Tummy Tuck vs Laser Skin Tightening for minimal loose skin after pregnancy

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?

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19 answers to “Tummy Tuck vs Laser Skin Tightening...”

A: Tummy Tuck Vs. Laser Skin Tightening

Michael Law, MD

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... more

A: Loose post-pregnancy skin can only be fixed with Tummy Tuck

Brian K. Brzowski, MD

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... more

A: Tummy tuck vs laser skin tightening

Steven Wallach, MD

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!  

A: Tummy tuck if probably your best choice

David Shafer, MD

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... more

A: Laser Skin Tightening does very Little!

Robert M. Freund, MD

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.

A: Tummy Tuck best corrects skin laxity

Peter E. Johnson, MD

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... more

A: Tummy Tuck gives more substantial results

Steven H. Williams, MD

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... more

A: Non ablative laser skin tightening works best after liposuction.

Sanjay Grover, MD

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... more

A: Tummy tuck, hands down

Michael A. Bogdan, MD

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... more

A: Do the surgery or continue to workout

Hisham Seify, MD, PhD

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... more

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