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Expected Outcome Without Muscle Tighting

How different is the final look if I decide to forego the muscle tightening with a full tummy tuck? My biggest concern is loose skin and post pregnancy stretchmarks. I'm 47, 5'7" and weigh 154 lbs.

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15 Doctor Answers | Asked by Sinderella414 in Scottsdale, Arizona

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Don't buy a car without the engine...

I concur with my colleagues. You are not getting the maximal benefits of a tummy tuck if you opt against the muscle tightening. Sure, you will get some degree of benefit from just removing the excess skin and fat. However, the muscle tightening is the internal power of your tummy tuck procedure - it helps to really flattening out the bulging of your abdomen. So if you are going to accept the waist line scar, my suggestion would be to opt for a full tummy tuck and... more

What is the reason for wanting to skip the muscle tightening?

Dear Sinderella414, One important point to realize is that for many patients, the muscle tightening is a critical component to making the abdomen flat, and even patients without significant laxity can benefit greatly from it. The plication itself only takes a few minutes, and is a routine portion of standard abdominoplasty. Yes, you will have increased discomfort, and a slightly longer recovery period, but the benefits significantly outweigh these concerns. So an important... more

Tummy tuck without muscle tightening

Thanks for the question. Its difficult to be precise without examining you in person. Depending on the amount of diastasis or "muscle laxity" you have, your result still could be good although I think you're cutting yourself short by not having the musculature approximated. If your only goal is to remove excess skin and stretch marks and you are well informed of how the outcome would look as compared to a traditional tummy tuck with plication then I think you're fine.... more

Muscle tightening

Tough to tell from your photos, but it is very helpful nonetheless. There are appreciable stretch marks so skin removal should be extremely helpful. The muscles being pulled together will help your pot belly, unless there isn't much of one. If not, then you could possibly get away with it. Consult your board certified plastic surgeon.

Result of a tummy tuck without muscle tightening

In our practice, we feel that no two patients are alike and so note to tummy tucks should be the same either. During the initial consultation, we spent a great deal of time working with the patients, talking to the patients so that we can understand what their concerns are and what their aesthetic goals will be. By combining an in-depth discussion with a thorough examination, we can create a surgical plan that will address their concerns and help them meet their goals. We commonly see... more

Tummy tuck should always include muscle tightening!

I am sure you have some degree of rectus diastasis or "muscle laxity" that needs to be "fixed" as part of your tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty. It is not really the muscle that is tightened per se, but rather the fascia or "covering of the muscle" that is tightened. This does not interfere with abdominal muscle function, in fact, most of the time, rectus muscle function is more efficient and improved. The loose skin can be removed but the... more

Tummy tuck

To achieve the most optimal outcome, a tummy tuck and (of course muscle tightening) is the procedure of choice for you, based on your photo.

Tummy Tuck without Muscle Tightening

Based on your photo, I would recommend a full tummy tuck with muscle tightening. If you are going to undergo this procedure and take time off to recover, you deserve the best result to meet your goals. It seems that you have obvious muscle laxity above and below your abdomen in this picture that will benefit from tightening. Muscle Plication is a critical component in obtaining a flat abdomen and hour glass figure. From a side view, I believe there will a... more

Outcome Without Muscle Tighting

My guess from the one photo provided is less loose skin, less infra umbilical stretch marks (but not more than 40% gone), and still a slight pouchy of lower abdomen. But in person an examination can offer better insight if a rsti tightening is indicate. Again my guess is yes. From MIAMI Dr. Darryl j. Blinski

Skin will not reduce like shrink wrap.

Unfortunately, there are no magic ways to make skin shrink, If we had these we could eliminate face lifts, thigh lifts, breasts lifts, etc. We would love to have a tool for this but it doesn't exist. Lasers, etc may provide slight improvement, but you need more than that. A tummy tuck, possibly without the muscle repair can be done (skin only tummy tuck) but my guess is that you would not be pleased with the result. see video

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Tummy Tuck Outcome Without Muscle Tighting

Regarding: "Expected Outcome Without Muscle Tighting How different is the final look if I decide to forego the muscle tightening with a full tummy tuck? My biggest concern is loose skin and post pregnancy stretchmarks. I'm 47, 5'7" and weigh 154 lbs." A Full Tummy Tuck without muscle tightening is a fumbling of the football in the end-zone, a willful missing out on a great opportunity. NOTHING determines the flatness of a operated "Mommy Tummy"... more

Don't skip the muscle tightening in a tummy tuck

Tightening the muscles is very important if you really want the tightest, flattest tummy that you can have. It is important not to skip it if your muscles are lax (which they will be after having kids).

Tummy tuck with muscle tightening

To answer your question you would need an in-depth examination and discussion about your expectation s from surgery. Part of the question depends on your anatomy. Some pregnant women have remarkably tight muscles and do not need muscle tightening nor even a tummy tuck. Other have more issues with soft tissue thickness rather than muscle tone. Still others are effected mote by muscle posture than anatomical loosening.

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

4 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck

It is hard to say what you would need from the one photo. If you have a diastasis and are undergoing a tummy tuck, you more than likely need this treated as well.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Outcome of tummy tuck without muscle tightening.

Being able to examine you would show me how loose your fascia/muscle is and how wide the separation between the 2 muscles is. Some people have no need for repair of the muscles and others will get a suboptimal result unless the muscles are tightened. Aside for some early post operative discomfort there is relatively little downside to have the muscles corrected and it will maximize your final result. Your plastic surgeon should be able to properly inform you of the best way... more