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Tummy Tuck Vs Laser Skin Tightening for Minimal Loose Skin After Pregnancy
asked 3 years ago by kygurl in Crestwood, ky
Latest answer by Jaime Perez MD
Question viewed 43,767 times
Tags: 110-129 lbs, 5 ft 0 in to 5 ft 3 in, comparison, laser, loose skin, post-pregnancy, tightening
I've had three children via C-section, and a hysterectomy. I am 5'2 and 112 pounds and exercise a few times a week. Although my stomach looks flat when I am standing up, I have skin that hangs down when I bend over, with a few stretch marks that make it look gross. Would laser skin tightening be effective, or would I need a Tummy Tuck to correct this?
25 answers to Tummy Tuck Vs Laser Skin Tightening for Minimal Loose Skin After Pregnancy
+4
Laser Liposuction and Skin Tightening May Be An Option
Kygirl,
I agree with most of what the above doctors have said.
However, my experience with the new SlimLipo laser liposuction on the tummy has been very positive-see before and after pictures of mini tummy tuck and laser liposuction.
The laser liposcution enabled me to remove fat and tughten skin of the abdomen above the area of skin removal by the mini tummy tuck.
The laser liposuction alone has also created some dramatic results for me in the 70 year old patient pictured here.
If you have...
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+2
Tummy Tuck Vs. Laser Skin Tightening
In my plastic surgery practice, we have a fully integrated medical spa including lasers for skin tightening. The results of laser skin tightening can be quite dramatic on the right patient. The areas that respond best are face, neck and upper arms. We have had patients experience great success with skin tightening of the knees and a few have even had great results with skin tightening of the tummy.
Having said that, laser skin tightening can be VERY unpredictable, particularly with regard...
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+2
Tummy Tuck gives more substantial results
Skin tightening technology based on laser or liposuction techniques (laser lipo, ultrasound or regular lipo) may make small differences in skin tightening. They have the advantage of being quick with minimal downtime in comparison to surgery. There is significant marketing pressure from the manufactures of many of these laser technologies so you have to sort through some of that.
Abdominoplasty on the other hand can make a significant difference in your abdominal contour by addressing...
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+1
Tummy tuck vs laser skin tightening.
Hello. Without pictures or an examination it is hard to tell what exactly it is you need. My recommendation would be to contact a board certified plastic surgeon who is experienced with the tummy tuck procedure for best results. Keep in mind some skin tightening solutions aren't as effective as removing the skin. Best of luck to you.
+1
Mini tummy tuck rather than lipo or lase for loose lower belly skin
In general, I have been disappointed with the results of laser skin tightening for loose belly skin. Given that you already have a c-section scar, if the only loose skin that bothers you is below your belly button, you may get a better result from a mini tummy tuck
see video
Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1
Tummy tuck versus laser for abdominal skin tightening
Patients who have had a pregnancy can often experience some loosening of the skin. There are many good options to treat this condition. It is a mild amount of loosening, this may be addressed by performing a small excision of the abdominal skin and fat. In your case, the surgeon would use your existing C-section scar so this would not create additional scars on your body. Your best bet is to be evaluated by a board-certified plastic surgeon who has a great deal of experience with...
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+1
Loose post-pregnancy skin can only be fixed with Tummy Tuck
No need for a long reply to this one.
If you notice loose skin and roundness especially when leaning over, you have excess skin and most certainly separated abdominal muscles. The ONLY thing that will make these problems better is a tummy tuck.
If you have money to waste on Laser Liposuction or Thermage, you should instead send it to your favorite charity. At least then, it won't have been completely wasted.
+1
Tummy tuck vs laser skin tightening
If you have had a few kids, previous c-sections, and loose hanging skin, then you are probably better off having a tummy tuck. The skin tightening lasers give about a 15-20% improvement of the skin at most!
+1
Tummy tuck if probably your best choice
Kygurl,
While laser skin tightening is effective (especially Smartlipo MPX on blend 1) it is not comparable to abdominoplasty in terms of the degree of tightening.
In abdominoplasty, we can stretch your skin like a drum. With laser skin tightening, you are depending on the contraction of the collagen to tighten the skin. If you have "hanging skin," then the only way to go is with tummy tuck. Good luck with your surgery.
+1
Tummy Tuck best corrects skin laxity
The procedure that you choose should have the best chance of acheiving the result that you want. If you bend forward and the loose skin that you have is "gross" to you it would be best to choose an abdominoplasty.
The tummy tuck can be tailored to the problems present in your abdomen, and often after three pregnancies the muscle is loose and the elasticty of the skin severely compromised. As in all cosmetic procedures tummy tuck is not a single technique and can be modified as a...
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Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1
Non ablative laser skin tightening works best after liposuction.
Most women who have had 3 children will benefit from an abdominoplasty to tighten lax abdominal muscles or correct a diastasis rectus and to eliminate loose, excess skin.
If you are fortunate to have good muscle tone with a tight fascial girdle, and minimal skin laxity, you may benefit from non-ablative skin tightening with lasers or devices such as ReFirme (Syneron), Titan (Cutera), or Thermage. Results may be inconsistent and are best following liposuction.
Sanjay Grover MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon
Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+1
Underlying muscle condition needs to be assessed
It sounds like you're in good shape, but with the excess skin, some skin resection would probably be recommended. Also, the condition of the underlying musculature needs to be assessed to tailor the operative procedure to your needs. Smart Lipo will only tighten your skin if there is minimal excess.
Alexander M. Guba, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon
+1
Thermage will tighten abdominal skin
To kygurl,
Hi! We have seen really good results with Thermage in the stomach area. Thermage is a non-invasive one time treatment that is very safe. There is no anesthesia, no recovery, and no scars. We have gotten improvement in everybody, but the improvement can range from the dramatic to the pretty subtle.
If you only have a moderate amount of skin, it is worth trying. For a lot of skin, you will do best with a tummy tuck.
I don't believe that "laser skin tightening" works.
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+1
Several options, including Thermage
First, it is of course not possible to make a recommendation without seeing you and assessing the condition of your skin. Most of the time in a situation like yours a mini or full abdominoplasty is best, especially since you already have the C-section scars. Thermage can also be effective there, but it doesn't work as well when the skin is thin with stretch marks. The same applies for laser.
+1
It depends on what you want
Hello,
After three children by C-section you probably have enough going on to benefit by a tummy tuck. The question is, do you want one? It offers tighter results but the scar and the extent of surgery and recovery can put some ladies back.
Laser skin tightening in the abdomen has never really impressed me. I would look at it as experimental. Just don't expect it to do much and you won't be disappointed.
+1
A Mini Tummy Tuck sounds like your best option
You are thin and exercise, which puts you ahead of the pack for an abdominal procedure. Most women have excessive skin in the lower abdomen and the upper abdomen is tight.
Laser skin tightening/Titan is effective for small areas or fine wrinkling. A mini-tummy tuck would remove your old C-section scar and put a new scar below that area. It would tighten the skin without a visible belly button scar.
It is done as an outpatient procedure, and the recovery is significantly shorter than a...
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David A. Dreyfuss, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1
Laser is not the Answer for loose skin after pregnancy.
After pregnancy the skin becomes loose and the Collagen and elastin fiber are altered. After 3 c-section and wanting to tighten your skin especially when you bend over, laser treatment is like flushing your money down the toilet. You will not be happy.
You already have a c-section scar. If you extend the scar you could achieve a beautiful result that will last.
A mini tummy tuck is possible another choice, but your plastic surgeon will have to tell you if you...
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+1
Laser skin tightening won't supplant a tummy tuck.
Laser skin tightening is grossly overrated. I have been doing it for a couple of years and I am very underwhelmed. I doubt skin can be shrunk significantly by any technology. Therefore, when it is truly in excess, excision is the only way to solve the problem. This, of course, results in a scar. Patients have to decide which is preferable.
+1
Tummy tuck vs laser tightening--no comparison!
What you describe is going to require a tummy tuck to resolve. No laser will remove your loose skin or stretch marks--only a tummy tuck can do that.
Carmen Kavali, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+1
Laser Skin Tightening does very Little!
Do not waste your money. Laser skin tightening does little but line the pockets of your doctor and the laser company. If you are not a candidate for a tummy tuck, perhaps a mini-tuck is right for you. See a well-trained plastic surgeon for a better opinion.
Robert M. Freund, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon
New York Plastic Surgeon
+1
Do the surgery or continue to workout
It seems that you do have excess skin enough to need some sort of excision (full tummy tuck vs mini version). Both are great operations. The choice betwen them depends a lot on the clinical exam and your plastic surgeon will be able to determine that.
Laser, radiofrequency, and others, are good technologies that work well for the right patient. I think the abdomen is quite a large surface area and it will need a lot of work to give you a little improvement. I would say do the surgery or...
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Hisham Seify, MD, PhD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1
There is no substitute for a tummy tuck
There are very few women who do not have changes in their abdominal wall, or tummy, after child bearing. In some women, like yourself, there is just some loose skin. In many women there is also separation of some of the abdominal muscles. And, in others, there can be some increase in the fat layer under the skin. A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty can correct any or all of these.
What the abdominoplasty is doing is correcting those problems with your tummy that you can not change with diet...
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+1
Tummy tuck, hands down
Resurfacing procedures (Laser, chemical peels, dermabrasion) all rely on the body's ability to heal a superficial "burn". These procedures work very well on the face, due to the excellent blood supply, but cannot be pushed to the same level elsewhere on the body. If they were done to the same extent, unsightly scarring would result.
As such, any physician doing resurfacing off the face will be less aggressive, and the results will not satisfy you (ie: that excess hanging skin you...
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Michael A. Bogdan, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon
Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+1
The tummy tuck is the way to go
We are all looking for an easy way to tighten the belly after children. Laser sounds good but is inefective. A tummy tuck tightens the muscles that have been stretched out from the child bearing and the excess skin is removed.
This is a terrific operation and gives excellent results in the hands of a well trained, board certified Plastic Surgeon.
If you go for laser, ask them for a money back guarantee if the skin does not tighten up.
+1
Save the laser money
There is more to your situation than just a bit of extra skin, as your description hints.
Yes, the skin has lost elasticity, and it sounds like you are lean and otherwise in good shape. Howevre, the underlying supporting structures (like suspension structures), and the strength layer around the muscles are lax, explaining why things look flat when you are supine, and then slide when you are erect.
You already have the C-section scars, and likely this contributes to your deformity. Without...
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Scott E. Kasden, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon
Dallas Plastic Surgeon
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