Tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is a surgical procedure whose objective is to increase anterior abdominal wall tautness. Primarily, it is a cosmetic procedure but persons with certain medical conditions may also benefit. Experts recommended that potential candidates need to first try out lifestyle changes to achieve their desired results and should only consider surgery if these fail. Before undergoing tummy tuck Michigan residents need to understand a number of things beforehand. Increased abdominal wall fat is the main reason as to why people would wish to have this operation. Commonly such obesity is the result of unhealthy lifestyles contributing to uncontrolled weight gain. Another common cause of such weight is pregnancy. A majority of women experience increase weight and fat deposition in areas such as the abdomen. While diet and exercise help reverse these changes after delivery in most of them, other measures are required in others. Tummy tuck is generally not recommended for weight loss as it only focuses on fat removal. If there is a need to lose weight, other available options that are used for the same should be considered. They will include, for instance, lifestyle modification and weight-loss operations such as gastric bypass surgery. Although they may have abdominal wall fat, persons with central obesity may also not benefit. The underlying condition should be treated. Before undergoing the tummy tuck procedure, you need to visit your surgeon for an evaluation. This will include a medical history as well as a physical examination. Both of them are done to rule out possible medical condition that may be contributing to abnormal weight or abnormal fat deposition. You will be requested to stop taking any drugs that may increase the risk of bleeding during the operation. Some tests may also be conducted at this time. There are various types of abdominoplasty that can be performed. The classification that exists is based on factors such as the area of the abdominal wall that is involved and the amount of fat that is removed. One of the most commonly performed types is the complete abdominoplasty. It involves the creation of two incisions that help the surgeon to raise a skin flap and expose the underlying fat. The fat is then removed through suctioning and the skin closed with stitches. Partial abdominoplasty is another fairly common type. It is preferred by persons that only want a limited version of the complete abdominoplasty procedure. The fat is removed only in the lower abdomen and the rest of the region is spared. Other surgical techniques that may be employed include extended abdominoplasty, high lateral tension and circumferential abdominoplasty among others. There are a number of complications that may arise from these operations. It is important that you discuss them in advance with your surgeon before the operation is scheduled. They include, for example, excessive blood loss, post-operative infections and scar tissue formation (in the long term). Taking antibiotics for one to two weeks after surgery helps reduce the incidence of infections. It takes a few weeks to recover from the operation. It is advisable that you stay away from strenuous activities for at least one month so as to allow the wound to heal well. If you are a smoker, you may need to abstain for at least two months as this may delay your healing process. Lifestyle changes need to be instituted afterwards so as to increase the chances of success.