Abdominoplasty is a great way to enhance your appearance by trimming away excess fat and skin and tightening up your abdominal muscles.  This is a popular procedure for people who have flabby skin as a result of weight loss or pregnancy, and also is great for people who work out and eat well but still can’t get rid of some of their belly fat.  You often read about the benefits of abdominoplasty, but what are the risks to your health?

Abdominoplasty is indeed an invasive procedure; during the operation the skin will be peeled away from your abdomen and sutures will be used to tighten the underlying tissue.  Excess fat and skin will be removed, and the skin will then be placed back down.  Excess fluids will need to be drained and you’ll have to wear a compression garment for a month to support your tender midsection.

Many tummy tucks go by without incident—you will certainly experience pain and tenderness during the early stages of recovery, and scarring will be permanent.  Scars are usually hidden below the swimsuit line though, and they do grow fainter with time.  Common complaints after abdominoplasty tend to focus on excess fluid draining, but this abates within a month.

Dangerous complications after abdominoplasties are rare, but can include blood clots, thrombosis, infections, heart attack, stroke, or pulmonary embolism.  Skin necrosis is another possible complication which is very serious.  How can you avoid these complications?  You will need to follow your surgeon’s directions to the letter.  This includes instructions for what to do before and after your surgery.  People who smoke in the weeks leading up to abdominoplasty are far more likely to experience skin necrosis than those who don’t.  Patients who don’t move around after their surgery but allow their bodies to stagnate are most likely to develop blood clots.

Abdominoplasty has its risks, but for many patients it is an uneventful procedure which provides the shape they desire.  You can reduce your own risks by doing what your surgeon says—just be sure to be aware of all possible complications and how to prevent them before committing to surgery.