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Will I Ever Get Rid of the Pooch with Exercise or is a Tummy Tuck Necessary?

I have some stretch marks that aren't terribly noticeable from the front view. But when I lean over I have some wrinkly skin from them. And from my side view I have this "pooch". Is this pooch extra skin that needs to be tucked or fat that I can burn away?

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17 Doctor Answers | Asked by kjell in Reno, NV

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Tummy Tuck for pooch

Hello, Well technically no one "needs" a tummy tuck, but for loose skin it is the only reliable remedy we have at present. Exercise doesn't affect the skin. Best Regards, John Di Saia MD see video

Tummy tuck vs exercise

Based on your photographs, I would maximize your diet and exercise regimen. If you still have a "pooch," a mini-abdominoplasty might be the answer with a smaller scar and upper-abdomen liposuction.

Tummy tuck necessary?

Without knowing more history, such as age, pregnancy or weight gain/loss, I would suggest you push the diet and exercise regimen prior to making a decisions regarding surgery. If you feel that you have already reached your weight goals, then it would behoove you to seek consultation with a well experienced board-certified plastic surgeon for good advice. Best wishes.

The lower abdomen my protrude from skin looseness, fat tissue, or muscle laxity.

It is difficult to determine the contributions of these three tissues (skin, fat and muscle wall) to your abdominal appearance solely using your photos. However. there does appear to be a slight amount of extra skin vertically. Also, at rest, there is protrusion of your lower abdomen on the lateral view suggesting that there is muscle laxity between the inner edges of the rectus abdominis muscles. An examination by a board certified plastic surgeon can further determine if... more

Post Pregnancy stomach changes need Tummy Tuck

Pregnancies stretch stomach muscles and skin. These changes are irreversible and no amount of exercise will reverse them. Only Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) will restore abdomen to pre-pregnancy state. Every mom should have Tummy Tuck and not waste valuable time in wishfull thinking about exercising it away.

Tummy tuck best for pouch, also tightens belly button

The pouch will benefit from liposuction. You may even get some skin contraction. However, the best improvement in skin town comes from a tummy tuck. The other reason you might wish to consider a tummy tuck is to improve the appearance of your belly button. Presently you have a wide belly button because the muscle have been pulled apart. A tummy tuck brings the muscles together, flattening your tummy and also providing a much more attractive, tight belly button... more

Will my "pooch" resolve with exercise or do I need surgery?

The "pooch" shown on the photos will not respond to exercise. The question is whether you could benefit from liposuction or be in need of a tummy tuck. From the photo it is not clear and you gave no history of prior pregnancies and/or weigh loss. You would need to be examined to see what surgery would be most appropriate. But exercise will not take care of it alone. Good luck!

Tummy Tuck Best Choice For Excess Skin

When considering a tummy tuck procedure it is important to establish your goals at the outset. You have clearly stated that you want to remove the 'pooch' in your lower abdomen. If your 'pooch' is primarily excess skin, a tummy tuck is your ideal option. No amount of exercise will improve the lax skin. If there is also excess fat in this area, liposuction or diet may address this problem, but will not improve any loose skin that may exist. If... more

Tummy tuck and stretch marks

It looks like you are a great candidate for a tummy tuck. You do not appear to be overweight in your photos so I do not think that more diet or exercise will make a difference. I assume that you have either been pregnant or lost a substantial amount of weight already given the stretch marks. That being said, a tummy tuck will help remove some of that skin, and tighten your abdominal wall muscles which will help make your tummy flat. You may be a candidate for a mini... more

Tummy tuck is only way to remove excess skin

Based on your photos it appears you would benefit nicely from a tummy tuck. This procedure will remove the excess skin from your lower abdomen as well as tighten your abdominal wall, which is likely contributing to your lower abdominal pooch. Consult with a board certified plastic surgeon for a complete evaluation. Exercise will have no impact on skin that is loose with stretch marks. Best wishes, Dr.Bruno

Pooch?

THe lower fullness clearly has a skin laxity issue...but, based on your photos, I'd bet that you have a thicker layer of fat in your lower abdomen...and, although you may have a bit of underlying muscle separation (diastasis), liposuction of your lower abdomen may give you some improvement. You'll likely keep some or all of the skin laxity, but the fullness in your lower belly will be reduced. A physical exam would be required to help fully advise you. Good Luck!... more

Tummy tuck is usually the best option for loose skin

To put it simply, if exercise and diet could tighten loose skin and reduce localized fat accumulation, then we would send our patients to the gym instead of taking them to the operating room. That isn't to say the doing what you can isn't important, but when there is loose skin then a tummy tuck is usually the most effective. Do not waste your time with a laser lipo procedure that promises to tighten the skin as it doesn't do enough to replace a tummy tuck.

Loose Abdominal Skin With Stretch Marks Needs A Tummy Tuck For Improvement

This is a very common question for many women that have a little pooch between their belly button and their pubis. It doesn't quite seem big enough to justify surgery but has also proved diffficult if not impossible for it to be removed by any effort of their own. There are two key findings that provide the answer for you. First, there is nothing wrong with making your best effort for its improvement. But it is very unlikely that one spot area on the body can be reduced by any... more

The skin is often the deciding factor for a tummy tuck.

Hello, Although difficult to assess from your photos the presence of stretch marks on your abdominal skin would lead us more on the tummy tuck path. If are relatively young and have only a few fairly small stretch marks you may want to try a max out your own bodys' ability to tighten and flatten your abdomen. This will require good nutrition and exercise to decrease the amount of body fat and increase muscle tone. Worse case scenario to doing so is that you will be in that much better... more

You cannot exercise skin, only muscle. Losing fat only deflates the skin MORE!

You can certainly tone your abdominal muscles, but you cannot exercise stretched muscular fascia back together (which is why tummy tucks should almost always include muscle--actually fascial--repair, called plication). Toning is good, but losing fat volume only causes lax skin to further deflate, and already-present stretch marks to become more visible. Skin cannot be "exercised," as is evident from gastric bypass patients or those who lose weight by diet and exercise. Only... more

Exercise Does Not help Loose Skin

From the views you submitted, it appears that most of your issues are localized to the area below the belly button. Unfortunately, I doubt that exercise will help much. You may be a candidate for a more limited procedure, ie a "mini" tummy tuck to address some of the loose skin and perhaps tighten the lower abdominal muscles. See a plastic surgeon for an exam to determine the appropriate procedure for you. Good Luck

Skin and wrinkles do not respond to exercise

I am unable to see stretch marks and wrinkly skin in the photographs that you posted however you described them in your question. Stretch marks and loose skin do not respond to exercise nor do they respond to liposuction. The only way to really get rid of them is with an abdominoplasty. I do not believe that most of the non-invasive procedures on the market make much of a difference with loose skin however every day a new machine promising the world does appear on the... more