The idea of undergoing any type of surgery is sure to make you feel a bit apprehensive. What you do not want, however, is for that apprehension to come from a belief in false myths about the procedure you're about to undergo. Tummy tucks, especially, are procedures that seem to have a lot of myths surrounding them. If you're thinking of undergoing a tummy tuck, you really deserve to know the truth:

Myth: if you have a tummy tuck, you can't go on to have children.

Surgeons definitely prefer not to have their patients undergo a tummy tuck until they are done having kids. However, this is not because having a baby after a tummy tuck is dangerous. It's just because getting pregnant again will stretch out your stomach and "erase" the effects of the surgery. If you're thinking of having more children, you may seriously want to consider waiting to have a tummy tuck. But if you happen to accidentally become pregnant after the procedure, there's no major reason to be concerned or worried.

Myth: tummy tucks are just for the ladies.

The term "tummy tuck" sounds a little feminine, and you do hear of more women having this procedure than men. However, men can definitely have a tummy tuck done, too. If you are a man who has been overweight in the past and then lost a significant amount of weight, you may have extra skin around your midsection, and a tummy tuck can be used to remove that skin.

Myth: a tummy tuck will help you lose weight.

Whenever you remove tissue from someone's body, that person is going to weigh a bit less afterward. However, that does not mean a tummy tuck is a weight loss procedure. Its purpose is to remove the skin, not fat. If you are overweight, your doctor will want you to lose weight before they perform a tummy tuck. They can help you with this by recommending a dietitian and a physical trainer.

Myth: a tummy tuck will leave you out of commission and recovering for a long time.

Many patients picture a tummy tuck as a major procedure that leaves them in bed for weeks. This is not really the case. This is a surgical procedure, so there is some recovery time. Most people will spend a few days laying low and a week or two staying home from work. But after that, you can mostly resume all but the most demanding activities.