar on your stomach.  You should also know that recover from this operation cane uncomfortable as there can be swelling that can last from a few weeks to a few months. Sometimes the entire stomach area can feel numb.  Also as is true of many different operations a tummy tuck can have complications such as loss of the belly button, hematoma, excessive bleeding, infection and scarring.Mild exercise like walking reduces inflammation and helps the body heal faster. If you are smoker you might also have a harder time responding to this type of cosmetic surgery. It is also never given to individuals under the age of eighteen. A cosmetic surgeon that agrees to do this operation on an obese minor or smoker  is probably not that great of a doctor.  However if you are a mummy you should probably not be smoking anyway!