Tummy Tuck

With the tummy tuck Houston residents could have the answer they're looking for, if you’re struggling with excess abdominal skin and weakened muscles, even if you are maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Whether it is due to pregnancy, significant weight loss, or the natural aging process, a Tummy Tuck can help you address these concerns and provide a smoother and firmer midsection. Houston plastic surgeon, Paul F. Fortes MD, and his dedicated team, are committed to offering a personalized care experience and delivering natural-looking results. Together, they will guide you through every step of your aesthetic journey, helping you to regain confidence in your body. Visit Paul F. Fortes MD Plastic Surgery in Houston, where a high level expertise meets compassion for a motivating experience that caters to your unique needs.

Absolutely, and it often is. Many patients find that combining a tummy tuck with other treatments gives them more complete, balanced results, especially if they're addressing multiple areas affected by pregnancy or major weight loss. Pairing surgeries can also cut down on overall recovery time compared to spacing them out.

Here are a few of the most common combinations:

• Liposuction: Liposuction is frequently done during a tummy tuck to target areas like the waist, flanks, or upper abdomen. This allows Dr. Fortes to sculpt your shape more precisely and blend the contours smoothly. Liposuction works well with a tummy tuck because it focuses on removing fat, while the tummy tuck removes skin and tightens muscles.
• Breast Surgery: Many patients choose to combine a tummy tuck with breast augmentation, lift, or reduction. This is especially popular in Mommy Makeover procedures, which are customized to restore areas affected by pregnancy. Doing both surgeries together can provide a more proportional look and a bigger confidence boost.
• Non-Surgical Body Treatments:Once you've recovered, you may want to enhance or maintain your results with non-surgical treatments like CoolSculpting® for small areas of fat or radiofrequency skin tightening to keep things smooth and firm. These treatments aren't a substitute for surgery, but they can add a nice finishing touch.

During your tummy tuck consultation, it is essential to engage in open and candid discussions with Dr. Fortes. Be prepared to discuss your surgical goals, medical history, current medications, and previous surgeries. Dr. Fortes will evaluate your general health status, take photographs, and discuss the potential outcomes and risks of the procedure. It's important to ask questions and address any concerns you may have about the surgery, recovery process, and expected results. A detailed pre-operative consultation lays the foundation for a successful tummy tuck procedure, and your complete candidness during the consultation is crucial for the success and safety of the surgery. To ensure that you have a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of the tummy tuck procedure, consider bringing a checklist of questions to ask your surgeon, and don't hesitate to discuss any feelings of anxiety or excitement about the upcoming surgery.

Healing after a tummy tuck is a gradual process, and it's important to go easy on yourself. Most patients need a couple of weeks off from work, and while light walking is encouraged early on, you'll want to avoid heavy lifting, bending, or strenuous activity for about six weeks. You'll wear a compression garment to reduce swelling, and drains may be placed for the first week or two to help your body recover smoothly.

While the physical recovery takes time, patients often say the emotional benefits start early. Feeling more confident, stronger, and more like yourself again is something that builds as your body heals. And the better you care for your body post-surgery, the better your long-term results will be.

What Recovery Looks Like:

• First few days: swelling, bruising, and some discomfort (eased with pain medication and ice packs)
• Drains (if placed) are usually removed within 7–14 days
• Compression garments should be worn as instructed to reduce swelling and support healing
• Most people can return to light activity or desk work after 10–14 days
• Full physical activity (workouts, lifting, etc.) resumes after about 6 weeks
• Temporary numbness or tightness is common and may last several months
• Final healing and scar maturation can take 12–18 months

Tips for Long-Term Care and Maintenance:

• Follow all post-op instructions closely (they really do make a difference)
• Keep a stable weight, significant weight gain or loss can affect your results
• Stay active with low-impact movement as you recover, then ease into regular exercise
• Focus on a balanced, healthy diet to support your healing and keep your results looking great
• Don't skip your follow-ups, these are key to making sure you're healing well