Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) Melbourne

Smokers must quit smoking at least one month before surgery. This also includes chewing tobacco, traditional cigarettes, electronic cigarettes (i.e., e-cigarettes), cigars and pipe tobacco, and smoking cessation products. Smoking increases the risk of complications during or after surgery. Smoking compromises blood flow, which may result in skin loss, infection, increased scarring, and poor wound healing.

Abdominoplasty is not a suitable alternative for natural weight loss. Instead, the procedure targets excess skin, tissue and sometimes, underlying muscles.

The cost of abdominoplasty can vary widely depending on factors such as the surgeon’s experience, geographic location, facility fees, anaesthesia costs, and the complexity of the procedure.

If you take any medications or supplements, you must discuss these with Dr Attalla before surgery. Medications to discontinue include aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and prescription blood-thinning medications (e.g., Coumadin). Herbal supplements to avoid include Ginseng, Ginkgo Biloba, Kava Kava and St. John’s Wort. Vitamins that patients must stop taking include vitamins E and K.

Patients who continue to take these medications, vitamins and herbal supplements may experience unwanted side effects (e.g., an increase in bleeding or a change in the effects of anaesthesia). Patients who require pain medication during the ten days leading up to surgery can use acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol).

Some patients can return to exercise faster than others. Various factors, such as your health, age, lifestyle, and the type of surgery, will all influence when you can return to exercise. Light activities such as walking or gentle cycling may be possible after several weeks, while more strenuous exercise, including jogging, running, or stomach workouts, is often delayed until around six weeks or longer. Always ease back into exercise gradually and avoid pushing your body beyond what feels comfortable. Above all, discuss this issue with Dr Attalla.

During an initial consultation with Dr Mark Attalla at Chelsea Cosmetics, several issues will be discussed. For example, your suitability for abdominoplasty will be assessed. You will also be asked about your medical history, any current health conditions, medications and past surgeries. Information about vitamins, herbal supplements, and any allergies, including to medication or latex, will also be discussed.

If Dr Attalla deems you suitable for an abdominoplasty, he will explain the procedure in detail and disclose all potential risks and complications. You’ll also be given the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

An abdominoplasty can take around two to three hours. However, the time varies depending on factors such as the type of surgery and whether other procedures are being combined in the same session.

General anaesthesia is used for an abdominoplasty, which means you will be unconscious during the surgery.

If the procedure is for purely cosmetic reasons, then Medicare will not pay for it. If, however, it is deemed a medical necessity by a GP or practitioner for an underlying medical condition, then you may be covered under Medicare item 30177. The government reinstated Medicare item number 30175 on 1st July 2022, which covers the cost of an abdominoplasty for some post-pregnancy patients suffering from split abdominal muscles (diastasis recti).

Technically speaking, you can still become pregnant after an abdominoplasty as the procedure does not affect your fertility. However, it’s advisable to complete your family before having tummy tuck surgery, as becoming pregnant after surgery could affect your results. This is because your muscles and skin will stretch again, especially if you gain considerable weight during pregnancy.

It’s important to note that an abdominoplasty is not a weight loss procedure. It should only be performed on individuals who have exhausted all conservative, non-invasive options for at least several months. If substantial weight loss occurs after surgery, there is a risk of skin laxity. Conversely, if an individual gains substantial weight after the surgery, there is a risk that more skin and tissues will stretch, potentially undoing the results of the surgery.

A ‘six-pack’ is a colloquial term that refers to the appearance of your rectus abdominus muscles under your skin. To achieve this, you need well-defined, well-formed six-pack muscles and minimal body fat. While an abdominoplasty will remove excess skin and some fatty tissue — and tighten the abdominal muscles, it will not increase the size of the muscles, so it will not create a ‘six-pack’. However, once you have recovered from surgery and are exercising again, there will be less flesh in the abdominal area. Therefore, if you regularly exercise your abdominals and minimise your body fat percentage, you will have a greater chance of achieving a ‘six-pack’ over time, if that is your wish.

Immediately after your surgery, you may experience some pain and discomfort, but fortunately, this is short-lived. Many women claimed that the pain level is approximately the same as a cesarean. Rest assured, your anaesthetist will have provided you with intravenous pain medications to make you as comfortable as possible. Most patients spend a minimum of two nights in hospital after an abdominoplasty and don’t return home until the pain is manageable. You’ll also be given prescription medications to take home with you so that you remain comfortable. After several days, it’s likely that you no longer need to take any medications.

After you’ve had an abdominoplasty, it will be too difficult to stand up straight as your skin — and often muscles — have been tightened. Keep yourself hunched forward and take small steps so that you don’t cause unnecessary strain on the area. After approximately two weeks, you’ll find it’s possible to stand straight again. (However, if you’ve not had your muscles tighten during surgery, you will be able to stand up straight sooner.)

As your abdominal tissues have been tightened, it will be difficult to sit up straight for the first couple of weeks. Consequently, you should not drive at this time. After two weeks, if you feel confident and comfortable enough to get behind the wheel, you can recommence driving.

The time it takes to return to work after surgery will depend on the type of surgery you’ve had and the work that you do. In general, all patients should rest and avoid work for the first two weeks. After two weeks, if your work is sedentary and home-based, you can consider returning to work. After three weeks, you could consider returning to office-based work. After four weeks, light hospitality work can be considered. Six weeks after your procedure, you can attempt normal strenuous activities, provided you practice commonsense caution and ease into all activities carefully.

An abdominoplasty takes time to recover. However, if an individual has undergone major reconstructive surgery, the results will be apparent soon after. Generally, it takes about 6 weeks for the swelling and discomfort to settle and for the results to become more evident. The final results of a tummy tuck may take around six months. By this stage, the swelling, tightness and pain should have dissipated, and you are well into the swing of your own routine. Abdominoplasty scarring takes some time to mature, and final results are not visible until 12 to 24 months. Initially, your scars will be red and raised, but over time, they will flatten and appear as fine white lines.

There is a potential for wound healing problems with all surgeries. Typically, this includes bleeding, infection, skin and tissue necrosis and wound breakdown. However, some patients are more predisposed to wound problems than others. These include the overweight and elderly, those with diabetes, smokers and the immunosuppressed (or those taking immunosuppressive medications).