5 Reasons Why Tummy Tucks Are Still a Popular Choice for that Unwanted Belly Fat

With so many tools and techniques for trimming your midsection, including liposuction and nonsurgical body sculpting, you may be surprised to learn that the tummy tuck is still one of the most popular plastic surgical procedures in the United States. That’s because it can fix more than just your belly pudge.

Rick J. Smith, MD, is an experienced plastic surgeon in East Lansing, Michigan. He’s helped restore many of our patients’ waistlines with tummy tucks by removing excess belly fat and skin and tightening the abs. There are many reasons why tummy tucks are a popular choice for slimming and shaping your middle, and we want to share some of those with you.

Immediate results

You may not see the results of your tummy tuck the day of your surgery, but as you recover and the abdominal swelling goes down, you’ll see a slimmer, trimmer midsection in no time.

Those toned abs

You may be dedicated to the gym and super committed to your healthy diet, but sometimes diet and exercise aren’t enough to tone those abs, especially if the skin has been stretched out from pregnancy or excess body weight. During a tummy tuck., Dr. Smith not only removes excess skin and fat, but he also tightens your abdominal muscles, giving you the waistline you’ve been working so hard to get.

Better posture

Did you know that weak abdominal muscles can affect your posture? Your abs, also referred to as your core, support much of the weight of your upper body. If your abdominal muscles are weak or separated (more on that next), then your upper body may not have the support it needs, resulting in a curved back and shoulders.

By tightening your muscles through a tummy tuck, Dr. Smith improves upper body support and posture. Better posture means less back and neck pain. It may also make you appear taller, slimmer, and more confident.

Repair for diastasis rectus

Having a baby really takes a toll on your body. Not only does the rapid growth of the baby cause stretch marks, but it also causes your abdominal muscles to separate, referred to as diastasis rectus, or what you may call your belly pooch. While the degree of separation varies, for some women it may mean the end of their abs as they know it.

During your tummy tuck, Dr. Smith not only tightens your skin and lower abs but also closes the abdominal muscle gap created by your baby to restore your younger, pre-baby shape. And, as mentioned above, this improves posture too.

Long-term results

During your tummy tuck, Dr. Smith removes excess skin and unwanted fat, reshapes your waist, and tightens your abdominal muscles. Up to 10 pounds of skin can be removed during surgery. Unlike liposuction and nonsurgical body sculpting tools, the tummy tuck totally changes the shape of your body, which means the results are long term.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you should abandon your healthy diet and exercise program. While you may no longer feel the need to do 1,000 crunches every day, you should still make good food choices and work out regularly to maintain your new shape.

The tummy tuck does more than just get rid of your belly fat. It reveals the abs you’ve been working so hard for at the gym and in the kitchen. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Smith to see if a tummy tuck is right for you, call the office today or request an appointment online.