If you notice that despite your best efforts to exercise and maintain a healthy weight that the skin in your midsection is sagging, you might want to consider a cosmetic alternative. These days more and more men are open up to get a tummy tuck on their expanding waistlines. As we age, it’s only natural that our metabolism slows down. Throw in a busy schedule and you just might find yourself wrestling with sticking to a healthy diet and a proper exercise routine in order to combat an expanding waist. Your answer just might be to get a tummy tuck in Chicago, Dr. Steinbrech’s renowned TorsoTuck™ surgery customed for men.
A tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is a specialized procedure that’s aimed at improving the appearance of the abdomen/midsection area. Some men find it difficult to lose their excess stomach fat, tighten their midsection, and lose their protruding stomach despite diet and exercise. As we age, metabolism slows down, and laxity in the abdominal wall can be attributed to fluctuations in weight, age, or heredity. A tummy tuck can help alleviate your anxieties, improve your physique and overall self-confidence.
A tummy tuck involves removing loose skin around the abdomen and tightening the midsection for a firmer, defined torso, making the tummy tuck a popular choice among men seeking a form of weight loss surgery. The procedure is different for men and women, and while the general surgery includes making an incision above the groin, removing excess skin, and then stitching it closed; the differences lie in the flat incisions made for men versus the curved incisions made for women, and the liposuction treatment that tends to accompany tummy tuck procedures. Many men seek to have a pattern in the form of a six-pack, where women prefer a toned pattern in their midsection. Alterations often need to be made to the naval, with those made for women who have softer curves, a male tummy tuck procedure tends to have a more vertical shape.
All tummy tuck procedures are done while the patient is under general anesthesia.
Depending on your consultation with your doctor, you may receive a mini or a full tummy tuck. A mini tummy tuck includes a horizontal incision that is made between the pubic bone and the belly button where the skin is lifted and weak abdominal muscles are tightened. Any excess skin is removed and loose skin is tightened before the incision is sutured closed.
A full tummy tuck includes the incision made along the pubic bone in addition to one around the navel. The muscles on the upper and lower abdomen are tightened, the skin on the lower abdomen is lifted above the belly button and to tighten, the skin on the upper abdomen is pulled down. Excess skin is removed and sutured together. Bandages are then applied to the surgical site along with a compression garment to help alleviate swelling. Drains may also be inserted to help release any fluid from the surgical area.
Liposuction is usually combined with tummy tuck procedures, and some men may want liposuction to remove excess fat, or to etch a six-pack pattern, or v-lines on the lower abdomen for more definition.
The best candidates for a tummy tuck procedure are committed to living a healthy lifestyle, do not smoke or drink excessively, and have no medical conditions that will increase the risks of surgery or slow the healing process. Ideal candidates should also possess a significant amount of loose, soft tissue or excessive skin with a stable weight or are close to their ideal weight goals, have lost a significant amount of weight from their midsection, and are in overall good health prior to surgery. Lastly, it is helpful to maintain realistic goals and an all-around positive outlook for your surgery.
The tummy tuck can be an outpatient procedure (the patient is sent home after surgery) or it can be a 24-hour hospital admission, depending on the patient’s needs. If it’s an outpatient procedure, the patient must have a designated driver as well as someone to care for them for the next few days. The recovery process varies from patient to patient, and for the first few nights after surgery, you will need to sleep on an incline. Do not exercise until your doctor says you can resume physical activities and be sure to attend all follow-up appointments requested by your doctor.