Tummy Tuck Vs Laser Skin Tightening for Minimal Loose Skin After Pregnancy

A LOT of skin excess requires a tummy tuck, but just a little excess skin can be tightened with ThermiTight, especially in a thin person. 

thanks for your question. Laser is an option for skin tightening but unlikely to give you your desired results. From your description you are more likely to get very good result after mini tummy tuck with little liposuction. This will get rid of your excess skin and stretch marks. Please consult your consultant plastic surgeon for your personalised treatment plan.

Patients with isolated tissue excess and tight to moderately tight skin are great candidates for liposuction with or without Renuvion. If you have severe excess (or hanging) skin you will generally need a tummy tuck procedure to remove the excess skin. The best way to determine is with an in person consultation with a surgeon who is experienced in both. Hope this helps.

Thank you for your question. It is hard to provided with a valid medical opinion without photos.  I would suggest to be treated by board certificated plastic surgeon with experience in this procedure, to get the best desired results.
Kind Regards,Dr. Emmanuel Mallol Cotes.-

Hi. Very interesting question and a difficult one to answer without an in-person evaluation or at least some photos. Generally speaking a TT is the best option for patients that have excess skin on their stomachs. Some patients can get very good results with other treatments but it will depend on the patient not the technique. Some patients have too much skin for anything but a TT. Please understand that non-invasive skin tightening can only do so much. It may help make skin tighter in patients with only a little laxity, but it will not get rid of stretch marks. The skin tightening effect will never be comparable with a Tummy Tuck, not even Laser lipo, Vaser Lipo or Smart Lipo. These are all very good options with good results in specific patients.Basically, no other technique is more effective then a TT in making the tummy as flat as possible and getting rid of skin or tightening the skin. That said, not all patients need one and, some patients can get good results either with or without a TT. You could send a follow-up question with photos or contact a plastic surgeon for an evaluation to make sure you qualify for Laser skin tightening.Best of luck,Dr. Miguel Mota

Thank you for your question.  There are some great options for treating the abdominal laxity.  A consultation and exam can help best develop options and set expectation for what can be achieved.A tummy tuck is often the strongest approach to reduce laxity, however, not every one needs a tummytuck to achieve their goals.  A mini-tummy tuck could be a great option for you as it treats the laxity between the belly button and the groin.  The incision is hides well in the underwear line. 
A non-incisional approach such as the BodyTite may be another great option for you, as it can provide quite a bit of tightening and the access points are small (~3-5mm) and well concealed.
Non-surgical approaches can include combining a multi-modal approach such as Profound (radiofrequency microneedling), Ulthera, Microchannelling with PRP and Sculptra can also help to improve the visible laxity that you see.
I would visit with a board certified plastic surgeon who offers a spectrum of options so you can decide which ones are best for you.

Thank you for your question.  You will need an in-person consultation to have a full evaluation to get the best recommendation.  That being said, as you can see with the other answers there are options other than a full tummy tuck to address loose skin.  Find a board certified plastic surgeon and have a consultation to get all of your questions answered and learn of your best options.  Good luck!Sincerely,Dr. Michelle Spring 

Dr. Placik give an excellent answer below and I agree with it completely.  You are likely going to get a much better result with a minimal surgical procedure because the hanging skin will likely only minimally respond to laser.  Lipo can actually give you additional hanging skin in a collagen deprived environment and that is the opposite of what you want.  Find a good plastic surgeon, discuss a mini tummy tuck, and you will do great.

Thank you for your question. Usually a little extra skin after pregnancy is best treated with a mini-tummy tuck.  In your case, this would likely be similar to your C-section scar, and would have the added benefit of a diastasis recti repair.  Non-surgical skin tightening technology is not quite effective in this area, as opposed to the neck. I think the laser skin tightening treatments would not be nearly as effective as your surgical options. Be sure to see a board-certified plastic surgeon and best of luck.

Hi Kygurl, thank you for your question regarding laser skin tightening versus a tummy tuck from minimal loose skin after pregnancy. This is a difficult question to answer without pictures or a physical examination. However, you ask a very common question. You stated in your third sentence that your "stomach looks flat when I am standing up". Based on this, I would suggest you try the laser skin tightening first.  Laser skin tightening can lead to dramatic results especially in a female with your physique and history. There is also minimal to no downtime with the laser skin tightening, so you can take care of your three children. I would give the laser skin tightening procedures 8 to 12 months for full effect. If you do not see your desired results 8 to 12 months after the laser skin tightening, then I would suggest a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty. When seeking a plastic surgical procedure, please find a board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience performing tummy tucks. If you have any more questions regarding laser skin tightening, tummy tucks, abdominoplasties, or any other plastic surgery procedure, please contact my office. Sincerely Dr. Katzen.

Hi- thanks for your question! Laser (and ultrasound, and radio frequency, and non-invasive skin tightening technologies in general) may be helpful in tightening loose skin, but it is impossible to predict exactly how much they will do. None of these modalities will be nearly as effective as a tummy tuck. If you have minor skin laxity, it is not unreasonable to try one of these treatments. If your goals are met, great! You're done. If not, you can always opt for a tummy tuck.