I want to get a tummy tuck. How do I know if I am a good candidate for abdominoplasty?

Abdominoplasty offers great health benefits to men and women of all ages. It is best suited to those in relatively good shape, but with loose abdominal fat that won’t respond to dieting or exercise. Men or women bothered by any of the following conditions are often good candidates for a tummy tuck:

• Loose, sagging abdominal skin

• Excess fat in the abdominal area

• A protruding abdomen

• Abdominal muscles weakened by pregnancy or aging

Because pregnancy and weight fluctuation can affect your tummy tuck result after surgery, many postpone their procedures until they plan no more children and their weight is stable. Abdominal scars from previous surgeries can limit your abdominoplasty result. Though in some cases, such as with many Cesarean section scars, the new incisions can be made below the existing scar which can then be removed at the time of your tummy tuck.

Is it true that warm water opens up our pores?

Using warm water to “open” your pores is technically impossible. Your pores aren’t muscles, so they can’t voluntarily open and contract regardless of water temperature. There is nothing that can physically make the pores smaller or bigger. That said, there is some logic behind washing your face with warm water to help clean out your pores. While warm water will not actually open up your pores, it can help clean out the gunk, grime and sebum that has accumulated inside. The more oil and gunk you get into your oil gland, and hence the hair follicle, the bigger your pores are going to look because the oil is sitting in your pores and stretching it out. Hot water can change the structure of the skin, make it more pliable and loosen up the material in it so it’s more easily flushed out, which can make the pore appear smaller. Just be sure, however, not to turn the temperature up too hot. Steaming or using water that’s too hot can actually break down the proteins in the skin and make you more susceptible to eczema, breakouts and irritation.