Extended Tummy Tuck
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Defined Tag: Extended Tummy Tuck.

An extended tummy tuck is an expanded abdominoplasty procedure and usually performed on people who wish to improve the appearance of love handles on either side of the hips, in addition to the abdominal area. The extended tummy tuck was developed after it was noted that, in some tummy tuck patients, although the abdomen was remarkably improved, the flank and back areas still had folds of extra skin and fat. This procedure has been performed on thousands of patients, with generally excellent results.

The best candidates for an extended tummy tuck are people who wish to refine their figures following substantial weight loss. Such patients usually need help restoring tone to the abdominal, hip, flank, and back muscles, and are also bothered by abundant amounts of excess skin, sometimes weighing several pounds. This procedure is ideal for patients who have a significant amount of excess fat and skin in the flank, upper hip, and lower back regions.

In an extended abdominoplasty, the incision spans the entire length of the abdomen and extends to the back of the patient’s hips. During the procedure, the surgeon tightens the exposed muscles and creates a new navel to match the patient’s new body shape. The surgeon may also use liposuction during an extended tummy tuck procedure to achieve the ideal body contour. After excess skin has been trimmed from the abdomen, hips, flanks, and back, the incision will be closed with sutures. For more comprehensive body contouring results, some patients opt to combine their extended tummy tuck with an arm lift, thigh lift, or a butt lift.

As the extended tummy tuck involves a fairly long incision and dramatic physical changes, surgeons usually require that patients remain in the hospital to recover for at least one day. Drainage tubes will be placed under the patient’s skin to prevent the accumulation of fluid and to allow the incisions to heal properly, and the patient will be given pain medication to ease discomfort. Patients should arrange to have someone help them get around for a few days after they return home and should not shower until the drainage tubes have been removed from their incisions, roughly one to two weeks after the procedure. Swelling and bruising are normal after any body contouring procedure, but the majority of swelling should subside after about six weeks. Patients will be able to return to light activity after two weeks of their extended tummy tuck. However, it is recommended that they should consult with their surgeon before resuming any vigorous physical activity following their extended tummy tuck procedure.