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Was Muscle Tightening a Mistake? (Tummy Tuck)

asked 3 years ago by ff19ff87 in ny, ny
Latest answer by Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Question viewed 1,064 times
Tags: muscle

I'm a 21 year old male. I just had a tummy tuck one week ago. Before surgery i had tight abs under my loose skin. I got the surgery to show my abs. After surgery my doctor told me he had to do muscle tightening in order to prevent my stomach from puffing out. This got me very nervous. Was this a mistake? I know they sew the muscle together. Does this mean I won't have that vertical indent between my abs. Can I still get a ripped 6pac? If the tightening was a mistake, is it reversible?

3 answers to Was Muscle Tightening a Mistake? (Tummy Tuck)

+1

Your surgeon used their best judgement based on your anatomy

Only your surgeon knows what your muscles looked like at the time of surgery. It was that appearance which gave them the information to use their best judgement on your behalf. Your muscles should be improved by plication although it isn't always necessary in men. The primary reason to have a tummy tuck should be to remove the extra skin and not to "show your abs" as this may not be possible in a person who must have been quite obese and then lost substantial weight to need a... more
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

Muscle tightening is usually good

If you needed a tummy tuck at age 21, you must have gained and lost a lot of weight. When heavy, the muscles may have been stretched apart  by the fat inside your abdomen. They should be closer together as your surgeon has probably recreated.
G. Gregory Gallico III, MD

Boston Plastic Surgeon
+1

Muscle plication

Muscle plication involves the fascia over the muscle and in general is meant to approximate the space between the two recti (6 packs muscle). The surgery should not adversly affect the look that you had before surgery.  
Hisham Seify, MD, PhD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

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