Actual Los Angeles Tummy Tuck Patient, results may vary


California abdominoplasty is not for everyone.  You should be in overall good health.  That means free of systemic diseases or if you do have high blood pressure, for example, it is under good control.  We use extreme caution in doing the procedure for people who have diabetes, especially when it is being done as part of our combined procedure of our well-known Rodeo Drive Mommy Makeover.  You need to have someone around the house to help you, at least for the first few days of your recovery.  You should not plan on driving for at least a week, and probably longer.  We can work with you to get back to exercising quickly, but you must avoid working your abdomen early following your procedure.

If you are a smoker it is essential that you stop smoking prior to having your work done.  This is because if you smoke there are real risks of wound healing problems and even skin loss.  You should be prepared for your recovery.  This usually means about two weeks off from work and no heavy lifting for at least six weeks.  Planning for all stages -- before, during, and after surgery -- leads to a smoother process and ultimately better results and lower risks of complications.  You should ask questions during all phases of the process so ensure you have good communication with your doctor.

You should be aware that having this procedure does create a long scar.  It is low on the abdomen and is usually covered by a bikini bottom.  If you do not want to have a scar, you should not have a tummy tuck.  But the scar does usually heal without problems and the improved appearance usually more than makes up for gaining an additional scar low on the tummy and around the belly button.

Some people have an umbilical hernia that should be fixed during the tummy tuck surgery.  Your doctor will examine you to determine this prior to your procedure.  Sometimes this repair is done with stitches, and other times a piece of synthetic mesh is used to provide additional strength and reinforcement.  Following a hernia repair, it is especially important to avoid heavy lifting.  The tissue strength increases greatly with time, and indeed it is rather weak immediately following surgery.