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Is a Tummy Tuck Without Muscle Repair Cheaper?

asked 1 year ago by Momby4boys in Columbia, South Carolina
Latest answer by Ricardo A. Meade, MD
Question viewed 785 times
Tags: age 25-34, muscle repair, cheap, price, repair

I'm a 27 yr old mother of 4 boys, the last 3 being within 3.5yrs. I had my first child at 16yrs old and I gained almost 60lbs. My other pregnancies were normal weight gain and I lost all of it. Since then I've always had loose skin directly in the center of my stomach (around my belly button.) I only want the skin to be tightened (and possibly a small amount of fat removed). I don't believe I need (nor do I want) the muscle repair. Can I do this and will it cost less than having the repair done?

15 answers to Is a Tummy Tuck Without Muscle Repair Cheaper?

Tighten the Muscle for Your Best Result

From looking at your pictures, it would seem that you have a significant amount of muscle separation about the belly button as well as lax skin above and below the belly button. To do a tummy tuck with skin tightening but no muscle tightening is indeed possible, but you would not achieve an excellent result.

George Sanders, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Tummy Tuck and Muscle Tightening: Is it necessary ?

Thanks for the question. Although muscle tightening is not "necessary" to complete a tummy tuck, I would strongly advise to undergo this portion of the surgery as it will considerably add to the overall result. Considering that you've had multiple pregnancies, the amount of diastasis your abdomen has must be considerable. Simply performing a "skin only" tummy tuck would rid you of excess skin, but the abdominal protrusion would remain. Additionally, if you... more

Glenn Vallecillos, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Muscle repair is an important step in tummy tuck

The overall contour of the your stomach after tummy tuck does not depend on the skin alone. True skin excess is key when considering tummy tuck. However if your abdomen protrudes and is difficult to hold in while standing, muscle repair is very important to the end result. Your photo shows such a situation which will do very well with muscle repair, and the cost should not be any different. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Tummy Tuck Can be Done Without Muscle Repair

A tummy tuck definitely can be performed without a muscle repair. However, I do not think you will be happy if you elect that option. Your photo shows a good bit of central abdominal bulging which is not going to be affected by a tummy tuck without tightening your muscle. I am unaware of any plastic surgeons who charge less for a tummy tuck without muscle repair. Although this is a very important part of a TT, it does not require a lot of time to perform. more

John Whitt, MD
Louisville Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck without muscle tightening

Although it would be cheaper because it would take less time, you need it so you'll be pretty unlucky to find someone who would do this for you. Visit your board certified plastic surgeon to understand why. On physical examination he can e much more explicit about how tightening the muscle fascia improves your contour.

Ricardo A. Meade, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

www.DoctorMeade.com

Tummty tuck

I can not recall the last tummy tuck that I did not also repair the muscles. From your lateral photo, it looks like you need msucle tightening as well.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck without a muscle repair

A tummy tuck is a safe and effective procedure to contour the abdomen, create a tight waist, and remove extra skin, fat, and stretch marks. In our practice, we feel that as every patient is different so should be every tummy tuck. In our initial consult we spent a great deal of time talking to the patient to understand their concerns to learn their aesthetic priorities and to evaluate their abdomen. By doing this the patient can create a surgical plan that will address their concerns and... more

B. Pat Pazmino, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

www.miamiaesthetic.com

Muscle seperations require repair during a tummy tuck.

If your muscles are in good condition than you can easily undergo a tummy tuck without muscle repair. If, however, your muscles are separated, I would highly recommend that you repair these at the time of the tummy tuck. see video

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck

Looking at your photo only, it doesn't appear that you have that much excess skin. Consider liposuction, and even tightening of your abdominal muscles through an umbilical incision only. The cost may be lower.

Shahin Javaheri, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

Bulges need the muscle tightening in a tummy tuck

I really don't understand all the questions about not doing the muscle part of a tummy tuck. It is quick, easy, and gives a flatter tummy with better functional muscles after healing. Sure, it hurts a little more but it is worth it. A postpregnancy abdomen virtually always needs some muscle tightening!!!

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Creating a flat abdomen after a tummy tuck

In most cases, women who have had pregnancies usually require tightening of the muscles as part of the tummy tuck in order to get the best contour possible-- this is really a critical step. Simply removing the excess skin and fat usually won't get you the full benefit, and as with most cosmetic surgery procedures, we want to give you the best chance at an excellent result during your procedure. I don't think the cost would be any different, but more importantly, if the muscle... more

Shahram Salemy, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

www.drsalemy.com

Tummy tuck usually better with muscle repair

The cost is the same regardless of whether or not the muscle repair is done, but the recovery time is longer if you do. Though no one can tell for sure by looking at a picture, but with a history of several pregnancies it is very likely that the muscles have separated and your results would not be as good if you forego the repair. Good plastic surgeons don't like to do procedures where they know the results will be less than ideal so I expect that you will hear unanimous agreement... more

Richard Baxter, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck without muscle repair

You certainly could, but why would you. The difference in cost would not be that great, but more importantly you would not get the benefit of the tummy tuck. You probably have a diastasis or split in the muscle which is the bulge in the middle of your abdomen. Even if you pull the skin tight over 6 months this bulge will re-occur and you will not be happy. That I can almost guarantee. Have you spoken to a plastic surgeon about this problem? I am sure that... more

Steven Schuster, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

Abdominal muscle tightening during abdominoplasty

Thanks for your question. Tightening the abdominal wall is an integral part of a full abdominoplasty. Typically after childbirth the muscles of the abdominal wall separate and the abdominal skin stretches. This means even if you're at your ideal body weight after giving birth you have two things working against your abdominal contour. Resecting skin alone only corrects part of the problem. In addition, you still have some of the same downsides of a full tummy... more

Steven H. Williams, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

Don't Buy a Car Without An Engine...

The bulging in your abdominal wall is caused by your excess skin/fat and the separation of your muscles (also known as rectus diastasis). You are not getting the maximal benefits of a tummy tuck if you opt against the muscle tightening. Sure, you will get some degree of benefit from just removing the excess skin and fat. However, the muscle tightening is the internal power of your tummy tuck procedure - it helps to really flattening out the bulging of your abdomen. So if you are going to... more