When sports no longer help: when abdominal plastic surgery is the only option?

Often, after losing body weight in a short time or after pregnancy, people complain about excessive skin and a protruding belly that cannot be eliminated with the help of exercise or healthy eating. Gintaras Papečkys, the founder of „G.P. Klinika“ and a plastic surgeon, states that tummy tuck surgery is the solution when nothing else helps.

What is tummy tuck surgery and what problems does this procedure solve?

The essence of tummy tuck surgery is to remove excess abdominal skin, shape the abdominal muscles, and tighten the muscle area of the abdomen. This results in an impressive outcome, a defined figure, a corrected navel, and a highlighted waist.

Most often, patients who have lost a lot of body weight or women after childbirth seek help, as in many cases, stretch marks and excess skin appear in the abdominal area.

From my working experience, I can say that people usually seek help when their belly looks swollen and large. Often after childbirth, the belly remains swollen or gradually becomes so, not fully returning to its original state; however, if there is no excess skin, but only relaxed muscles or accumulated fat in that layer, then liposuction or a minimal operation is sufficient. Nevertheless, saying goodbye to obvious excess abdominal skin and stretch marks can only be done with the help of tummy tuck surgery.

You mentioned the navel. What kind of navel is considered aesthetically beautiful in the field of cosmetic surgery?

The navel is a very important part of the aesthetic abdominal appearance. A woman who has not given birth has an aesthetically beautiful navel, which we describe in the world of cosmetic surgery as funnel-shaped. However, after childbirth, in many cases, the appearance changes as the upper part of the navel becomes droopy.

In recent years, it has been observed that tummy tuck surgery is becoming an increasingly popular procedure. Why do you think that is?

People are more willing to undergo this surgery because it is not a very visible area, allowing them to avoid healing discomfort. I believe this is one of the reasons.

Should a woman who has undergone tummy tuck surgery worry about the situation recurring if she becomes pregnant again?

Usually, the situation does not recur because the skin is already more elastic.

What is the postoperative and healing period like after tummy tuck surgery?

The postoperative period is not very difficult, but healing is somewhat more demanding. The stitches should be kept for up to two weeks, and one should try not to stretch too much.

You can return to your routine in about four to six weeks. It is also important to emphasize that there will be quite a large scar at the bottom of the abdomen. I recommend performing scar correction a year after the surgery to make it look more aesthetic.