Ricardo A. Meade, MD

It can be done, but the more revisions you have, the more challenging these cases get.  Often I'll find unexpected areas of alleged mesh and other areas where mesh is expected but has been absorbed.  That is an uncommon risk of some of the absorbable mesh for which I prefer the biologics.  Your question is complex and requires consultation, but hopefully this is somewhat helpful.  It would last nearly indefinitely when properly placed depending on the tissues.  I prefer to secure the mesh to the ribs.  That lasts.  Price?  Highly variable.  Some need mastopexy, new mesh, fat transfer...  

I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing complications from surgery. Typically health insurance does not cover complications that are a result of cosmetic surgery. All plans are different, so you will need to speak with your insurance provider to verify what is covered. Your plastic surgeon's office should be able to provide you with procedure and diagnosis codes that you can relay to your insurance company. We include CosmetAssure as part of our patient's surgery package. It covers the cost of most out-of-pocket expenses from complications that may arise after having cosmetic surgery. Wishing you a speedy recovery!

Thank you for your question. Post-operative itching along the incision is very common during the early healing phase. As far as when to apply something topically to provide some relief, it depends how your incision was closed. If your incision was closed with internal sutures and glue on the outside, you will want to wait until the glue has come off before applying anything. Anything you apply is unable to penetrate the glue. Basic rule of thumb is that you want to make sure that all of your incision is entirely closed, and there aren't any open or irritated areas. At that point it is normally safe to apply a topical treatment. I recommend Biocorneum, which contains medical grade silicone to help the incision flatten, soften, and become less red. They also make a product called Biocorneum HC which contains Hydrocortisone. That will help provide you with some relief from itching. I would recommend following up with your surgeon. Best of luck on your journey!

Thank you for your question. In order to do a full tummy tuck the incision would extend into the tattoo. You could do a mini tummy tuck (shorter incision) and potentially avoid the tattoo. But the shorter the incision the less skin you are able to remove. So the results would be limited to the lowest portion of the abdomen. Best of luck on your cosmetic surgery journey! 

Hard areas underneath the incision can occur during the healing process after having a tummy tuck. It can take 6-12 months before you see your final result. What you're describing is more than likely scar tissue, but could also be an undissolved suture. Massaging any hard areas tends to break up excess scar tissue, but I would recommend following up with your surgeon. Best wishes!

Although it's difficult to give you a definitive answer based off of your photo, I think you would more than likely be a potential tummy tuck candidate. The skin appears to have lost laxity, and your abdominal muscles may have been stretched as well. A tummy tuck would address both issues by suturing the muscle separation and removing any excess skin. By placing sutures internally along your abdominal muscles it will help flatten out your stomach, as well as bring in your waist. Removing the excess skin will remove most if not all of your stretch marks. Feel free to contact my office if you have additional questions. Best of luck to you on your cosmetic surgery journey!

More than likely this will resolve on it's own. Occasionally dissolving sutures want to make their way to the skin's surface at which point it can be removed. The sutures are meant to dissolve, so it should correct itself over time. I would suggest following up with your surgeon so that they can evaluate the issue in person. Best of luck on your cosmetic surgery journey!

There are definitely some great financing options and payment plans available for cosmetic surgery. CareCredit, Alphaeon, Prosper, and Lending USA are a few that you may look want to look into. They are credit based, but they do have the option of using a co-signer if you need to. If financing your surgery through a lender isn't the best option a lot of offices allow you to make monthly payments towards your surgery. Typically surgery does have to be paid in full before proceeding with surgery. Best of luck to you on your cosmetic surgery journey!

Liposuction can vary in price anywhere from $2,500 to $15,000. Many factors go into pricing such as the length of the surgery, how many areas are being treated, whether or not it is done under general anesthesia, who is administering the anesthesia, the surgery location (hospital/surgery center/office), and the type of liposuction being performed. Most of the time surgery fees will be reduced in price when additional procedures or areas are added. Best of luck on achieving your cosmetic surgery goals!

Often times after pregnancy women are left with a body that they are unfamiliar with and no longer recognize. The combination of weight gain and hormonal changes can cause your abdominal muscles to stretch and separate, and can make the skin appear loose and crepey. No matter how much you diet or exercise, that will not change the elasticity of the skin or repair the muscle separation. The best solution would more than likely be a tummy tuck. It would flatten the abdominal wall, bringing everything back in, while also narrowing your waist. The excess skin would be removed leaving you with a firm and flat abdomen. Liposuction will only remove fat, and can actually leave you looser than before. When consulting a surgeon you may consider doing both a tummy tuck in combination with liposuction. The 2 procedures together would be a home run for you, but if you have to choose one it should definitely be the tummy tuck. Best of luck on achieving your cosmetic surgery goals!