Liposuction and Tummy Tuck During C-section?

Alot of patients ask me about this, but this really does not make sense when you think about it. First, you are not at your normal weight. Second, you are all stretched out and need to left the tissues rebound back to where they started. Third, you are in a hypermetabolic state, with increased intravascular volume, etc. Not a good idea at all. I do not know anyone who would do this at the time of delivery.

Under no circumstances should you even consider doing this. While at a casual glance this might seem like a convenient plan, the idea of taking on the additional risk the day your new baby is born is irresponsible as a parent. Besides that, your body needs to fully recover from the preganancy before a surgeon would know exactly what you need.

Aside from the overly high risks in combining these surgeries with a c-section, it is often a waste of money too. You need to allow your body to get back in to pre-baby shape, then decide if you need something. To help do this, try and maintain the best shape you can during pregnancy - with the approval of your OB of course. This includes walking everyday and watching your weight gain. It is important to gain enough during pregnancy, but don't let it get out of control. This will not... more

Absolutely NOT! The risks, which may range from wound complications to blood clots to fatal outcomes, are in my opinion to catatrophic to recommend the procedures you request. I would recommend you wait at least 3-6 months or until full recovery, before you contemplate surgery....You are interested in cosmetic surgery, maximize your results by maximizing your starting point. I recommend you visit with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to discuss your plans. Good Luck! Dr. C

Although we DO combine a tummy tuck with hysterectomies, very few plastic surgeons would feel comfortable combining a tummy tuck much less, a tummy tuck and liposuction with a C-section. The risks are too great. A pregnant woman at term presents a surgical challenge in that your blood vessels are enlarged, the skin is over stretched and there is fluid retention - This makes marking and proper sizing and planning unreliable and inaccurate. Moreover, inflicting cosmetic surgical trauma on... more

Dear Sweet Sara The combination of a tummy tuck and a c-section- although may be possible is a recipe for a bad result and would be very unadvisable. There are too many variables to control for getting a fabulous result. On top of this- your focus on your new born child is extremely important in this time period. With Warm Regards, Trevor M Born MD

Although many woman think this would be a great time to have some improvements done, it really is not. Your abdominal muscles are stretched our. Your skin is stretched and you are at least 20 lbs. over your normal weight. Liposuction and other procedures during a C-section significantly increase your risk of infection. You are best to wait at least 4-6 months following your delivery to think about any surgery on your abdomen. A qualified Plastic Surgeon will give you the same advice and... more

All the doctors above me have answered for you. You can not do a C-section with a tummy tuck and lipo. Not only is it physically impossible to get a great result (the uterus is too big to make the abdomen flat), it puts you at too many risks for complications. I do many C-section closures for OB-GYN doctors at Cedars Sinai Hospital as well as St. John's here in L.A. when asked to do so. But that is just a nice cosmetic closure. The moms come back for tummy tucks when the uterus has gotten... more

Although technically possible, the timing is asllwrong. Too much is going on with C-sections and too much risk to baby and mother at that time. Your body is also no at its normal nor stable state. These are prerequisites to body-contouring procedures. Having your baby, let your body go back to its normal state, maintain a good diet and exercise routine, then revisit the possibility of elective body-contouring.

It is common to combine cosmetic surgery with other non- cosmetic procedures but combining it a C-section with a Tummy Tuck would be a bad idea . The chance of complications would be much greater with the pregnancy complication risk added to the abdominoplasty risks. The skin and muscle shrink after the birth so the abdominoplasty would probable be more difficult to do and get the ideal result.

Thanks for the question - Most board certified plastic surgeons will tell you that this is not a good idea. here are a few reasons that this isn't a great idea. First - having just given birth you're still carrying a significant amount of your pregnancy weight. A good abdominoplasty requires a patient be at their ideal bodyweight. You will absolutely get a substandard result. Second - combining procedures (especially procedures as different as a C-section and a tummy tuck) can increase... more

Although plastic surgeons commonly combine operations, the particular procedures you are suggesting would present too many risks. You will be physically stressed by the C-section and delivery. Pulmonary embolus (blood clot to lung) is a risk with both pregnancy and abdominoplasty. One would not want to stack these risks. Furthermore, I think the overall result would be compromised by concurrent pregnancy even though I have never done this combination of procedures. Furthermore, many... more