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Remove Excess Skin and Fat Inplace of Tummy Tuck?

After gaining almost 80 pounds during my pregnancy and giving birth to a 10 pound baby, I have stretch that have faded to white and loose skin around my belly button (the stretch marks around my belly button are actually slightly raised) my stomach hangs only slightly because i've been dieting and exercising but the wrinkling bothers me so bad!! I'm 24, 5'6, 165 pounds, size 9 in jeans (because of my stomach). I dont want muscle repair. just want the fat and wrinkles gone! avg. $$?

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18 Doctor Answers | Asked by ktm1986 in San Jose, CA

Doctor Answers (18)
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Abdominal Contouring

Based on your history and photo, I believe you will benefit the most from an abdominoplasty +/- lipo of the waist and hips. But I'm not sure why you do not want tightening of your muscles? Not treating your muscles would be like buying a car without an engine... A tummy tuck (also called abdominoplasty) is a very popular cosmetic surgery procedure. A tummy tuck can be an effective tool for shaping and sculpting the body for better body appearance and improved se more

Treatment of abdomen

Thanks for the photo! In your case I think removing of the skin and fat can give a great result, but more than likely you will need a diastasis repair as well.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck

It sounds like a tummy tuck would be a good procedure for you at this time; however, if you are planning to lose anymore than 20#, then wait. The average cost (including OR and Anesthesia), without liposuction, is generally between $8,000 and $9,000 (depends on the length of surgery).

Skin Only Tummy Tuck

You can have just the excess skin removed but tightening the muscle is helpful in allowing more lax skin to be removed in addition to flattening the tummy. Also without muscle repair the tummy will remain pouchy. Dr. ES

Tummy Tuck Best Solution for Excess Skin

Tummy tucks are generally the best solution for excess abdominal skin following pregnancies or massive weight loss. Looking at your photos there are no other reasonable options to deal with the amount of excess skin that you have. You could have the procedure without muscle repair but your result would definitely be better with the muscle repair.

Remove Excess Skin and Fat Inplace of Tummy Tuck?

12 answers, 11 recommend some form of muscle tightening. Only 1 say it is OK to just remove fat & skin without muscle repair. So you need to consider the responses and decide if you want a 2/3's operation or the full correction. No matter what we, the experts, say it is your final decision. I agree you need muscle repair but would I only just remove the skin/fat? Yes. if you need to sign a release or pre operative informed consent saying you fully understand the limitations on... more

Don't skip the muscle tightening in a tummy tuck

The only way you will get a nice flat abdomen is to address all the causes of the bulge you have now. This requires muscle tightening and skin and fat excision. Don't skip this as you won't get as good a result.

Tummy Tuck and Muscle Tightening

The tummy tuck helps with three problems on the abdomen after pregnancy. 1) Loose Skin - Excess and loose skin are removed with a tummy tuck, there is no other way to get any significant tightening of the abdominal skin. 2) Excess Fat - The majority of excess fat on the abdomen is found below the belly button. When the lower abdominal skin is removed, this fat is taken away with it. Lateral fat (around the sides) can also be safely removed with liposuction at the same time... more

Joseph Mele, MD

4 reviews

Walnut Creek Plastic Surgeon

www.DrMele.com

You need a tummy tuck

As the others have pointed out you need some sort of tummy tuck. Whther you choose to have muscle plication to flatten the stomach more is your decision. I find that I do a muscle plication on 95% of the tummy tucks I do, because part of the problem is the bulging. If you are theredoing a skin only tummy tuck, the muscle plication is easy to do, and if you want it later you have to do the whole operation all over again. If you suck in your stomach and it looks a lot better to you than... more

Skin is not 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 the links and videos below for correction of loose skin... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck without muscle plication.

I too have offered this procedure when recovery time and cost is an issue. I don't believe it is "cheap" but it does provide a service based upon the patients desires and not the surgeon's. Although a formal tummy tuck would be the most appropriate, a skin only abdominoplasty will remove the extra skin and stretch marks. As long as you realize the specific benefit and are willing to forego the muscle repair, it is much better t than doing nothing.

Removing excess skin and fat IS a tummy tuck

It sounds like you are doing all the right things with diet and exercise, but unfortunately these will not tighten skin when there are stretch marks, and you cannot "spot reduce" to selectively affect the fat in the abdominal area. That is why tummy tucks are done, for the things you can't accomplish on your own. Do not let yourself be sold on anything less than a full tummy tuck. The muscle repair is optional but it is a very good idea to include it if they are separated... more

It is possible to get improvement without muscle repair

I have to respectfully disagree with my colleagues. In my experience, you can get significant improvement with an operation that removes the fat and skin, without tightening the muscles. And more importantly, the recovery IS significantly shorter and easier when no muscle plication is done. Yes, the resulting belly will not be as flat or tight compared to a traditional tummy tuck, but the shorter recovery may be worth a small sacrifice in results. I perform a non-muscle plciation... more

You need a full tummy tuck

Dont cheap out -- you need a full tummy tuck anything less will only give you a fair result. Go for it !!!

Why?

Why would you do half a job? I think you would be making a big mistake and be ultimately unhappy with the result. You will have all the incisions for a tummy tuck and the healing time without repairing the split muscle. The lower abdomen will always bulge and it would be so simple with the incisions to do it right the first time. I am sure you will find a doctor willing to do the surgery so I wish you good luck. Dr. Schuster in Boca Raton

Skin only abdominoplasty

Given the severity of your excess skin it is not unreasonable to have a skin only abdominoplasty. It would not give you as good a resultas a full muscle tightening abdominoplasty but it hurts less and has less complications. As long as you are aware of and agreeable to the lesser results it is a reasonable way to g. I don't think you save any significant money that way but it depends on who is doing it and at what facility.

Tummy tuck

The procedure you end up getting is a function of your anatomy and what you desire. Each procedure should be customized to your specific situation. I cannot say if you do or do not have significant diastasis or separation of the muscle or if you need to have your muscle repaired to achieve the look you want. The plastic surgeon that examines you should go over all the pros and cons of any procedure and justify why it is being performed. Since it is elective surgery, you and your surgeon must... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

4 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

How to snatch Defeat out of the Jaws of Victory - Opting for a single base INSTEAD of a Home Run

Respectfully, I think you are making the wrong decision. To bring a 10 pound baby to full term your six pack (Rectus abdomens) muscles HAD to split to allow the growth of the womb. Only after the muscles were separated and stretched was the overlying (which bothers you) stretched out. Removing the hanging skin and fat, also known as an Apron Resection or Panniculectomy, will remove most of the overhang but will leave you with a wide stretched out waist, full belly and sagging mons pubis.... more