Having a tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, may improve the profile of your abdomen, but cosmetic surgery can't replace the effects of a healthy diet. Before scheduling a tummy tuck, your cosmetic surgeon will advise you to achieve a stable weight that's appropriate for your height and body frame. Prior to surgery, eating foods rich in protein, vitamins and minerals that promote tissue healing may speed recovery time and improve the appearance of surgical scars. Consult your cosmetic surgeon about dietary modifications that will increase your chances for a healthy recovery and aesthetically pleasing results.
Procedure
Pregnancy, significant changes in weight or the natural process of aging may weaken abdominal muscles or cause loose, sagging skin. By tightening abdominal muscles and removing excess skin and fat, a tummy tuck may give you a tighter, flatter abdomen, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, or ASPS. A tummy tuck requires a horizontal incision between your pubic area and navel to access abdominal tissues. The procedure may require a second incision around the navel to remove upper abdominal fat.
Reaching a Stable Weight
A tummy tuck may complement the effects of a balanced diet and regular exercise, but it's not a solution for unwanted weight gain, according to the ASPS. Eating a diet with balanced proportions of low-fat complex carbohydrates, lean protein and unsaturated fats that doesn't exceed your daily calorie requirements will help you maintain a healthy weight before and after your procedure. The ASPS advises that you're more likely to be satisfied with the results of surgery if you've set realistic goals for your weight and post-surgical appearance.
Healthy Wound Healing
The ASPS advises that cosmetic surgery patients eat foods rich in vitamin C and protein before and after their procedure to promote healthy wound healing. Protein provides the structural materials for regenerating and remodeling tissues as your surgical incisions heal, Drs. Douglas MacKay and Alan L. Miller note in an article published in the Nov. 2003 issue of "Alternative Medicine Review." Getting adequate protein from foods such as poultry, fish, nonfat dairy products, nuts and soy products may speed healing and reduce swelling after your tummy tuck. The vitamin C in foods such as citrus fruit, broccoli, tomatoes and potatoes contributes to the synthesis of collagen, a material that your body needs to repair tissues after surgery. The recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, for vitamin C is 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men.
Minimizing Scars
Vitamins A, C and zinc contribute to the formation of strong, new tissues as your incision heals, MacKay and Miller note. Eating foods rich in these nutrients in the weeks before your surgery may ensure that your body has the resources for healthy scar formation. Eggs, liver and dairy foods provide vitamin A. Orange, yellow and dark-green vegetables and fruits provide beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A during digestion. The RDA of vitamin A is 2,333 IU, or international units, for women and 3,000 IU for men. Shellfish, beef, poultry dairy foods, legumes and nuts provide zinc. The RDA for zinc is 8 mg per day for women and 11 mg per day for men.
Preventing Infection
Infection after surgery poses a risk for tummy tuck patients, the ASPS states. Vitamin C supports your immune system and may help prevent infection post-surgically, according to MacKay and Miller. Eating a balanced diet that meets your essential nutritional requirements will strengthen your body's natural ability to fight the harmful micro-organisms that can compromise wound healing.
References
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: Tummy Tuck Surgery: Abdominoplasty Procedure Information
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: Consumer's Guide to Breast Reduction: Post Surgery Recovery FAQs
- "Alternative Medicine Review: Nutritional Support for Wound Healing." Douglas MacKay, N.D. and Alan L. Miller, N.D.; Nov. 2003
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamins: Introduction
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University: Zinc
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