Prolong Your Tummy Tuck With These Before and After Tips

Want your tummy tuck to last as long as possible? Taking the right steps before and after your procedure can help maintain your results.

“There are two main factors that limit how long a tummy tuck lasts: aging and weight changes,” says Dr. Heidi Harrington, board-certified and fellowship-trained plastic surgeon at Beaufort Memorial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics. “While you can’t keep yourself from aging, there is a lot you can do to maintain a steady weight.”

Read below to learn important steps you should take before and after your abdominoplasty for long-lasting results.

Read More: Questions to Ask at Your First Plastic Surgery Consultation

Before Your Tummy Tuck

Achieving long-term tummy tuck success starts at home. In the months leading up to your procedure, you should:

• Be at your target weight — Losing or gaining weight after surgery can cause skin to stretch or sag. Therefore, your plastic surgery team will encourage you to be within 10 or 15 pounds of your goal weight beforehand. Try to maintain this weight for at least three to six months before surgery.
• Be healthy overall — A tummy tuck (also called abdominoplasty) isn’t a weight-loss program. It helps you make the most of your healthy habits. Before surgery, eat a healthy diet and drink plenty of water. You should also stop smoking. In fact, your plastic surgeon will require you to stop smoking for six weeks before and after your tummy tuck. Enroll in a smoking cessation program if necessary.
• Be mentally prepared — It’s important to know what to expect from your procedure. For some, full recovery can take months, and your scar can take over a year to flatten and fade. Mental preparation beforehand helps you remain patient with the healing process and stay on a healthy course afterward.

Read More: The Ins and Outs of Body Contouring: What It Can Do and Who It’s For

After a Tummy Tuck: Maintenance Tips

Once you leave the hospital, it takes work to make your tummy tuck last. One of the most important steps is to maintain your current weight. Three ways to do that after a tummy tuck are:

• Not becoming pregnant after a tummy tuck
• Eating a healthy diet
• Exercising regularly

Read More: Mommy Makeover: Reclaiming Your Confidence

Your Post-Abdominoplasty Diet

A healthy diet before and after a tummy tuck promotes healing, overall health and long-term positive results. For lasting results, eat as many calories as you burn each day, and make sure those calories provide the energy you need.

Good foods to fill up on every day include:

• Dairy products
• Fruits and vegetables
• Seafood, meat, poultry, legumes and other healthy protein sources
• Whole grains

When choosing food for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, stick to whole foods. Avoid prepackaged items, especially those made with added sugar, salt, cholesterol and saturated or trans fats.

Exercise Protects Your Tummy Tuck Investment

As your body regains strength, exercise plays a vital role in maintaining your cosmetic surgery results.

“I encourage patients to get back to their previous exercise routines, but to work their way back to it slowly,” Dr. Harrington says. “This helps your body acclimate to exercise safely and reduces your risk for injury.”

Your plastic surgeon can help you create a tailored plan to return to exercise. In general, returning to exercise comes in phases.

• Immediately after surgery — Walking very short distances is the only exercise you should get for at least 24 hours. Be very careful not to overstretch your abdominal muscles.
• First three weeks — Gradually increase the length of your walks. Avoid turning or twisting your abdomen. Do not lift your children or heavy objects.
• Weeks four through six — It should be safe to ride a stationary bicycle or try other light exercises to raise your heart rate a bit. Avoid weight-lifting or core exercises. Slowly increase the intensity of your cardio routine.
• After six weeks — Unless your surgical team says otherwise, you can resume strength training. Start light and work your way up slowly over the next few weeks.

After two or three months, it should be safe to resume your previous exercise intensity and duration. Staying on track with your exercise routine moving forward helps you maintain good health. It also helps you prolong the effects of your tummy tuck.

“Exercise does two things essential for prolonging your tummy tuck results,” Dr. Harrington says. “It helps you stay toned and strong, and it keeps you in a healthy mindset. These two benefits are vital, as they make you more likely to maintain other lifestyle changes to get the most out of your abdominoplasty.”

A Summary of What to Do Before and After a Tummy Tuck

Abdominoplasty results can last for years, possibly a lifetime. To get the most out of tummy, take the right steps before and after your procedure.

1. Before surgery, adopt healthy habits and reach your ideal weight. It’s also important to be mentally prepared, so you know what to expect during recovery and beyond.
2. It’s recommended you undergo a tummy tuck after your final pregnancy. This protects against stretching out your stomach following surgery.
3. Exercise and a healthy diet help you maintain your good health and prolong the effects of your abdominoplasty for as long as possible.

Call 843-707-8020 or request a plastic surgery consultation online.