The procedures of a tummy tuck are generally the same, although each surgeon has his or her own special techniques for the surgery. A tummy tuck involves removing excess skin and fatty tissues around the stomach, waist, hips, and sometimes, as in the case with an extended tummy tuck, fat in the back area can be removed too. And aside from knowing how tummy tucks are done, you should also be familiar with the risks, side effects, and cost of a tummy tuck too.

Tummy tuck risks and side effects

Surgery involves risk of some kind, and a tummy tuck is especially notorious for giving risks like constant bleeding, gaping wound, clumsy stitches, and bumps and lumps of fat and skin that were not properly removed. A really good surgeon can protect you from the risks associated with invasive surgery, and to make sure you never experience hemorrhages and large, painful, unsightly scars, check that your plastic surgeon has the right authorization and credentials from the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Not all plastic surgeons are authorized to perform abdominoplasty or tummy tuck operations, so always be cautious when visiting a new surgeon for a tummy tuck consultation.

Tummy tuck scars are to be expected, but those for minimal tucks are small and will barely leave a trace. Creams, gels, steroid injections, and regular massages are all used for tummy tuck scar revision, but only a good surgeon can protect you from getting unnecessary scarring around your waist.

Another possible side effect of a tummy tuck is an improperly positioned navel, especially for standard and extend tucks where plenty of loose skin has to be removed. An experienced surgeon can correctly reposition your navel with no difficulty, but one with less experience and no training in abdominoplasty can easily mess up.

Tummy tuck cost and recovery

People who only need to have a little skin and belly fat removed will naturally have to pay less, for the tummy tuck surgery will be short and easy. This will also equal to a faster and shorter recovery time. Very expensive tummy tucks, such as extended tucks that can cost more than $10,000 on average, are for cases where there is plenty of fat and skin to be removed. Minimal and standard tummy tucks cost around $4,000 to $9,000 and will require two to seven weeks of tummy tuck recovery, while the extended tucks may need up to four months.