Tummy Tuck: Q&A

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Is a Vertical Incision Necessary For My Tummy Tuck?

I saw a surgeon today and he said he needed to do 3 cuts: one on belly bottom, another in the horizontal c-section and a 3rd one vertically below my belly bottom. My mother says the vertical one below the belly bottom is NOT necessary. Is it true? can they use ONLY the c-section one? I am 100 lbs. and I have had 3 kids and I don't have excess fat I just have diastesis. Thank you!

18 Doctor Answers | Asked by tatayananda in Lincoln, NE
+2

Need for vertical incision with tummy tuck?

There are two situations in which a vertical incision may be required in a tummy tuck. These two situations are very different from one another and used for two completely different reasons. While it is true that a vertical incision is uncommonly needed for a tummy tuck, sometime the situation does arise. 1. The first situation occurs in a patient who has lost a considerable amount of weight, often more than 100 lbs. In this situation there is a significant... more
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Tummy tuck with vertical incision

Most tummy tucks are done without a vertical incision. When a vertical incision is necessary, it is done to remove excess skin in both the horizontal and vertical dimensions. Some people have skin laxity up-and-down and side-to-side. A vertical incision is mostly done when there has been massive weight loss after gastric bypass surgery. It's hard to say exactly what you need without the benefit of a photograph and being able to examine your skin and tissue... more
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Vertical scar in tummy tuck

Most full tummy tucks do not require a midline incision but each case iit's unique. You should ask your surgeon why. he feels it is necessary in your particular situation. He may have a good reason why it would be beneficial in your case when most of the time it is not used.

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Vertical incisions and tummy tucks

The vast majority of tummy tucks performed in the United States are done without a vertical incision. Most patients can plan on having a scars near or within the belly button and a horizontally often extending from hip to hip. With that being said, there are some patients who cannot be adequately treated with this technique because of the amount of skin excess. Typically these are massive weight loss patients who have lost a substantial amount of weight either with diet and... more
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Upload some photos as each body and abdomen has unique requirements

Hello, Its hard to know without photos. There are cerainly some individuals who would need a low horizontal incision, one inside the belly button and then a small one resulting from closing the prrevious belly button location. This is particularly the case for individuals that have a medium a mount of laxity--enough to warrant a tummy tuck but not enough to allow removal of the belly button location and placement of the incision very low. All the best, Dr Repta more
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Tummy Tuck - Abdominoplasty Incisions

The planned incisions for an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) procedures is dependent on the amount of excess skin and surgeon experience.
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Concerns about a vertical incision for a tummy tuck

Photos would assist in better answering your question though ultimately another consultation may be in order. The only reason that you would need a full vertical incision extending from the umbilicus down to the horizontal scar is if you have extreme horizontal laxity of the skin. This would be common if you have lost a massive amount of weight, possibly on the order of 80 to 100 pounds or more. Otherwise, it is usually not be a prudent selection. Sometimes, if there is not enough... more
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Need for a vertical scar not likely in abdominoplasty procedure

Suggesting you need a vertical scar (with your history of multiple pregnancies) concerns me. He should not need to do that. Ofcourse, your case may be the exception. Without pictures it's difficult to say. I strongly suggest you get a second opinion by at least 2 other Board Certified Plastic Surgeons. Best wishes, Dr. H
+1

Need For Veritical Incision In A Tummy Tuck

The need for a vertical incision in a tummy tuck is almost exclusively limited to patients who have experienced extreme amounts of weight loss, either through bariatric surgery or on their own. The only exception would be in those patients who already have a vertical incision from a c-section or prior intra-abdominal surgery. Given your 100lb weight and obvious lack of a pre-existing vertical abdominal scar, it is unlikely that your tummy tuck would absolutely need a vertical incision... more
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Vertical tummy tuck incision rarely needed!

I have been doing tummy tucks for 25 years (have done hundreds of them), and can count on one hand the patients in whom a vertical incision was needed. If your skin is so tight that a properly-designed low-incision ellipse cannot be removed and the upper abdominal skin sutured to the lower incision, then you probably didn't really "need" a tummy tuck in the first place. As per my colleagues, without photos or direct examination, it is impossible to state with certainty, but... more
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These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.

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