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OB/GYN Doing Tummy Tuck?

asked 8 months ago by ka17 in Kelowna, BC
Latest answer by Gregory Turowski, MD, PhD
Question viewed 404 times
Tags: opinion, qualifications, recommendation, risk

I am having a gynecological procedure done in a month, and the ob/gyn has offered to do a tummy tuck at the same time. I have heard great things from other people. I am nervous...he doesn't do lipo or belly button work. He said he only deals with the lower abdomen. My main issue is my lower abdo. I feel like I look 5 months pregnant, it has that shape,and it hangs. Its the only place my extra weight is. so would this work? what about the belly button? how does it really work?

33 answers to OB/GYN Doing Tummy Tuck?

+1

Do not allow your OB/GYN to do your tummy tuck

I would highly discourage you from having your tummy tuck performed by a gynecologist who is not trained in plastic surgery. This procedure should only be done by a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or the Royal College of Plastic Surgeons. The fact that he doesn't "do lipo or belly button work" is a sign that he is not trained in this procedure. Be careful. Dr.Bruno
William Bruno, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.williambrunomd.com

+2

Sounds like not a best idea - consult wirth a board certified plastic surgeon

We hear recently a lot about ob/gyn surgeons and other specialists doing procedures that should be only done by a board certified plastic surgeons. Many patients see the opportunity to combine procedures, but they do not realize that the outcome of some surgeries can be not so good after all. In many cases the procedures done by not certified plastic surgeons are offered at the lower cost to the patient. Is it worth the risk? Make sure to look at all pros and cons before you make... more
Gregory Turowski, MD, PhD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+2

Plastic Surgery Without Training?

As a plastic surgeon I would not presume that I could deliver a baby or perform a hysterectomy like your gynecologist. Why would your gynecologist think that he is qualified to do a tummy tuck? Its a foolhardy undertaking by your Ob/Gyn and not in your best interest.
Mary Lee Peters, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+2

OB/GYN doing tummy tuck??

Thank you for your question! I would have to agree with the previous responses. If you intuition is telling you that there just isn't something right about having your OB perform this procedure, I would always trust your gut instincts. There are specialties in medicine for a reason. I say this especially because, on most occasions, a plastic surgeon would be happy to collaborate with your OB/GYN to perform one joint surgery. I have done it on many occasions for... more
Tanya Aya Atagi, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon
+1

Tummy tuck by surgeon not certified in plastic surgery?

Consult a board certified plastic surgeon and have your abdominoplasty procedure at the same time as your gynecological procedure. If you look five months pregnant, you need not only a skin excision, but also muscle tightening to achieve the best result.
Donna Rich, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon
+1

OB/GYN's are trained to do your "gyne" surgery.

You really have a number of excellent Plastic Surgeons in Kelowna and it would be worth your while to have a consultation with one of them to get some perspective on the choices that you have. If your OB/GYN is offering you the removal of some of your extra lower abdominal skin then this is quite a bit different than what Plastic Surgeons offer under the general description of a "tummy tuck". Take the time to get properly informed. Dr. Mosher
Mathew C. Mosher, MD

Vancouver Plastic Surgeon

www.drmosher.com

+1

Abdominoplasty and tummy tuck operations by non plasticsurgeons

Ob/gyn may be qualified to remove some skin above your c section but they are not trained nor board certified to do a correct abdominoplasty despite what they say. I would have a consult with a plastic surgeon to get their opinion about exactly what you need to have done.
Jed H. Horowitz, MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+1

OB/GYN Doing Tummy Tuck?Answer:

By now, I think you know the answer! But besides all that, I listened to what you said and what you didn’t say.. You didn’t say, “ I just have a little flap of skin that bulges a little bit over my C-section scar”…What you DID say was “I feel like I look 5 months pregnant, it has that shape, and it hangs. Its the only place my extra weight is”…A woman who looks 5 months pregnant and is not…needs to do herself a favor and seek out a... more
John J. Corey, MD

Phoenix Plastic Surgeon
+1

Tummy tucks by non plastic surgeons?

All surgeons have complications when they operate. Specialized training help to minimize your risks and we are trained to handle the problems if and when they occur. Your own apprehension speaks volumes. Seek a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon for another opinion. My dentist father-in-law "helped" me fix a leaky faucet a few weeks ago. He thought it would be easy. We sure made that plumber I eventually had to call laugh at us Good luck
Craig Harrison, MD

Tyler Plastic Surgeon
+1

Ob/Gyn doing my tummy tuck

Four simple words to remember when choosing your Cosmetic Surgeon: Board Certified PLASTIC SURGEON. I cannot stress this enough.
Christian Prada, MD

Saint Louis Plastic Surgeon
+1

Ob Gyn doing plastic surgery / Inexperienced surgeon doing surgery for convenience

Based on your comments alone, i would not have the Ob -Gyn do your plastic surgery. I realize that seems biased, so let me explain. I do not recommend specialists operating out of their specialty. The usual reason they do so is financial. Having said that, I am certain that there are some OB-Gyn surgeons who just might do a reasonable tummy tuck. However, they must know all the caveats of complications and have the training and experience to pull this off. The question to ask... more
Jay Burns, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+1

Tummy tuck, Ob-Gyn

I think you ned to be very cautious. Very few well trained plastic surgeons will do any type of tummy tuck within several months of a delivery. So if someone offers that procedure it would make me think they have little understanding of what is entailed in the procedure. Maybe tell your Ob-Gyn you will be happy to let him do the procedure as long as he is willing to pay all your expenses to have it corrected at a later date. I think you will see some very fast backpedaling. I have to wonder... more
Ronald V. DeMars, MD

Portland Plastic Surgeon

www.drdemarsmd.com

+1

Ob-gyn and tummy tuck

I would not let a plastic surgeon deliver my baby and I would not let a gynecologist do what a plastic surgeon does. Do yourself a huge favor and see a board certified plastic surgeon who will do the tummy tuck in the proper way (usually involving the belly button and some lipo contouring). It would be hard to find a plastic surgeon who is willing to fix his mistakes down the line. Good luck!
Tiffany McCormack, MD

Reno Plastic Surgeon

www.plasticsurgeryrenotahoe.com

+1

OB/GYN Doing Tummy Tuck?

I must agree with many of my colleagues: your obstetrician is undoubtedly very good at delivering babies and doing gynecology. However, he does not have any of the training or experience required to get you the best result from your abdominoplasty surgery. Doctors sometimes suffer from the "I'm a doctor - I can do anything" syndrome. In fact we are expert only in our narrow areas of specialization and should ask other experts to help us with issues outside our... more
Eric Pugash, MD

Vancouver Plastic Surgeon

www.vancouvercosmeticsurgery.ca

+1

OB/GYN doing Tummy Tuck ?

In general, I would recommend that those doing specific surgical procedures be well trained and experienced in doing so. While your OB/GYN may "feel comfortable" doing your tummy tuck, it does not appear from your comments that he is very experienced with this procedure. I would strongly encourage you to seek an opinion in your area from a Board Certified plastic surgeon who might work with your OB/GYN. Performing a procedure like a tummy tuck usually requires... more
Eric T. Emerson, MD

Charlotte Plastic Surgeon

www.seplasticsurgery.com

+1

Can ob-gyn MD's do tummy tucks?

Maybe you can take your Mercedes to the bicycle shop for repairs. They do have things in common, right? Not trying to make light of it, but we see more and more of this practice. Recent article out of England says that 20% of plastic surgery patients are unhappy with the results. Guess why? Mostly because of practicioners who venture out of their scope of practice and "dabble" in plastic surgery. This cannot be learned in weekend courses, but greed is more powerful than clear... more
George Marosan, MD

Bellevue Plastic Surgeon
+1

Let's turn this around

Say you go to a Plastic surgeon and say " I need a tummy tuck, and while you are at it can you do a hysterectomy." If he agreed to do it, I would run out of the office. We train for years to get skills in OUR field. I have worked with many wonderful OB GYNs --- they do the internal work and when they are done , I do the tummy tuck. Works better that way.
William B. Rosenblatt, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

OB/GYN tummy tuck is NOT a "real" tummy tuck.

Unless your OB/GYN has completed full training in plastic surgery, and is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, he or she is simply removing some lower abdominal skin. Unfortunately, there are all too many General Surgeons, OB/GYNs, Dermatologists, and doctors of other specialties who figure "It's just skin--I can cut some out and make things better (and this is the part they don't say out loud), and charge a nice out-of-pocket fee!" At least your OB/GYN is... more
Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS

Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon

www.mpsmn.com

+1

Plastic surgeons do plastic surgery, OB/GYN's do gyn surgery

You can tell from the number of responses that you have hit on a controversial topic. It all boils down to one simple question: Would you have a plastic surgeon do your gyn surgery? If not, why would you have a gyn do your plastic surgery?
Richard Baxter, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

Silly to think your OB-Gyn would do a great tummy tuck

This is a growing problem out there with OB-Gyn's and other specialties pretending to be plastic surgeons. They have no training in this and think that it is just easy to do. Not so! There are so many decisions, judgements, and techniques needed to get your best result. Only have a plastic surgeon do the tummy tuck.
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

Tummy tuck outside the scope of practice?

For your best chance of an excellent result from an elective cosmetic procedure such as a tummy tuck, I recommend that you have something like this done by a fully-trained, experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon. There are many types of physicians (and even dentists) that want to be plastic surgeons, but the fact remains that they are not. They are wannabe's, not Plastic Surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, an ABMS recognized Board. Make your... more
J. Jason Wendel, MD

Nashville Plastic Surgeon
+1

OB/GYN Doing Tummy Tuck?

Read ALL our experts responses, many times. Your OB/GYN saying he only does lower abdomen TT is a fool's answer. Does he only do the left side of a face lift? Another recent written statement from a close colleague/friend, Dr Randy Miller of Miami and President of the Florida Society of Plastic Surgeons, is as follows. How many doctors go around introducing themselves as a Pediatricians or OB/GYNs if they are not one of those specialties? Very few if any. But look at all the doctors... more
Darryl J. Blinski, MD

Miami Plastic Surgeon
+1

Should my OB do my tummy tuck?

Be your own advocate and seek out at least one other opinion from someone who specializes in and is residency- trained in cosmetic plastic surgery, namely a board-certified plastic surgeon. You can read everyone else's posts to see why. Good luck!
Michelle Spring, MD

Marina Del Rey Plastic Surgeon
+1

Board Certified Plastic Surgeons Have the Training and Experience to Give You the Best Result

I would recommend that you consult with at least one Board Certified Plastic Surgeon before undertaking a combination hysterectomy and abdominoplasty operation by an OB/gyn. The board certified plastic surgeon will be able to present options to you based upon experience with not only abdominoplasty opeations, but with liposuction surgery, mini-abdominoplasties, and abdominal wall reconstructions that allow us to provide you the best option. Someone who only does skin... more
David N. Hing, MD

Ann Arbor Plastic Surgeon
+1

OB/GYN doing tummy tuck?

You are right to be concerned about having a practioner do a procedure for you that is outside his or her scope of practice. If someone does not do liposuction or full tummy tucks and only does lower tummy tucks, then does that person understand what a lower tummy tuck will accomplish, versus those other procedures? If they only have a hammer, do they treat everything as if it were a nail? Does that person have the experience and training to avoid the problems that accompany... more
Robert M. Grenley, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

OB-Gyn doing a tummy tuck

Don't be lured by his great reputation; that's only for his OB-Gyn skills. He does not have the appropriate training for an abdominoplasty; that's why he "doesn't do lipo of belly button work". A tummy tuck only on the lower abdomen that looks 5 months pregnant will leave you with a less than optimal result. Find an experienced board certifed plastic surgeon.
Ricardo Izquierdo, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

Who does what?

LIke most answers here, I would ask you whether you would be comfortable with an orthopedic surgeon doing your heart surgery, or a plastic surgeon doing your brain surgery. Does that answer your question as to whether or not Obs/Gyne should do Plastic surgery? Plastic Surgeons have spent many years in Plastic surgery training that is different from the training ObsGyne get. We all know how to operate and treat patients but we learn how to deal with different problems:... more
Martin Jugenburg, MD

Toronto Plastic Surgeon

www.torontosurgery.ca

+1

Would you ask your plastic surgeon to deliver your baby?

The success of a procedure and whether the correct procedure is recommended and performed appropriately is not just dependent on your anatomy but on the training and experience of the surgeon. If a patient asked me to deliver her baby or to perform a hysterectomy during an abdominoplasty, I certainly would not do so. I have never heard of a surgeon who limits himself to lower abdominal liposuction. I strongly recommend that you see a plastic surgeon in consultation to determine precisely... more
Robert L. Kraft, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

OB/GYN doing Tummy Tuck?

Thank you for the question. Having your OB/GYN do your tummy tuck surgery would be a serious mistake and will probably leave you very dissatisfied and requiring further surgery. Best wishes.
Tom J. Pousti, MD

San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.poustiplasticsurgery.com

+1

OB/GYN doing my tummy tuck!

There is a reason that plastic surgeons don't do hysterectomies, pre-natal care, or deliver babies. For the same reason, OB-GYNs should not, in my opinion, be doing "tummy tucks." If you're trying to save cash, remember, your body is the most precious item you own, and you will likely live with the result for a long time.
Steve Laverson, MD

San Diego Plastic Surgeon

feelbeautiful.com

+1

Who should do your tummy tuck

Hello, When it comes to your body and to the stress and mental health that can be associated with a bad result following elective surgery I would recommend that you not only see a board certified plastic surgeon, but one that can show you before and after results of patients that looked like you before surgery and that look as you want to look after surgery. Seek consultation with several plastic surgeons and choose the one that meets all of your needs. Just because your OB... more
Remus Repta, MD

Phoenix Plastic Surgeon
+1

Tummy Tuck - OB/GYN Doing Tummy Tuck?

You may have an excellent result. The success of a procedure depends on many factors but chief among them the preoperative anatomy, the procedure that's chosen, the manner in which that or those procedures are performed, and the way the patient heals. In theory, any surgeon - board certified or not - could perform any procedure. However, board-certification within specialties was established and has been maintained in order to give patients the opportunity to assess their... more
Alan Engler, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

Non Plastic Surgeon performing a tummy tuck

Well, the brief answer is another question, "I am a board certified Plastic Surgeon, do you want me to deliver your baby?" I can, I learned how to do deliver babies in Medical School. As long as everything goes well, and you don't have any complications, you'll do fine! Or, if there is a problem or a complication, I won't know how to treat it or I might not even recognize it. You or the baby could develop a severe problem, maybe even life... more
David Finkle, MD

Omaha Plastic Surgeon

www.bodybyfinkle.com

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