Tummy Tuck in Essex County, New Jersey

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Also Offering Tummy Tuck for Morris & Union Counties

Do you eat healthy and exercise regularly, but still have loose skin and excess fat throughout your midsection, perhaps due to pregnancy, the natural aging process or other factors, such as heredity? Have you recently lost a major amount of weight, but now find that you’re left with sagging, extra skin on your abdominal area?

Don’t feel embarrassed if you identify with any of these scenarios – they are more common than you realize! Sometimes, diet and exercise are just not enough to get rid of loose skin that has lost its elasticity or stubborn, localized fat, both of which can be caused by pregnancy, aging or massive weight loss. Not to mention, pregnancy can also cause the abdominal muscles to become greatly weakened or separated, making it nearly impossible to restore muscle tone.

If you have tried everything and still cannot get the taut, toned tummy you desire, it’s time to try one more thing: Contact Dr. Erwin Bulan.

At Bulan Plastic Surgery, we are experts in body contouring procedures, including abdominoplasty, or “tummy tuck” surgery. We know how to help you get the firmer, flatter abdominal profile that has been eluding you – until now. We are also proud to offer combination procedures, such as mommy makeover to help you trim and tone all of your problem areas.

Who Makes a Good Tummy Tuck Candidate?

Although tummy tuck surgery is an effective way to get a flatter midsection, it is not for everyone. For instance, tummy tuck is not intended for major weight loss. Instead, it is a tool to get rid of excess skin on the abdominal area after major weight loss has already occurred. So, who makes a suitable candidate for tummy tuck? Read on to find out.

Suitable tummy tuck candidates include those who:

• Are in overall good physical and mental health
• Eat healthy and exercise routinely but still have loose skin that has lost its elasticity (and possibly localized fat) in the midsection
• Have greatly weakened or separated abdominal muscles
• Are at or slightly above their ideal body weight
• Are at a weight they feel they can maintain after tummy tuck surgery
• Are not pregnant and do not plan to get pregnant in the future
• Do not smoke or are prepared to stop smoking several weeks before and after surgery
• Have realistic expectations for the outcome of surgery

Only a board-certified plastic surgeon, such as Dr. Bulan, can determine whether you are a suitable candidate for tummy tuck. To find out if you can benefit from tummy tuck surgery, contact Bulan Plastic Surgery to schedule a personal consultation.

Tummy Tuck Surgery Details

Before the day of tummy tuck surgery, Dr. Bulan will give you detailed instructions about what to do before and after the procedure. Tummy tuck is usually an outpatient procedure, so you should arrange to have an authorized adult drop you off and pick you up from the surgical facility.

On the day of surgery, general anesthesia will be administered before Dr. Bulan begins the tummy tuck procedure. To start, an incision is made that runs horizontally across the lower abdomen from hipbone to hipbone. Careful planning is done to position the incision so it can be concealed by underwear or a bathing suit.

The surgeon then repairs abdominal muscles as needed, possibly using stitches on the stomach muscles to create or restore the look of a “six pack.” Dr. Bulan then removes any excess skin from the abdominal area. Liposuction maybe performed if you have stubborn fat pockets under the skin. The plastic surgeon then repositions the remaining skin, realigning the navel with the newly contoured abdomen. To finish tummy tuck, Dr. Bulan closes the incision with sutures.

TUMMY TUCK RECOVERY

Your mobility will be limited in the days following surgery. Focus on resting and staying hydrated in the early days to optimize your recovery, taking prescribed painkillers as necessary to manage any discomfort. Dr. Bulan will provide you with a compression garment that you should wear at almost all times for about 4 weeks: not only does it help to stave off potential infection and post surgical complications, it also holds your new stomach in place to achieve better results in the long term.

Most patients feel well enough to return to work after a couple of weeks, provided their jobs are not strenuous. Limit serious exercise for a couple months or until you have the go-ahead from Dr. Bulan. In subsequent months, the swelling and bruising will subside. As healing occurs, your stomach will gradually look better.

Tummy tuck surgery permanently removes fat cells and excess skin from the body. Provided that you maintain a healthy lifestyle and do not allow your weight to fluctuate, the results from tummy tuck surgery should last indefinitely.

TUMMY TUCK FAQ

HOW IS TUMMY TUCK DIFFERENT THAN LIPOSUCTION?

Both liposuction and tummy tuck are body contouring procedures that can successfully eliminate unwanted fat deposits from the stomach. However, liposuction does not address the excess skin that accumulates around the abs after weight loss, which is where tummy tuck comes in handy. Tummy tuck improves the general appearance of the stomach by tightening skin, reducing stretch marks, and improving the positioning of the abdominal wall.

CAN EXERCISE ELIMINATE MY SAGGING SKIN?

While a healthy lifestyle is a great way to cut down on fat and build muscle, unfortunately no amount of diet and exercise will naturally tighten up loose skin. If you are dissatisfied with excess skin on your body, surgery is your best option for getting rid of it.

WILL TUMMY TUCK HELP MY POST-PREGNANCY BODY?

Yes, tummy tuck is a popular procedure with women who have seen their stomach change permanently due to pregnancy. Not only does pregnancy stretch the skin, but weight that would have come off easily with diet and exercise before motherhood now stubbornly clings to the midsection. Dr. Bulan recommends waiting until you are done having children to get tummy tuck, as a subsequent pregnancy is likely to undo the results achieved through the surgery.

 

WHAT IS A MINI TUMMY TUCK?

Though some people assume that a “mini” tummy tuck is a less intense version of the surgery, the word mini actually refers to the area where fat is targeted. While a traditional tummy tuck removes belly fat above and below the navel, mini tummy tuck focuses solely on fat below the navel.

Mini tummy tuck is mainly appropriate for people who carry a small pooch of fat lower on the body — if you have significant abdominal fat above the belly button, addressing only the lower fat would yield unappealing results. During a consultation, Dr. Bulan can assess whether you would be a good candidate for the mini version of tummy tuck.

Abdominoplasty Risks

One note: There are inherent risks with any type of surgery; tummy tuck is no exception. However, Dr. Bulan is a highly experienced plastic surgeon and takes specific precautions to minimize surgical risks. On your end, you must strictly adhere to Dr. Bulan’s instructions to reduce the risk of complications and maximize the aesthetic benefits of tummy tuck surgery.

How to Schedule a Tummy Tuck Consultation

Pregnancy, major weight loss, aging gracefully: These are all things to be proud of. On the other hand, having the sagging skin or weakened abdominal muscles that these milestones can cause would frustrate anyone.

Stop feeling frustrated, and start feeling optimistic. You can have a taut, toned tummy! Many patients throughout Union, Morris and Essex County, NJ have already experienced the great results that Dr. Bulan can achieve. Contact Dr. Bulan by calling Bulan Plastic Surgery at (973) 467-9744, and get on your way to six-pack abs today!