A) There are a few reasons why I also encourage my patients to move around and walk after surgery. During surgery, massage boots are used to help blood circulate from the legs. The best way to help blood circulate after surgery is by simply walking because the muscles in your legs contract, sending blood back to your heart. This decreases the chance of blood clots that can break off and go to the lungs. We often encourage our patients to drink clear liquids the night after surgery to get them up and walking to and from the bathroom. The sooner you get back to performing your normal activities, the less sick you will feel.

I encourage my patients to walk for about five minutes, or for as long as they can, every two to three hours the night after surgery. Then the next day, I encourage my patients to get dressed in comfortable clothes and to walk around the house and even outside. It decreases the chance of pneumonia, blood clots, and other symptoms when patients are as active after a tummy tuck as they were before. Most of my patients also do not simply have the time to lie around; they have responsibilities or work that requires their attention. I also recommend that you use as little pain medication as possible due to the associated side effects.

A) There are a few factors that depend on the answer. Liposuction works well on love handles and I prefer VASER liposuction because of the quick recovery time. However, because belly fat is not always superficial, liposuction is not always a good option.

During a tummy tuck, liposuction is used to remove fat along with the surgical removal of extra skin from the lower abdomen and the relocation of the belly button. Because they are often done together, you would not need to have them done separately.

I suggest you schedule a consultation with a local board certified plastic surgeon to be examined; you can find one through the ASPS (American Society of Plastic Surgeons) website. During the consultation, you can get advice on how to achieve the results you are looking for.

A) I congratulate you for choosing only ASPS (American Society of Plastic Surgeons) certified plastic surgeons for your liposuction evaluations. I agree that price should not be the only factor in this decision. When comparing price, remember that a plastic surgery procedure isn’t a commodity that’s identical from one provider to the next. The results of liposuction, like those of any procedure, depend on your surgeon’s aesthetic judgment and surgical skill. These obviously differ widely.  I always tell my patients that it is not necessarily how much fat I remove that is important, it is how much fat I leave.

Additionally, you’ll want to choose the plastic surgeon and staff with whom you feel the most comfortable. There’s value in knowing that you will be cared for by people who understand your goals, answer your questions, and respond to your concerns.

Always check before and after photos to gain a sense of their work. Some of my patients who are considering a procedure ask to speak with some of my other patients who have already gone through the procedure so they can ask specific questions about the experience. You may want to do the same, as it can help with your decision

The tummy tuck is traditionally a female procedure that is provided after women have given birth.  Physiologically during pregnancy the body changes.  Men traditionally do not seem to have those same issues. For your husband who has a very large tummy that protrudes over his waistband, there are some procedures that would be more appropriate for him,  including perhaps a little bit of weight loss, but there are procedures that can be done. I hope this helps.