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Does Tightening of Abdominal Wall During Abdominoplasty Alter Results?

asked 2 years ago by spiky_stacey in Vancouver
Latest answer by James McMahan, MD
Question viewed 1,199 times
Tags: abdomen, belly button, sagging, muscle, recovery, skin, tightening

I am scheduled for a full Tummy Tuck in 3 weeks and am wondering if tightening the abdominal muscles dramatically affect the visible results. I have had 2 children and have lax saggy skin but I only have slight separation of my abdominal muscles near my belly button.

If I don't get my muscles tightened will my recovery be quicker? Will not tightening the muscles be a regrettable decision?

8 answers to Does Tightening of Abdominal Wall During Abdominoplasty Alter Results?

Muscle tightening in abdominoplasty

Fascial tightening with a tummy tuck markedly improves the results. It makes the waist narrower and reduces the tendency toward a bloated or pregnant appearing lower abdomen that women notice so commonly after pregnancy or after the start of menopause.

Brent Moelleken, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.drbrent.com

Tightening the muscles is a necessary part of a tummy tuck

Only in men with massive weight loss would I consider not tightening the muscles. When a patient has had children the muscles virtually always need tightening. If you don't do it you won't get the flattest tummy you could have had and you will regret that.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Muscle tightening not always necessary in abdominoplasty

In most cases, plication or tightening of the rectus muscles will improve the results, but not in all patients. In heavier patients without significant muscle diastasis (muscle separation), the improvement resulting from muscle tightening in small. However, it is still usually performed because the increased discomfort from muscle tightening is also small. Discuss with your doctor the pros and cons of each. Good luck.

Dean Fardo, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Abdominal wall tightening makes a big difference

Hi Stacy, In most women, tightening the abdominal wall muscles is as important as removing the extra saggy skin. Although you may only have minimal muscle separation, the bulging of your abdominal wall is the result of generalized looseness of the abdominal muscles. Failure to tighten this layer will prevent optimal correction of your bulging. Without a doubt, your recovery would be faster without abdominal wall plication. Unfortunately, your results probably won't be as good. Hope this... more

Sam Jejurikar, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Results of Tummy Tuck and Muscle Tightening

Muscle tightening is CRUCIAL to a good Tummy Tuck result. Without it, while your recovery would be quicker by about a week, your results will be disappointing. Why would you need to have your muscles tightened? Think for a second what your 2 pregnancies did to your abdominal wall. Basically, envision your favorite blouse worn by a football line backer for 9 months, returned back and then worn again by another. Was only the front stretched out? Did only a few buttons pop out? Would the... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Tightening the abs with a tummy tuck

Even if there is a slight separation, I believe that bringing the muscles together tightly in the midline improves results. Think of it as a more solid foundation for the skin. It does lengthen the recovery process in terms of activities such as lifting and exercise, but it is worth it most of the time.

Richard Baxter, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Abdominal muscles in abdominoplasty

The abdominal muscles have a great deal to do with your end result. However, it is not always a function of surgery. First, the muscles have to be innervated normally. Some muscles might be flaccid due to de-nervation or stretching of the muscles. This does not sound like your situation. Second, the muscles need to be in proper relationship to function optimally. If they are widely separated, their function is suboptimal. Here is where a surgical tightening can help. Finally, there is... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Tightening the muscles generally improves the result for a tummy tuck

The best person to answer this question is your surgeon. I find that patients that do a lot of strenuous abdominal exercises before having an abdominoplasty can skip the muscle portion of the procedure and still get excellent results. This is, however, a distinct minority of abdominoplasty patients; not your average tummy tuck patient. Ask your surgeon if he or she thinks that you could avoid the muscle repair without hurting your end result. Sometimes the surgeon can... more

James McMahan, MD
Columbus Plastic Surgeon

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