We all know we shouldn't compare our appearance to others, but that's easier said than done. When all you see in the media is men and women in great shape, it can leave anyone wanting a tighter torso.
It sounds simple enough: get on a healthy diet and start exercising more. There's a catch, though. Getting the look you want isn't all about fat. The shape and firmness of your skin and your underlying muscles play a strong role in getting a more defined abdomen.
The bad news is that exercises and body creams won't go far toward tightening skin. The good news is that a tummy tuck can tackle the problem in one procedure. While you might know about tummy tucks already, did you know there are many variations of them?
Find out about one of the most powerful procedures for excess skin, a fleur de lis tummy tuck:
WHAT IS A FLEUR DE LIS TUMMY TUCK?
A fleur de lis tummy tuck focuses on removing a large amount of excess skin from the abdomen. The surgeon will also remove some targeted fat and repair abdominal muscles during the procedure if this is needed, as with a standard tummy tuck.
A fleur de lis tummy tuck gets its name from the incision's shape. The surgeon removes a panel of skin that's shaped like the three petals of a fleur de lis. The top peak of this panel is near the breastbone, while the farthest peaks at the sides are around the hip bones.
After removing the panel of excess skin, the surgeon shapes the underlying fat and muscle as needed. At this point, the surgeon pulls the remaining skin together for a shapely contour.
HOW IS A FLEUR DE LIS TUMMY TUCK DIFFERENT FROM OTHER TUMMY TUCKS?
The basic elements of the fleur de lis tummy tuck are similar to those of the standard tummy tuck. What makes a fleur de lis tummy tuck unique is the incision's shape and the extreme amount of skin it removes.
Unlike a fleur de lis tummy tuck, a standard tummy tuck only uses an incision in the lower abdomen. This procedure removes an eye-shaped panel of extra skin from the lower abdomen. While the rest of the skin is pulled down for a slimmer, younger look.
For patients with a small amount of excess skin, we also offer a mini tummy tuck. This procedure uses the same shape of the incision as a standard tummy tuck, but it's smaller.
HOW DO I KNOW WHAT TYPE OF TUMMY TUCK IS BEST FOR ME?
When it comes down to it, your tummy tuck choice is based on how much extra skin you have.
CANDIDATES FOR A FLEUR DE LIS TUMMY TUCK
A fleur de lis tummy tuck is designed for patients with an extreme amount of unwanted skin. These tend to be patients who have succeeded with major weight loss. While they lose the unwanted fat, their skin may not be elastic enough to conform to their slimmer shape.
CANDIDATES FOR A STANDARD TUMMY TUCK
A standard tummy tuck is a strong choice for patients who have extra skin above and below their belly button. However, they don't have enough extra skin to warrant a fleur de lis tummy tuck.
CANDIDATES FOR A MINI TUMMY TUCK
A mini tummy tuck is designed for patients with minimal extra skin. These patients tend to have excess skin below their belly button but not above.
CANDIDATES FOR ANY TYPE OF TUMMY TUCK
Keep in mind that all types of tummy tucks also offer muscle correction. Some people get a "pooch" after weight loss or pregnancy that won't go away. Rather than fat or skin, this may be caused by muscles that are stretched or separated. This is most common for women who have been pregnant.
For people who have lost extreme amounts of weight, a fleur de lis tummy tuck may be the first step in the process. We provide post-weight loss plastic surgery for other areas of the body as well.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT DURING MY FLEUR DE LIS TUMMY TUCK?
In general, we perform tummy tucks on an outpatient basis. During your surgery, you'll receive general anesthesia throughout the procedure. Based on what you've discussed in your pre-surgical consultation, the surgeon will provide the skin removal, muscle correction, and liposuction to achieve your desired look.
The full surgery for a fleur de lis tummy tuck takes between three hours and six hours. Most patients can go home shortly after they wake up from the anesthesia.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT AFTER MY FLEUR DE LIS TUMMY TUCK?
In the early stages of your recovery, you'll have a bandage as well as drains and a specialized compression garment. This keeps swelling to a minimum. You can still expect some swelling, bruising, and skin discoloration. These will start to fade within a few days after surgery.
Most patients can return to work about two weeks after surgery. Your bruising and discoloration could take three weeks to resolve. In addition, your swelling will continue to fade for several months. You will need to avoid strenuous exercise and heavy lifting for about six weeks.
Keep in mind that everyone's body heals at its own pace, so your recovery may vary. However, fleur de lis tummy tuck patients tend to be thrilled with their results.
As with any surgery, the fleur de lis tummy tuck will leave a scar. A typical tummy tuck scar is a curved line near the hip bone. A fleur de lis tummy tuck will cause this scar as long as a vertical scar running down the middle of the abdomen. However, most patients feel that removing their extreme amounts of excess skin is well worth the resulting scar.
THE NEXT STEP TOWARD YOUR TUMMY TUCK
The first step toward a tummy tuck is learning about your options, and now you have that in the bag. The next step is speaking to a plastic surgeon about which of those options work best for you.
If you're ready to discuss a tummy tuck to resolve your excess skin, schedule a plastic surgery consultation with us today.
