Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) Treatment Cost in India

A tummy tuck is often confused with the liposuction technique, but they are different. However, a patient can consider both the surgeries together to enjoy the toned look of the abs. The surgery aims to remove excess fat and loose skin and tighten the ab muscles to give it a toned look. People can consider total abdominoplasty where the abdomen is opened from hip bone to hip bone and tissues, skin and muscles are contoured accordingly. In this surgery, the belly button is also removed, and drains are required to be placed under the skin so that drainage keeps happening. While in partial abdominoplasty the belly button is not removed and is usually meant for fat deposits under the navel region. This kind of technique should be considered as a last resort by patients when medicines, diet, and exercise is not affecting the tummy flab. It is usually found to be a problem among women who have undergone multiple pregnancies and as a result skin and muscles have parted and expanded in such a way that there is a sag that cannot be eliminated, and the skin has grown loose. It may also become a problem for people who were fat earlier and who suddenly lost weight, resulting in the formation of slight skin and stubborn fat blood cells under the bowels.

But this kind of surgery is only meant for people who are otherwise healthy and can take the stress of undergoing surgery. This surgery should not be considered if the patient is an expecting mother. It is best left undisturbed at this point in time since the abs and skin will eventually expand and the muscles comprising the abdomen shall even part to accommodate the growing fetus.  One should consider the surgery post-pregnancy that too as per the advice of their healthcare.

Abdominoplasty is performed in many ways depending upon the requirement of the patient. Some of the methodologies of abdominoplasty has been described below:

Complete abdominoplasty:  In a complete abdominoplasty an incision is made from one side of the hip to the other side, right above the pubic hairline region. This incision is done to release the navel from the skin surrounding it. After that, the skin is removed from the abdominal wall to reveal the below-lying muscles and fascia and secured using the stitches. In many cases, a surgeon can also perform liposuction for matching of the contours in the abdominal structure in a smoother way. For the excess fluid that is formed from the site of the surgery, a compression garment is employed to soak that up.

Partial Abdominoplasty: A partial abdominoplasty is performed by the surgeon with small incisions made right above the pubic region.  Along the abdominal wall, some fat and skin are removed gradually to access the muscles and fascia that are underneath it. The excessive skin gets eliminated while the remaining skin is pulled and stretched to cover the space. The surgeon can consider shifting the naval further down below in the abdominal wall and the necessary tightening of the fascia and muscles in the abdominal wall is carried out.  In order to correct the contouring of the abdominal wall liposuction can also be combined with partial abdominoplasty to get better results. Hereafter the incision is closed by the surgeon with sutures.

Extended Abdominoplasty: This kind of procedure does a tummy tuck totally and along with it a lateral thigh lift procedure is done. So, the procedure makes use of all the steps that must be followed in a complete abdominoplasty and tucking in the excessive skin and fat from the top of the waist so that the blending of the contour is perfect with the area of the thigh.

Floating Abdominoplasty or FAB: Referred to as extended mini abdominoplasty this makes use of a small incision in the location right below the belly button for removing the excess fat and skin underneath and also work by tightening the abdominal muscles by parting the belly button from the skin underneath. The surgeon will work by placing the belly button back in the original position to enhance the look of the tummy.

Circumferential Abdominoplasty: In this kind of complete abdominoplasty along with correcting the abdomen a buttock lift will be done simultaneously. This procedure is also called Body lift procedure or a Belt Lipectomy when excessive fat and skin are removed all around the waist in a single circumference and hence the name.

Before the surgery, a patient is expected to quit smoking. One must make the change much before since 2 weeks before the surgery a patient is expected to quit smoking totally as smoking interferes with the quality and time of healing after the surgery.

It is however not advised that a patient should go for a diet that is rigorous but instead talk to their healthcare provider for a healthy diet to be prescribed to him or her. Mothers who are still nursing should be extra cautious in terms of the food that they are choosing and should abstain from making any wrong choices that will affect the quality of the breast milk produced for the baby.

It is also a good idea to go for some walking and light exercises so that the healing is fast after the surgery. A healthy and well-exercised body will have more tenacity to combat the effects of surgery. The patient can consider swimming, yoga or light walking every day before the surgery.

The patient should honestly let their healthcare providers know about any supplements taken by him or her and whether it needs a stoppage or reduction before the surgery.

The patient should make arrangements of certain items like handheld shower, a sitting chair under the shower, some ice packs, petroleum jelly, and comfortable loose clothing.

Tummy tuck procedure takes 5 to 6 hours and is conducted under general anesthesia so a stay of the overnight stay after surgery is usually expected. After this procedure, pain and swelling are very common side effects and medicines are given to treat for them. Complications of this type of operation are very rare and hardly involve clots in the blood, vomiting, or an infection. These kinds of troubles are more expected among patients who suffer from poor blood circulation and diabetes or patients with heart, kidney or lung diseases.

Tummy tuck surgeries do leave scars; however, they fade with time. The total disappearance of the scar may not take place and the patient must understand this before undergoing the surgery. Creams and ointments will be recommended by the doctor to help fight stretch marks and scars.

For 6 weeks at least, strenuous activities have to be limited as much as possible and the patient should follow the instructions of the doctor for sitting and standing properly during the healing period so as not to damage or stress the stitches formed. Proper care must be taken for the bandages to avoid any damage or infection during the recovery period. It will take 2 months at least to get back to normal life again and feel completely fit.

The cost of a tummy tuck is as low as $1800 in India compared to the cost of $5500 to $7000 in countries like the USA and UK with similar kind of experience and great quality treatment and care.