Whether your weight loss came from giving birth to a child which happens very rapidly, or whether you lost it on a diet and exercise regime, you may find yourself now with a lot of extra skin while still having some fat that you would like to be rid of. Depending on where the majority of your issue is and the extent of it will determine whether you need a normal tummy tuck or a mini in order to get you where you want to be.
A mini tummy tuck will tend to cost you less money and will likely have less scarring than with a total abdominoplasty. It deals with just the lower part of the abdomen. If you have trouble with the upper as well and can afford the extra money, you will want to look into a full abdominoplasty. The job of both abdominoplasties is to get rid of any fat that you still need removed, to tighten up your abdominal muscles, and to get rid of loose skin that may actually be giving you more weight and girth than you would expect. Liposuction may be used as part of the tummy tuck procedure as well.
This is a real surgery, and you will actually be put under general anesthesia for it. This being the case, it is important that your doctor know if you have any conditions that would prohibit you from being under general anesthesia. Your whole medical history is really very important before you are even cleared to have plastic surgery. If you have issues like diabetes, heart problems, or other issues that can be dangerous, your surgeon may opt out of doing the surgery. If he or she does, you are wise to listen to their advice and not seek a doctor who will do it.
The recovery for your tummy tuck will take some time, but with so many new products and techniques for healing available, your recovery does not have to take as long as it once did. If you find a surgeon that offers a great deal of pre- and post-operative care, including things like vitamins and exercise, then you are fortunate. It is a good idea to look for a surgeon that does have this to offer.
If you are a woman, then you should make sure that you are done having children before you have such extensive surgery. Having an abdominoplasty and then having a baby will be a waste of money. You will not likely go back to the shape you were after your plastic surgery, so if you want to have more children, hold off on the surgery until you are certain that you are done.
If you have not yet decided on a plastic surgeon to handle your surgery, you will want to make sure that the one you do choose is board certified, and it is also good if they are members of societies of plastic surgeons. Having these qualifications gives them more credibility than if they did not have them.