The sagging belly formed because of diets applied insensibly, the pregnancy process and inactive life is stretched again through ‘abdominoplasty’ operation. 90 percent of those who had the operation, which makes the release of the patient possible the same day from the hospital, are satisfied with the operation.

Sagging belly, one of the biggest problems of those who get and loose weight frequently, the women who had given birth, is restretched through ‘abdominoplasty’. Head of Anadolu Health Center Plastic and Reconstructive Section Op.Dr.Tuğrul Kihtir gave information on the belly stretching operation (abdominoplasty).

*What is the belly stretching operation? Abdominoplasty or as it is called by the public ’belly stretching operation’ is the removal of excess fat and skin and the compressing of the muscles which have become loose on the wall of the belly, the reforming of the belly wall by rejuvenating. Through this operation, the loose, increased fat tissue and swollen appearance of the belly is being removed to provide again the flat and slim appearance and other than this the waist is being narrowed. In like manner, the condition called ‘diastase’ which emerges as a result of the parting of the muscles of the belly wall can be repaired by this operation.
‘MINI’ BELLY STRETCHING OPERATION
*What is belly stretching before marriage? Belly stretching operation has mainly three types and pre-marital belly stretching is one of them. In the classical or formal belly stretching operation as the excess skin fat is removed the entire lower belly skin is removed starting at the belly band area and the belly band is removed from the belly skin. Because of this method the natural appearance of the belly band may be changing and permanent scars may be formed in the belly band area. Classical belly stretching is applied generally in situations where accumulation of too much fat is present on the belly wall and advanced degree of the loss of elasticity of the belly skin has occurred.

*What are the differences of this technique from the other belly stretching techniques? In the mini-belly stretching operation the excess layer is removed at a level starting with below the belly band area and the belly band area is not reformed. Through this method the belly band area preserves its natural appearance and scars do not form around it. Other than this, since feeding by blood is better preserved, problems such as hard or late healing are not seen or seen much less. Mini-stretching operation, is preferred generally in conditions where the fat accumulation on the belly wall is of medium degree and it is seen in the lower half of the belly and the decrease of elasticity is observed in the lower half of the belly skin. On the other hand, in the belly stretching operation before marriage, in addition to the min-belly operation the excess fat in the upper area and the waist area are removed by suction through liposuction. Here in addition to the skin fat area removed from the lower area of the belly, through liposuction generally 500-2500 mls fat is removed. This attempt named pre-marital belly stretching is named as such because of the combining of the mini-belly stretching and liposuction attempts. The advantages of this attempt are as it is in mini-belly stretching the prevention of a scar in the belly band region, the prevention of the problems such as hard healing because the feeding with blood is better preserved and also the possibility of the removal of the fat in regions like the waist and upper belly by suction in the same operation through liposuction without the requirement of a further operation. In like manner, healing and return to normal living activities gets realized in a shorter period as well. Marriage abdominoplasty (pre-marital belly stretching) as it is in miniabdominoplasty in general is preferred in patients in which in general fat accumulation is observed on the belly wall and where the decrease of elasticity is observed at the lower half of the belly and fatting is observed in the waist area.

*What are the differences between belly stretching and liposuction? Like belly stretching, liposuction is a method used in the reshaping of the belly wall. Liposuction or with its other name in the ‘fact suction attempt’ the excess fat tissue in the belly wall is pulled out, in contrast the skin is not removed and the belly wall muscles are not tightened. Because of this reason, the liposuction attempt is applied in people whose belly skin is not loosened to sag and the stretched appearance of the belly by the loosening of belly muscles has not occurred. Of the belly stretching operation on the other hand, it is utilized in people in whom the belly skin is loosened to sag and the belly wall muscles are loosened to have a swollen appearance.

DENSE INTEREST IS TO LIPOSUCTION
*With what frequency can belly skin shaping operations be repeated and what is the trend in this area? We can rely the most healthy figures on this matter to the studies made by ‘American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ every year. In the year 2004 in USA 324 thousand liposuction -fat suction- and 107 belly stretching operations were applied in total. In frequency of most applied aesthetic surgical operation ranking, liposuction has become the mostly applied operation, belly stretching operation is in the frequency ranking became the sixth aesthetic surgical operation. In both operations, a great rate of increase is observed as compared to 12 years earlier. When compared to 1992, we observe that the liposuction surgery applied show an increase of 472 percent, the belly stretching operation an increase of 510 percent.

*How is the post operative convalescence stage? After the belly stretching operations the patient can walk out to come out to home or can stay in the hospital for one day. Walking on foot starts the next day after the operation. It can be walked out of the house three-four days later. Returning back to work is possible generally in weeks. Starting to light exercises can be in a couple of days. Starting to the tiring and advanced exercises can be after the fourth week when can be tolerated. Belly stretching operations are realized by a cut applied under the bikini line approximately 15 cm, in like shape to the cesarean section. This cut unseen from the outside is tolerated well; the operation scar ceases its distinctness and comes to the state of being barely seen within six-nine months.

*Does belly stretching operation have risks? As it is in every surgical attempt belly stretching operation also has risks. Amongst these are temporary swellings and purplings, under skin bleeding, lessening of sensation, infection, accumulation of blood and liquid , skin damage, late healing and the permanency of scars.