Manish Raj Gupta, MD

Diastasis is a relatively common condition relating to stretch of the muscles that normally form the line directly above and below the umbilicus, or belly button. Due to weight gain and loss, pregnancy and other normal hormonal shifts, the definition of the "six-pack" muscles is lost as those two muscles spread apart. During abdominoplasty, many surgeons place a series of stitches to tighten these muscles and help reduce the amount of diastasis between the two muscles, sort of like an internal corset.