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Month: October 2020

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Tummy Tuck

When Can I Sleep on My Stomach After a Tummy Tuck?

Tummy Tuck

Tummy Tuck

A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a procedure in which the excess skin and fat are removed, and the abdominal wall is reconstructed to tighten and firm the area. The tummy tuck is one of the most common cosmetic procedures, offering a dramatic and visible change to the body that provides you with more self-confidence. However, there is a period of recovery in which you must take great care not to sleep on your stomach. One of the questions patients often ask is, ‘When can I sleep on my stomach again?”

Recovering from Your Tummy Tuck

Because an abdominoplasty is a major surgery, the recovery time requires patience. You will find the best success with your surgery by following your doctor’s instructions as closely as possible. It will be important to take care with how you stand, sit, and sleep. You will not be able to lift anything, vacuum, or do other basic activities for the first two to four weeks. The majority of our patients agree that the effort during recovery is worth the results.

Sleeping Safely After Your Tummy Tuck

One of the most important factors in your recovery is the ability to sleep. Sleeping helps your body have the energy you need to recovery quickly. Sleeping safely after your tummy tuck means no sleeping on your stomach at all. While you can sleep in a bed with the proper support – pillows to elevate you and prevent you from rolling, the optimum choice is to sleep in a recliner. Not only will the recliner support you and prevent you from rolling and pulling out sutures, but you will likely get better sleep and accelerate your recovery. You’ll need to refrain from sleeping on your stomach for the first three to four weeks.

With years of training and experience performing tummy tucks, our surgeons have the expertise required to provide you with the beautiful results you want. To learn more about getting a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) in Salt Lake City and how it can help to improve your appearance, you can request a consultation online or call our office at (801) 937-9650. We are eager to meet you and help you on your aesthetic journey.

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Breast Reconstruction Surgery

Breast Reconstruction Surgery for Breast Cancer Survivors

October is breast cancer awareness month, and while we all want to do our part to encourage and remind women to get their annual mammograms, we also pay homage to the women who have fought and survived the disease. Women who have already survived breast cancer are often the biggest advocates of early screening, and so many of them play a large role in furthering the research into preventing more breast cancer in the future. Many women who have survived breast cancer and have scars or had to have a mastectomy are good candidates for breast reconstruction surgery.

What Is Breast Reconstruction Surgery?

Breast reconstruction surgery is a procedure designed to create a natural-looking breast and nipple. Age is not a factor in whether or not a woman is a good candidate for breast reconstruction surgery as long as she is in relatively good health, the cancer is stable, and no further radiation treatments are required. Breast reconstructions can either be performed using an implant or by using skin, fat, and muscle from another part of the body, called an autologous-tissue breast reconstruction. Usually what determines which approach is used depends on how much tissue is left in the breast area and whether or not the patient wants implants. If you are a smoker, have other health issues, or are obese, your plastic surgeon may ask you to resolve some of your health issues prior to the surgery.

Breast Reconstruction Considerations

Breast reconstruction surgery can give you the aesthetics you desire, but there are factors to consider. First, most reconstructed breasts have little or no sensitivity due to the damage done to the nerves by the cancer or the mastectomy. Second, in order to achieve symmetry, the breast reconstruction may require that you have surgery on your remaining breast to make it a little larger or a little small than what you had originally.

With years of training and experience performing facial plastic surgery, our surgeons have the expertise required to provide you with the beautiful results you want. To learn more about breast reconstruction surgery in Salt Lake City and how it can help to improve your appearance and restore your confidence, you can request a consultation online or call our office at (801) 937-9650. We are eager to meet you and help you on your aesthetic journey.