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Pregnancy Stretch Marks

asked 3 years ago by shantay86cali in glendora, ca
Latest answer by Robert M. Lowen, MD
Question viewed 19,739 times
Tags: age 18-24, stretch marks, c-section, pregnancy

When I was 8 months along in my pregnancy, I got PUPPP which created very severe stretch marks. I have these stretch marks little over a inch above my belly button, all over my lower tummy, and a little on my hips. I am 22 yrs old, 5'4", 148 lbs, and in the process of losing 38 lbs. I have one child but not planning on having any more. Will it get rid of the stretch marks? I have a C-section scar from geting an ovarian cyst removed when I was 16. Will the incision start from this scar?

32 answers to Pregnancy Stretch Marks

+2

Stretch mark removal with tummy tuck

Most tummy tucks remove a considerable amount of lower abdominal skin. considering that this is where most of the stretch marks reside, then you can say that most of the stretch marks get removed with a tummy tuck.
S. Sean Younai, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.beautifulself.com

+5

Remove the c-section scar and the stretch marks.

Thanks for your question. I agree with others here that it is good to be as close to your Ideal weight as possible eefore you proceed. Ideal weight doesn't necessarily mean rail thin which may be unrealistic, but you should try to achieve a weight you are comfortalbe with. If you starve yourself or use a fad died or medication you may fail to maintain your goals. Being more slender helps the abdominal wall to stay flatter if your surgeon tightens the muscles that have... more
Adam Tattelbaum, MD

Washington DC Plastic Surgeon

www.atcosmetics.com

+5

Stretch Marks after Tummytuck

Based on your photo, it looks like all of the stretch marks below the belly button would be removed with the tummy tuck. It is possible the ones above the belly button might also be removed. If not, they would al least be pulled down to the pubic area. To get the best results, you should complete your weight loss program before the surgery. During the surgery your doctor will remove your old C-section scar and your new scar will be just below that.
Ronald V. DeMars, MD

Portland Plastic Surgeon

www.drdemarsmd.com

+3

Pregnancy Stretch Marks can be Removed with Tummy Tuck and or 1540 Laser

If your Stretch Marks are only in the lower abdomen or you have enough loose skin for a Full Tummy Tuck then most of the Pregnancy Stretch Marks can be removed by a Tummy Tuck. However even aft behind.er a Tummy Tuck higher Stretch Marks can be left behind. WE have had good luck especially with pink or red stretch marks by treating them non surgically with the 1540 Non ablative Erbium laser.
Brooke R. Seckel, MD

Boston Plastic Surgeon

www.drseckel.com

+3

Stretch Marks Removed with Tummy Tuck

You appear to be an excellent candidate for a tummy tuck. A tummy tuck will most likely remove all the stratch marks between your belly button and your pubic hair, but the stretch marks above the belly button will likely remain. The C-section scar will most likely be cut out with the extra skin. Be sure your weight is within 10 pounds of your goal before setting your surgery date. You should see a tremendous improvement!
Paul C. Zwiebel, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon
+2

You may be good candidate for a tummy tuck

If you are not planning on having any more children and suffer from alot of stretch marks and loose abdominal skin from your previous pregnancy, then you would be a good candidate for a tummy tuck. It is a good surgical solution to loose abdominal skin and stretch marks. I recommend you consult a board certified plastic surgeon in your area. You can find one by consulting the website for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. see video
James Tang, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon
+2

Tummy tuck and stretch marks

As has been stated by many here, a tummy tuck should eliminate the majority of your stretch marks. Basically, those marks that are above the belly button would get moved to the lower abdomen above your final scar, and those that were below the belly button would be removed. Some patients have stretch marks that extend so high above the belly button that they will basically get transferred from the upper abdomen to replace the ones in the lower abdomen that come out with the tummy tuck... more
Tim Abou-Sayed, MD

Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon
+2

Stretch marks

Stretch marks below the umbliicus are usually able to be excised during a tummy tuck.  Any stretch marks higher than this will now be moved to a lower position. 
Chad Douglas Tattini, MD

Bloomington Plastic Surgeon
+2

Will help stretch marks

An abdominoplasty will remove most of your stretchmarks below your belly button and re-position the ones above the belly button to a lower position.  Also, by putting your tissue on stretch, i find that the remaining stetchmarks a little less noticeable.
Vishnu Rumalla, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+2

Tummy tuck will help with stretch marks.

You will really benefit from full tummy tuck and liposuction of flanks.  These two procedures can give you an excellent abdominal contour.  In addition, most if not all of your stretch marks will be gone.  You are lucky since most of your stretch marks are in the lower abdomen.  Depending on the laxity and excess amount of your skin, all of your stretch marks will be removed at the time of tummy tuck.  Full tummy tuck is a great option to tighten your muscle and... more
Sugene Kim, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon
+2

Tummy tuck removes many but not all stretch marks.

Good luck on losing your weight! Once you are at your best weight, you are indeed a candidate for abdominoplasty. From your photo, it appears as if your loose skin may extend to the hips and upper thigh areas. Performing an extended abdominoplasty can help to tighten these areas too, and reduce the likelihood of dog ears from a too-short "standard" abdominoplasty incision. This involves a longer scar, which should not be a problem if it is situated properly along your bikini line.... more
Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS

Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon

www.mpsmn.com

+2

Stretch marks be gone

It sounds like you may benefit from a tummy tuck procedure +/- liposuction of the waist.  A tummy tuck (also called abdominoplasty) is a very popular cosmetic surgery procedure. A tummy tuck can be an effective tool for shaping and sculpting the body for better body appearance and improved self esteem. Sometimes no amount of diet and exercise can create a flat tummy. Tummy tuck plastic surgery actually tightens abdominal muscles and removes excess fat and skin from the stomach... more
C. Bob Basu, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon

www.basuplasticsurgery.com

+2

Stretch marks below the navel will be eliminated with a "tummy tuck".

Your stretch marks below the navel will be removed by an abdominplasty.  The ones above may be but no guarantee there.  Even if not, however, they will be lower and less obvious.
Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+2

Stretch marks can be removed by a Tummy Tuck

Stretch marks can only be removed by excision. A tummy tuck typically removes the skin and underlying fat from the belly button downward. Since you have stretch marks above this location, they will not be removed but will shift down to a lower position on your tummy when the surgery is done. In regard to your C-section scar, this should be eliminated when you have a tummy tuck (whether it is vertical or transverse on your abdomen). Stretch marks are difficult trade off from having a... more
Scott R. Brundage, M.D.

Grand Rapids Plastic Surgeon
+2

Tummy tuck

A full tummy tuck will remove most of your stretch marks form your C-section all the way to your navel.  However, you are probably better of having an extended tummy tuck.  WIth this procedure, the incision is longer but some of the hip and waist skin and tissue can also be removed.
Siamak Agha, MD, PhD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+2

The only way to remove stretch marks is to remove the skin

If you have skin laxity and stretch marks, a plastic surgeon can help to correct this problem. By performing abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, he can remove the excess skin ,including stretch marks . Any stretch marks that are left in skin that isn't removed ,will be less noticeable because the skin is pulled tighter. In the early stages of stretch mark formation, I have used the NdYag laser to decrease the redness, and this seems to help make them less noticeable.
Joseph M. Perlman, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon
+1

Getting rid of pregnancy stretch marks with a tummy tuck

All the stretch marks below the belly button will be removed, but the ones above might remain. That depends on how lax your upper abdomen is and how low your belly button is in relation to the pubic area. You look like the belly button is relatively low and there is a lot s skin laxity above. I bet you might be able to get out all of the stretch marks if they are only an inch above. That said, once the skin is stretched out by the tummy tuck, they will look much better. I am... more
Robert M. Lowen, MD

Bay Area Plastic Surgeon

www.enhanced-you.com

+1

Stretch marks and tummy tuck

Hello, The bad news is that stretch marks, which are separation of the deeper layer of the skin, cannot be successfully treated without surgical removal. The good news is that stretch marks below the belly button and some above the belly button will be removed by a tummy tuck. In your case, your lower incision would be below your C-section scar and the upper incision would be above your belly button. The exact location of the upper incision will be determined... more
Remus Repta, MD

Phoenix Plastic Surgeon
+1

Abdominoplasty and stretch marks

You would be a great candidate for a tummy tuck with liposuction. This would remove a lot of the skin redundancy below the navel and with it, the stretch marks in that area. If you are in the middle of a weight loss program, you should lose all the weight and maintain a stable weight for 6 months prior to undergoing an abdominoplasty for the best possible result. Some of the stretch marks will remain but, once the abdomen is tight and flat, will not be as noticeable or objectionable. more
Robert L. Kraft, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

Lose the weight first!

In general, most of the stretch marks below your belly button are removed with a standard tummy tuck but very few get removed with a mini-tummy tuck. Stretch marks that extend above your belly button may not get removed depending on how much extra skin you have and how high they are, but they do get pulled down below the belly button unless they are very high. Congratulations on 'getting it.' That is losing the weight first. The more weight you lose, the more... more
James McMahan, MD

Columbus Plastic Surgeon
+1

Most of Stretch Marks Removed

When you are ready, I think you would be very please with the results that can be obtained with tummy tuck surgery. All of the stretch marks from your pubic region to your belly button would be removed and perhaps more depending on how much excess skin is present. The surgically scar would be placed below your old C.-section scar and marked within your bathing suit line. Some of the stretch marks on your hips will persist
Richard Linderman, MD

Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon
+1

Will tummy tuck help with my Stretch Marks?

  The abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, procedure will usually elliminate most of the stretch marks that are present below your belly button depending on the amount of excess skin that you have.  Often, the surgery is performed below prior c-section scars or right through these old scars, so you don't have to worry about any new scars down there.  It is difficult to say exactly from the picture you have posted, but it looks from this view that you could potentially have a... more
Erez Sternberg, MD

Jacksonville Plastic Surgeon
+1

Tummy Tuck Scar and Pregnancy Stretch Marks

A tummy tuck will get rid of the majority of your abdominal stretch marks. As others have said, stretch marks are removed by removing the excess, lax skin of the lower abdomen, where most patient's stretch marks are located.  In general, a tummy tuck will only get rid of the stretch marks below your belly button, but this depends somewhat on your height, width, and amount of skin laxity. The tummy tuck scar can usually be placed at or slightly below a C-section scar thus... more
Jaime Perez MD

Tampa Plastic Surgeon

www.jaimeperezmd.com

+1

Tummy tuck, stretch marks, and c-section scars

It is a bit hard to tell from the photo, but you do appear to have a fair amount of excess tissue, which means that a lot of it will be removed at the time of a tummy tuck.  Basically, the only stretch marks that disappear are the ones on the tissue that is removed, and how much tissue can be removed is determined by how much laxity you have. I generally incorporate old c-section scars in my incision or make my incision even lower so that the c-section scar is removed altogether with... more
B. Aviva Preminger, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

Stretch Marks and Tummy Tuck Scars

Stretch marks will be removed with the skin that is cut off with a tummy tuck. How much skin that can be removed depends on how loose it is. If there is a great deal of laxity, some stretch marks above the belly button can be removed. When previous scars are present, it is best to remove them to help get the best appearing scar.
Jon M. Grazer, MD, MPH

Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon
+1

Good News Regarding Stretch Marks

Good luck on your ongoing weight loss. A tummy tuck either alone or as a part of a Mommy Makeover will likely allow the removal of all your stretch marks from you existing scar to your belly button. The stretch marks above your belly button may remain but they will be located just above your new scar in the lower abdomen and be much less noticeable. The new scar will likely be placed just below your existing scar, but it will need to extend longer on either side toward your hips. more
Leo Keegan, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Tummy Tucks and Stretch Mark Removal

Typically most of  the stretchmarks from below the belly button will be removed with a full abdominoplasty. Upon consultation and examination your Board certified Plastic Surgeon will be able ti discuss your anticipated results. best wishes! 
Christine Sullivan, MD

Columbus Plastic Surgeon
+1

Tummy Tuck can remove Stretch Marks after Pregnancy

A tummy tuck or abdominoplasty will generally remove stretch marks from pregnancies. The stretch marks from just above the belly button down to the pubis will be removed during a full tummy tuck. If there are significant stretch marks above the belly button, these often remain, but are lowered during your tummy tuck surgery. You should consult with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your cosmetic surgery goals.
Ankit Desai, MD

Jacksonville Plastic Surgeon
+1

Tummy tuck is the cure for stretch marks

A tummy tuck is the only way to cure stretch marks.  The incision for a tummy tuck is elliptical and therefore removes more tissue in the midline and gradually removes less skin as the incision proceeds in each direction laterally.  If you have significant stretch marks on you hips a standard tummy tuck may not remove them and you may still have short areas of stretch marks  in the area of the incision.  It just depends on the amount of skin the plastic surgeon is... more
Richard H. Fryer, MD

Salt Lake City Plastic Surgeon
+1

Treating Stretch Marks after Pregnancy

Stretch marks occurring during pregnancy are due to the thinning of the deeper layers of the skin (teh dermis) beneath the more superficial layer of epidermis.  Think of it like a rip in the deeper layer of skin.  In our experience the only reliable way of removing strech marks is to perform a tummy tuck type procedure.  A tummy tuck will remove excess skin from the lower abdominal wall from the level of the belly button to the level of the pubic area.  The upper... more
Neil J. Zemmel, MD

Richmond Plastic Surgeon
+1

Treating stretch marks after pregnancy

A tummy tuck would be a good procedure for you. It will take almost all of your stretch marks out, tighten your abdomen and remove a significant amount of excess fatty tissue. I would recommend losing your weight first if that is your plan. Being close to your ideal weight will give you a better result from surgery. I typically remove the old C-section scar by placing the final scar below this.
David Rankin, MD

Jupiter Plastic Surgeon
+1

Tummy Tuck removes abdominal stretch marks from pregnancy

Yes, a tummy tuck will get rid of a lot of the stretch marks on your abdomen. The photo you submitted suggests you are still a bit "full" in the abdomen. This is probably both an issue with fat below the skin surface, as well as inside the abdominal compartment. If you are above your ideal weight, I would suggest loosing weight until you are within 10% of your idea / goal weight, and then you could proceed with the tummy tuck. If there is less "inside" you abdomen,... more
Michael A. Bogdan, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon

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