Many people have resorted to tummy tucks, whether to get a smoother waistline after weight loss or to return to their pre-pregnancy body shape. Ultimately, a tummy tuck is an effective surgery to help tone a flabby stomach area. However, one thing to note is that loose skin after a tummy tuck is a possibility. If a person experiences weight gain or weight loss after their surgery, it can definitely impact the skin and may result in loose skin. Age is also another factor that can affect the results of a tummy tuck. Stay with us to know more.
💊 Loose Skin after Tummy Tuck: Get to Know the Causes
A tummy tuck is a surgical procedure that aims to improve the body’s shape. It does this by targeting the excess fat and skin in the abdominal region. Hence why it is also called an Abdominoplasty. It also addresses the problem of diastasis recti, which is a condition where the gap between the belly muscles increases. This can cause a bulging belly. This procedure helps tighten the core muscles, which can even alleviate back pain caused by bad posture as a result of excess skin in the abdominal region.
The tummy tuck procedure in Turkey is often paired with procedures such as liposuction and is also part of a combined surgery, like the Mommy Makeover procedure. This combined procedure focuses on multiple areas of a woman’s body at a time to improve their body shape and contours.
However, loose skin can still occur even after the tummy tuck procedure. This is because the tummy tuck results change over time due to factors such as age, weight loss, etc.
📍 Understanding all the factors that can cause saggy skin even after a tummy tuck will help a person set realistic expectations for the results. It will also motivate them to follow post-op care after the tummy tuck procedure to extend the longevity of the results.
🩺 How Age Impacts Tummy Tuck Results
Skin Elasticity Decreases With Age
It is a well-known fact that aging reduces the skin’s elasticity. This happens due to a decrease in the number of fibroblasts that form collagen and elastin. As existing collagen and elastin fibers break down due to aging changes, the reduced number of fibroblasts can no longer replenish them effectively, weakening the skin’s structural support.
Healing Capacity Slows Down
Factors like a decrease in cell turnover rate, reduction in active fibroblasts, and weakening of the immune mechanism slow down the body’s healing capacity. Physiological aging changes also include a decrease in essential hormone levels and growth factors, which further exacerbate the loss of skin firmness and elasticity.
Hormonal Changes
Age-related hormonal shifts significantly impact the firmness, elasticity, and fat-deposit distribution in the body. Loss of estrogen due to menopause and a decrease in testosterone levels due to andropause impact the structural integrity, moisture levels, elastin and collagen production, and resilience of the skin. Loss of these important hormones also affects fat stores in the body. For example, in post-menopausal women, fat deposits tend to shift to the abdominal and waist area.
🧬 The Genetic Factor: How Your DNA Shapes Your Results
Genetics and tummy tuck result longevity are directly related to each other. Although there are many tips and tricks on how to prevent loose skin after a tummy tuck, age-related changes eventually may show through.
Inherited Skin Traits
Genetics influences many skin qualities, such as skin thickness, the strength of elastin fibers, collagen density, etc. These inherited skin traits decide how physiological aging changes impact individual skin and how soon the age-related decline becomes noticeable. People who are genetically predisposed to lose skin experience skin laxity earlier, irrespective of having healthy lifestyle practices. On the other hand, individuals with darker skin tones have more collagen, elastin, and melanin. They can retain skin firmness and moisture longer than people with lighter skin tones.
Family History of Skin Aging
Being aware of one’s family history of skin aging provides valuable insights into how to prevent loose skin after a tummy tuck. Genetics and tummy tuck results are very closely intertwined. Prospective patients can share their family history of skin aging during their pre-surgery consultations for a highly individualized surgical plan. This allows the surgeon and the surgical team to plan for factors such as skin-tightening techniques, introducing preventive skincare, communicating specific post-surgical maintenance guidelines, and setting realistic expectations of the tummy tuck outcomes.
🏥 Why Post-Op Care Is Crucial for Optimal Skin Tightening
The recovery phase of the tummy tuck procedure in Turkey is essential for its success.
Following Your Surgeon’s Recovery Protocol
After the abdominoplasty procedure, the surgeon will provide after-care protocols to facilitate a smooth recovery. This may include the following:
- As part of the early recovery, you should minimize your physical activity.
- You should skip work at least for the full first week.
- You will wear a belly band for the first 3-4 weeks for better support and healing after the operation.
- Do some light walking around the house to enhance blood circulation and minimize the chances of swelling.
- No heavy lifting for at least the first 2 weeks.
- Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated and facilitate the healing process.
- Eat lots of protein to help with healing from the surgery and strengthen the muscles.
- Vitamin C is an antioxidant. So, consuming foods with vitamin C can help fight against infection and improve wound healing.
Smoking and Alcohol Consumption
Smoking can hinder proper blood circulation and can be a risk to tissue health. The lifestyle choices we make post-surgery can significantly influence our body’s healing. Resultingly, addictions such as alcohol consumption can enhance the chances of infection and cause complications in healing from abdominoplasty.
Dr. Cengizhan’s Aftercare Support
Dr. Cengizhan has formulated a comprehensive after-surgery care protocol. The healthcare professionals on his team monitor the patient immediately after surgery to ensure their well-being.
Furthermore, the patient is usually given instructions for at-home care after they get discharged. They will be guided on how to effectively heal their body. Moreover, they will also be prescribed medication to tackle any discomfort.
💡 The surgeon will also do follow-ups to track the progress of post-surgery healing and will be available to address any patient concerns.
Preventing Loose Skin After a Tummy Tuck: What You Can Control
There are some measures you can take to maximize and prolong the results of your tummy tuck surgery:
Maintaining a Stable Weight
Making sure that your body does not go through any significant weight fluctuations can protect your tummy tuck results. In fact, it is ideal to be at your goal weight before surgery and work to maintain this ideal weight post-surgery. Drastic weight loss or weight gain after the surgery can affect skin elasticity and cause the recurrence of loose skin in the abdominal region.
Skincare That Helps
Taking care of your skin post-surgery can preserve the elasticity of your skin and contribute to your tummy tuck result. Scarring is the main concern for many after a tummy tuck procedure. The surgeon will recommend a gel or treatment to help ensure minimal scarring. The medical professionals on the team will also recommend a massage to help ease blood flow and avoid any major scarring. Using a gentle moisturizer after the incision has healed can also prevent dryness and help soften and hydrate the skin.
Also, make sure the abdominal region is protected from direct sunlight. Otherwise, it can increase pigmentation and make the scar more prominent.
Contact us now to get your consultation with Dr. Cengizhan Ekizceli!
