Loose skin or is it fat?

I am 37 years old and had 2 children 18 months apart. My youngest is now 5 years old.

I just completed a year of training with a personal trainer 3 times a week, but did not lose any of my belly fat below my belly button; it almost seems worse than when I first had my children. I also did not lose any weight but gained muscle and lost body fat.

My legs, hips, and arms are a couple of inches smaller, but my belly seems bigger than ever and is the same size. I'm considering whatever it will take to get rid of this pouch of fat - or loose skin. I'm not sure what it is, but it's gotta go!

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6 answers to “Loose skin or is it fat?”

A: Best ways to get rid of resistant tummy fat pooch or loose skin

By Peter A. Aldea, MD - Memphis Plastic Surgeon

With your history of physical fitness and weight loss and of having several children it is safe to assume that you are at the maximal best that can be achieved by exercise. If any further improvement is to be had, it would need to come with the help of one of my Plastic surgery colleagues. The odds are hands... more

A: Stomach Pooch after having children

By Michael A. Bogdan, MD - Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Please look at the patient 1:30 into my video - she also had a pooch on her lower abdomen after pregnancy, and in her case it was all due to abdominal wall weakness. If you are back at your pre-baby weight and exercising regularly, it is quite possible that the contour issues you are noticing are due to... more

A: Loose skin, fat, muscle, or all of the above

By Michael Diaz, MD - Melbourne Plastic Surgeon

I think it's great that you have conditioned yourself through dedicated training. You may have some loose skin, fat, muscles or all of the above. After pregnancy, weight loss, and age, the muscles of the abdomen can separate. This leads to loss of the defintion of the waist and abdominal rounding or... more

A: See an excellent plastic surgeon

By Richard P. Rand, MD - Seattle Plastic Surgeon

You are doing all you can to maximize your post-pregnency belly. Congratulations for that effort! You should see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who can offer both liposuction and tummy tucks and can examine you and tell you what each can and cannot do for you and which would be better in your case... more

A: There are many causes for abdominal fullness

By David Shafer, MD - Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Don't worry, you have a common concern. There are many problems leading to abodominal fullness. First is fat, but you seem to be exercising well without any change in your abdomen. The second is diastasis of your abdominal muscles. When you have children the fascia holding your rectus muscles (six pack)... more

A: the excess contour could be abdominal wall laxity, skin or fat or a combination

By John E. Gross, MD - Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

There are several components of extra fullnes or contour in the lower abdomen. There can be excess contour from laxity of the abdominal wall (it was stretched out during pregnancy), or excess skin, or excess skin and fat. A board certified plastic surgeon will be able to ascertain upon examination of your... more

Comments

steph212
1 post
23 Mar 2009

Just curious, bc I was looking into getting my lower abs and flanks done. And maybe at some point, the upper abs.

calipso7
1 post
10 Apr 2009

I have had two children, the second of which was large for my short 5'3" frame. Because of this I am fairly certain I suffer from a diastasis and I still look 4 months pregnant. If this is painful, and causes difficulty sitting up from a lying down position for example, would insurance cover any part of a tummy tuck to correct this? Also, is a tummy tuck the only real option? I really don't want such a large scar, but I can't stand my stomach either and have a very low self-esteem due to this. Thank you.

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