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Is a Tummy Tuck the only way? just want to flatten belly and lose the love handles

I'm 24 and I have two children boys 4 and 11months. I'm 5'71/2 and I think I'm about 140lbs. Before I had my first child I weighed 126 I don't exercise right now and I really want a tummy but can't afford it right now. My question is what is something that I can do to flatten my stomach? I love the rest of my body (except breast size) but I don't want to lose weight I just want to flatten my belly and lose the love handles. I hope someone can give me some advice. Thanks

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17 Doctor Answers | Asked by Oklahoma City1532 in Oklahoma City, OK

Doctor Answers (17)
Community Comments (2)

Is Tummy Tuck the only way?

If you are only 24 and you are considering having more children, I would wait on any tummy tuck procedure anyway. With respect to your other options, I would start working out again to get your body toned as best as possible. This will not help with any abdominal wall laxity that may have resulted from pregnancy, but it will likely improve the overall appearance and get you closer to your previous weight.

Post Baby Reovery

A healthy diet and exercise are always the key to success when trying to lose weight after children. You are young and you probably still have a fairly good amount of elasticity in your skin. If the skin is stretched though; for instance, a lot of stretch marks and saggy skin, a tummy tuck may be the best answer for you. Maybe finding a plastic surgeon in your area and having a consultation would at least allow you to see what the possibilities are for you. You... more

Exercise vs Surgery

With proper athletic training, you will probably be able to make improvements in your overall body shape, including your tunny and love handles. If your skin in wrinkled or stretched out, a tummy tuck may be the only option to get that pre-pregnancy tummy back.

A simple summary of surgery vs. excercise with regards to your tummy and torso region

Dear Oklahoma City1532 Here is a simple summary of what can be accomplished with surgery vs diet / exercise with regards to your abdominal/torso region. The layers of the abdomen/torso are listed in order from external to internal: Excess skin: This refers to skin that is stretched from weight gain or pregnancy, often with visible signs of damage (ie stretch marks). Surgery is the only way to remove excess skin. Diet/exercise has effects on fat and muscle... more

Is a tummy tuck the only way to get a flatter stomach?

Whether any non-surgical efforts can make any improvement in your abdominal shape and love handles depends on how much loose skin you have. Pregnancies almost always causes an extra skin problem which can only be changed by some form of tummy tuck surgery. The real question is not whether a non-surgical approach will work but which more minimally invasive treatment will be effective. This could include Smartlipo alone or a mini-tummy tuck.

I am not overweight, but I don't like my shape. How can I fix it?

Areas of your body may be diet and exercise resistant. Even personal trainers have been patients for liposuction and body contouring, because diet and exercise cannot change the shape of certain parts of your body that were genetically inherited from your parents. Patients who are in their ideal weight range for their height who have a one or two areas that are diet and exercise resistant are excellent candidates for liposculpture. Claudio DeLorenzi MD FRCS... more

Tummy tuck after pregnancy often the best option

A tummy tuck does 3 things that you can't accomplish with diet and exercise: First, it removes any localized fat in the abdominal area; you can't "spot reduce" with exercise. Second, if the muscles have been pushed apart from the pregnancy (what is called a diastasis), they cannot be pulled back into place with exercise. Third, if the skin is loose, particularly if you have stretch marks, it will usually not snap back. I would encourage you to get in good shape though... more

Tummy flattening after kids

Really, after 2 kids, the primary way to get a flat tummy is a tummy tuck. Meantime, diet and exercise are the way to go and just save up for the TT.

Tummy Tuck is Best Way to Flatten Tummy

Although a tummy tuck is certainly the gold standard for tummy flattening, some women can obtain a good result with exercise and liposuction for areas that don't respond if they are isolated. It depends on the elasicity of your skin. Some women have successful pregnancies with minimal weight gain and good skin elasticity. Many of these women do not require tummy tucks to get back their flat abdomens.

Tummy tuck?

Without an exam it is hard to say what could benefit you. If you exercise and diet, you may get down to your desired weight.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

VIDEO: (TUMMY TUCK OPTIONS)

See the video below for the various tummy tuck options available. In the meantime, consider flattening the stomach using a Yoga or Pilates regimen of core strengthening exercises. see video

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Tummy Tuck Options

Thanks for the question. Assuming you don't have excess abdominal skin, you do have options outside of a tummy tuck. The one that comes immediately to mind for me would be to undergo lipoplasty of your love handles. Combine this with a sound exercise program focusing on core strengthening ( pilates and/or yoga ) and I think you would be very satisfied with the results. Best of luck, Glenn Vallecillos, MD, FACS

Tummy tuck

If you are concerned about the excess skin, your only choice is to remove it with a tummy tuck. If you are concewrned only about the separation of your muscles and fullness of the lower abdomen, you may want to look into the Tupler method. We do have special pricing for this surgery at this time with excellent financing. Watch my videos.

Tummy tuck vs lipo vs diet/exercise?

If your tummy skin is in good shape ( without excess or striae), diet/exercise and/or liposuction may be the answer. If you have loose skin or your tummy muscles are spread apart you may require a tummy tuck to achieve your goal. This is a big procedure with recovery but the results are fantastic

Tummy tuck is not the only way

No, tummy tuck is not the only way. A "flat" belly can also be achieved with liposuction. The main issues; however, are whether you have too much loose skin, and intraabdominal fat. Good luck!

Is a Tummy Tuck the only way? just want to flatten belly and lose the love handles

All I want is a flat tummy but no surgery, no exercise. DREAM ON! But anything is possible. So keep dreaming and wishing. But as all the other experts have stated try something as exercise or surgery. From MIAMI DR. Darryl J. Blinski

Exercise is always good for you

I have had many women come in and tell me they had tried a lot of exercise to try to flatten their tummy, and it did not work. But I think that's because if it worked they wouldn't have come in for my services. So I think for some women it does work, so long as the damage to the abdominal wall wasn't that bad to begin with. If the damage and stretching to the wall is severe, no amount of exercise would help. That said, exercise is always good for you for health reasons. more