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How to Address Loose Belly After Pregnancy?

I'e been really insecure after having 2 C-sections. I've tried excersing and dieting but nothing works because if my horrible tummy. I cry all the time; please can anyone tell me what I can do for this problem?

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41 Doctor Answers | Asked by Mrs. Garza in Houston, TX

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Loose Tummy after Pregnancy Best Treated with Full Tummy Tuck

Thank you for your question. See an experienced Board Certified Plastic Surgeon for advice. From your photo it appears that you will need a full tummy tuck. During the Tummy Tuck if your abdominal muscles are split they may also be repaired. The more weight that you can lose before your Tummy Tuck the better your results will be. Good luck.

You need a tummy tuck

You will have a substantial improvement in your belly with a TT. Just make sure you are done having kids, are within 10-20 pounds of your ideal weight, don't smoke and that you DO go to a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon for your care. Look at lots of photos on my web site and see what you can do to improve!

Full Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) is a Great Option for Correcting Loose Belly Following Pregnancy

Many patients develop redundant abdominal tissue and weakened muscles following pregnancy. This problem is refractory to diet and exercise in most cases. Patients typically have lowered self-esteem, self-image, and self-confidence as a result. For these reasons, they often present for abdominoplasty surgery. Many patients have other problems associated with pregnancy. These include localized fat collections, loss of breast volume, and breast sag, which also may need to be corrected... more

Tummy after pregnancy

You look to be a great candidate for an abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) and some liposuction to your hips and mid-back. This surgery is done under a general anesthetic. It usually can be done on an outpatient basis, but frequent follow-ups with your Plastic Surgeon are needed over the first 2-3 weeks. This surgery can provide fantastic results, but there is a significant recovery period. You would be moving very slow for the first 2 weeks, and will need some help around... more

Unhappy with abdomen after pregnancy

It seems babies are being delivered much bigger these days and it also seems these big babies are causing more and more problems with their mother's abdomens In the process of growing these big babies many normal and expected physical problems are happening with the mother. The abdominal wall is stretching and in this process the muscles stretch and get longer, the skin is stretching and getting larger and the mother is gaining weight and putting more fat on the abdominal... more

Tummy tuck and body contouring

Based on the photos you have submitted above, it appears that you would benefit from a tummy tuck procedure to improve your abdominal contour. The best time to undergo surch a surgery is when you are close to your ideal body weight. As you lose weight before surgery, the skin will sag slightly more that it does now, however, this will be removed at the time of surgery. Also, based on the photos of your back/buttock area, you may also consider liposuction of your lower back and sides with a... more

Tummy tuck for loose belly.

Hi! You need a good tummy tuck to remove the excess skin and fat and to tighten the muscles. (You include very helpful pictures!) It's not hard. Afterwards, you will still be overweight, but that is a separate issue. Your stomach will be a lot flatter even if you don't lose weight. You don't have to be thin to have an abdominoplasty.

Abdomioplasty for loose skin.

Thanks for providing the pictures - they are very helpful. You would benefit greatly from an abdominoplasty. Another other procedure, including liposuction, is not going to give you a nice result. You have excess skin and they only way to remove it with a nice result is tummy tuck.

Loose belly after pregnancy

With the extra skin and loose muscles in your abdomen, you are a candidate for a tummy tuck. This procedure removes the extra skin, and the muscles are sewn together. Additional liposuction can also be performed. In my experience, the patients who do this are happy with their results.Consult a board certified plastic surgeon in your area for a consult and exam. All the best

Loose belly

You are an ideal candidate for a tummy tuck. This will address the upper and lower abdominal bulging and remove the excess skin. I would also recommend liposuction with fat grafting to the buttocks at a later stage to improve the overall shape

How to Address Loose Belly After Pregnancy?

The best approach is to wait at least 6 months until post-delivery changes have settled and then perform an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) to remove excess skin and tighten the abdominal muscles.

Addressing loose belly after pregnancy- you need an abdominoplasty combined with liposuction of flanks,VASER to sculpt your back

From the photos you’ve posted, it looks as though you may need an abdominoplasty combined with liposuction of flanks and back with VASER to sculpt your back. Probably a reconstruction of the rectus muscle would be required to flatten the abdominal wall at the same time

Loose belly skin after pregnancy. What to do?

Thank you for sending photos. It appears that you would benefit from an abdominoplasty, (tummy tuck). The rectus muscles can be placed back together as well at time of surgery. Please seek out a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. together you will come up with a plan.

Post-pregnancy belly

This is a common question. I would first like to know your height and weight. We use the Body Mass Index (BMI) to calculate the degree of obesity. If you were found to be significantly obese based on this number, I would highly recommend diet and exercise to lose weight. The reason is that being obese can increase chances of complications in plastic surgery. After you have reached an acceptable weight, I would recommend two procedures for you. This would obviously depend on your health... more

Post Pregnancy Tummy Tuck

The three basic problems with the abdomen after multiple pregnancies are: (1) loose skin that has lost its elasticity which is made worse by stretch marks; (2) excessive and unusual fat deposits on the abdomen and love handle area (lumbar roll); and (3) separation of the abdominal muscles which do not function normally and therefore leads to low back pain during exercise. Unfortunately, your pictures and your question indicate you have all three of these problems. They are all... more

Loose Belly After Pregnancy

You appear to be a candidate for a tummy tuck and liposuction. You should attempt to lose weight prior to surgery in order to approach your long term target weight (preferably within 20 pounds) prior to surgery to get the best possible results. Consult with 3 - 4 board certified plastic surgeons to explore your options.

Tummy tuck will address problem of loose belly after pregnancy

From the photos that you submitted with your question, it appears that you have alot of redundant or excess skin following your pregnancy. If you are not planning on having any more children, then tummy tuck surgery will be what you need to help you get rid of all that excess skin and fat. I also suggest that you diet and exercise to get to the lowest weight that you feel comfortable with before you have the tummy tuck operation. Consult a surgeon in your area that is... more

How to Address Loose Belly After Pregnancy?

You can have a very big improvement with a tummy tuck which can make the surface of your abdomen smooth by getting rid of the folds. However you do have some weight to lose based on the roundness of your upper abdomen and your results will be better if you lose that first. That's not possible for everyone so see a well trained and board certified plastic surgeon in your area and get his advice also. Whichever path you choose, you're going to be very happily surptised. more

Solution to current abdominal appearence

Hello, You will get a variety of answers based on the plastic surgeons preference. Additional weight loss would be ideal. In terms of plastic surgery solutions my preference based on your photos is tummy tuck and circumferential trunk liposuction. There is some disagreement among plastic surgeons about the safety of doing so in combination with a tummy tuck. If done properly the combination could provide a dramatic result. All the best, Dr Repta more

Treatment plan

Liposuction of the lower back and love handles, tummy tuck to address the front. Looking at your pictures this combination would give you a significant improvement. Surgery alone, however, is not your answer. Weight loss will greatly improve your self-confidence and overall health. Surgery is not a one time fix. Think of it as just one step you take to improve your self-esteem. If you spent money on surgery, consider spending some money on getting... more

Abodminoplasty and/or liposuction

Abdominoplasty can remove excess fat and skin that is resistant to diet and exercise. Liposuction can be used with abdominoplasty to improve the shape of your waist.

Body after Baby: When a Mommy Makeover is Right for You

A tummy tuck will address the loose skin on your abdomen and will completely remove all the skin below your belly button. It also tightens the muscles all the way down the abdomen in the midline, which cinches the waist and flattens the tummy even more. And you can have liposuction of the waist, hips, and back at the same time for even more pronounced mid-body contouring. See a surgeon who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Best wishes! more

Carmen Kavali, MD

11 reviews

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Tummy Contouring After Pregnancy

Dear Mrs. Garza: Tummy tuck (also called abdominoplasty) is a very popular cosmetic surgery procedure for moms in Houston. A tummy tuck can be an effective tool for shaping and sculpting the body for better body appearance and improved self esteem. Sometimes no amount of diet and exercise can create a flat tummy. This procedure actually tightens abdominal muscles and removes excess fat and skin from the stomach area to create a tighter, slimmer, smoother belly. A tummy... more

Body contouring through liposuction and tummy-tuck

Hello Mrs Garza. Pregnancy and child birth extract a great toll on a woman's body. Mother's day is a National Holiday for a reason and we should all thank our mothers for their sacrifices. Pregnancy results in loose skin skin, stretch marks, separation of the abdominal muscles (diastasis) and fatty accumulation of the abdomen and love handles. After reviewing your photos, I would recommend a tummy-tuck combined with liposuction of the abdomen, waist and flanks. This... more

Correcting loose abdomen after pregnancy

Abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, is a procedure that is designed to correct the loose muscles and remove the loose skin of the abdomen due to pregnancy. The procedure may be combined with liposuction in order to achieve the best aesthetic result.

Plastic surgery after pregnancy

Mrs. Garza- Many women feel the same way you do. After carrying and birthing children, a woman’s body is never the same as it was before the pregnancy. It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and continue to exercise and eat right. Your health can be crucial in the possibility of having surgery. Healthy people have fewer complications and an overall shorter recover period. In your case, I would recommend consulting with a plastic surgeon about the possibility of an extended... more

Post pregnancy tummy

There are thousands of woman with the same problem that you have. The treatment for this would be a Tummy Tuck and possible Liposuction. You will require help at home and at least a 2 week recovery time. I believe you will be so happy with this surgery you will wonder why no one told you about it before.

How to fix loose skin after pregnancy

A tummy tuck or a mini tummy tuck is the best solution to fix loose skin after pregnancy. Your best bet is to be evaluated by an experienced board certified plastic surgeon so that they may determine if you have excess fat or loose muscles that should be addressed at the same time. Be sure to let your plastic surgeon know about your concerns and they should work with you to minimize your incisions and shorten the recovery process.

Tummy tuck after pregnancy

Your photos demonstrate loose rolls of skin, excess fat, and abdominal wall laxity. You would benefit from an abdominoplasty that addresses each of these issues. Seek out a board certified plastic surgeon for a consultation.

Loose belly after pregnancy

You would benefit greatly from a tummy tuck and see a dramatic improvement. Your condition is very commonly seen after pregnancy, so don't be worried. With a tummy tuck, the loose skin will be removed, the excess fat is removed, and the loose muscles are tightened - all resulting in a nice flat and firm tummy!

Extended tummy tuck versus lower body lift [with video]

If your weight is stable I would say look at an extended tummy tuck or lower body lift. Also make sure you are completed with childbearing first. Best Regards. see video

Full tummy tuck after weight loss

To improve the appearance of your abdomen, I would first suggest trying to lose weight. You will most definitely need a full tummy tuck but the results are often better when the excess weight is off first.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Pregnancy, apple body, and tummy tucks

From the photos you have a classic "apple body" which is a genetically programmed shape, and pregancy makes it manifest itself more. Everything is concentrated around the middle. A tummy tuck with lipo on the hips and back is the best approach to this. Often patients I see with this body type are exercise fanatics but their legs just keep getting skinnier while the middle is relatively unaffected. One other bit of advice is that the upper inner thigh area seems to be part of the... more

Full tummy tuck

There is no doubt that you would see significant correction of the abdominal skin redundancy and some of the fullness with use of a full abdominoplasty and liposuction. The risks of combining the two will be discussed at your consutlation. see video

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Tummy Tuck and Liposuction are your best bet

Hi there- You have several good options, provided you are in good health and are not planning to have further children, which might compromise the outcome.... If your goal was to achieve maximum improvement through a single procedure, I would suggest you meet with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to discuss tummy tuck with liposuction. This would give you a dramatically transformed torso, and may even leave you looking better than before you were pregnant! Alternatively, if your goal is to... more

Loose belly skin - Tummy tuck and liposuction are the answers

There are different bellies after babies. If you have loose skin, you always need to tighten the skin. The only way we have to tighten skin is to cut it out. No exercise, laser, or cream will improve it. When you have a lot of fat as well, you will benefit most from doing liposuction and a tummy tuck. You cannot liposuction the front and tummy tuck it at the same time. You can liposuction the rest of you- your back and love handles / flank and then tummy tuck the front. I prefer this... more

Tummy Tuck to remove excess skin

Dear Mrs. Garza, You have a significant amount of excess skin on your stomach that is creating double folds. If you imagine trading the shadows from the two skin creases for one scar with a smooth abdominal contour, that would be the general result from an abdominoplasty. The skin between the fold from your belly button to the fold from your c-section would be removed. Ideally you would want to perform the procedure when you are within 10% of your goal / ideal body weight, but if you have... more

Benefits of a Tummy Tuck

Based on the information and photos you provided, you would benefit significantly from a tummy tuck procedure. In order to improve your abdominal region, the tummy tuck along with a little lipo will help you acheive a flat stomach. A tummy tuck involves repair of the rectus muscles, which was stretched during pregnancy, as well as removal of excess/loose skin. Make sure that you are finished having children because results can be affected with another pregnancy and tyr to be at your... more

You are a great candidate for a tummy tuck

Hi Mrs. Garza, Your photos are very helpful - they reveal that you have signficiant excess skin and fat of the abdominal wall, as well as laxity (looseness) of the abdominal wall muscles. The operation that will provide you the best result is a tummy tuck. Through an incision at the bikini line, the excess skin and fat of your abdominal wall can be removed. The same incision will allow tightening of your abdominal wall muscles to eliminate your upper and lower abdominal bulges. It is... more

BEST Solution to both Fat Collections and Loose Skin after 2 Pregnancies

BEST photographic documentation I have EVER seen on RealSelf. No need to cry. I see women like you every single week and I am sure we can help you. In looking over your photographs, we have several fixable issues: Loose abdominal skin Abdominal Wall Looseness / laxity Fat collections involving the Back / Hips Fat collections along the Love Handles and Upper portion of the Tummy This is fixable but I would strongly recommend you do it in 2 surgeries instead of one for better results and... more

Easy - loose weight and have a tummy tuck.

A tummy tuck will get rid of the excess skin and tighten your abdominal wall. But, you need to be a part of this and go on a diet first. You will have the best result if you can loose some of your weight first. Talk to a qualified board certified plastic surgeon and design a plan. Diet and exercise will get you to lose weight -- the tummy tuck will do the rest.