The Unexpected Perks of a Tummy Tuck

A tummy tuck at our Richmond, VA, plastic surgery center can provide you with a smooth and firm midsection. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The procedure has a few unexpected additional benefits that are more than just cosmetic.

1. Reduce back pain and improve posture: When your core muscles are weak, your other muscles must work extra hard to help keep a good posture. This compensation often leads to back pain. Additionally, strong core muscles stabilize your pelvis and spine and keep them in a neutral position, which is important for comfort. When you have children, the core muscles are often separated, a condition called diastasis recti. A tummy tuck can tighten these muscles, strengthening your core, improving your posture, and getting rid of back pain.
2. Make exercise easier: Removing excess skin and tightening the abdominal muscles can help improve your exercise tolerance. Often excess skin can make exercises like running and jumping more physically demanding. Additionally, my patients mention that they feel uncomfortable and self-conscious when they are at the gym. Undergoing a body contouring procedure like a tummy tuck can be great motivation to get into a regular gym routine. In fact, many patients report that their tummy tucks have helped them maintain weight loss in the long-term.
3. Correct urinary incontinence: It is not uncommon for mothers to experience a weak bladder after childbirth. A tummy tuck can help improve bladder control for women who leak when they sneeze, cough, exercise, or laugh. During your procedure, we can make a slight obstruction to cause tension and pressure from the bladder to the urethra, preventing leakage.
4. Address ventral hernias: A ventral hernia is a bulge of tissues that protrudes through an opening in your ab muscles. They can cause discomfort and complications with other organs. Women are often pleased to hear that a tummy tuck and hernia repair can be combined procedures, so they only need 1 recovery period. By tightening the abdominal muscles, there is also less of a chance that another hernia will develop.
5. Boost your confidence: A tummy tuck can help you reach the point of looking good and feeling good! Many women are excited to try on new clothes and styles that they would have never purchased before their procedure.

Though this article focuses on female tummy tuck patients, it is important to note that men get tummy tucks too! Men who have lost significant weight can be great candidates for the procedure as well.

To get a better idea of your potential with tummy tuck surgery, check out our gallery of real patient before-and-after photos. If you are ready to take the next steps and discuss your options with a board-certified plastic surgeon, request a consultation online or call our office at (804) 267-6009.