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Will a Tummy Tuck Reveal Six Pack Abs?

I've been told that I have great abdominal muscles under the flab. Is it possible that if there's a 6 pack under there? I plan on having a tt. I exercise alot. I can feel the tightness in my abs but can't see it due to stretch marks and loose skin. After the tt will I see any definition in my abs if I have some?

Doctor Answers 7

Tummy tuck and 6 pack

November 9th, 2012
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Hi,

  It is rare that a tummy tuck will reveal extensive musclulature unless there is a thin "redrape" tissue.  In this case there might be some 6 pack definition but this is a rare case.

  Consider this scenerio.  Have the tummy tuck and get to the weight you want.  then do liposuction to remove the fat under the skin over the muscles and see what you see.  You cannot do the tummy tuck and agressive liposuction at the same time because you need to preserve the vascular supply to the redraped tissue.

 However, over 6 months or so, you get new vessels that form and it becomes much safer to consider this sequence.

  Bottom general line, you can do the tummy tuck and bring those muscular abdomen muscles back to the midline and this certainly will be healthy and attractive but do not think that you are going to have the abdomen of a body builder from a tummy tuck procedure.   It just will not happen.

                 Steven M. Lynch, M.D.

Steven M. Lynch, MD

6 pack and tummy tuck

October 14th, 2009
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First of all you shouldn't be "Scared2death". In a healthy patient, tummy tuck surgery is very safe with a low complication rate. My abdominoplasty patients are amongst my happiest cosmetic surgery patients because the results are so dramatic. Having said that, tummy tuck surgery is not magic. It does bring the abdominal muscles back in the midline, but does not add definition or bulk to them. By pulling the abdominal skin tight, you MAY decrease the amount of fatty tissue that is over your muscles thus showing them off a bit more, but this is very slight effect. Either way, a few sit ups a day and a little weight loss goes a long way, especially after tummy tuck. Good luck!

Dr. Singer

Elan B. Singer, MD

Elan B. Singer, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
4.8 out of 5 stars 23 reviews

Maybe

October 14th, 2009
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Usually it does not show a six pack because you have too much fat under your skin. If you really lost a lot of weight and have thin flaps, then perhaps there will be some muscle definition seen. Talk to the plastic surgeon.

William B. Rosenblatt, MD

William B. Rosenblatt, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon
4.1 out of 5 stars 11 reviews

Tummy tuck and 6 pack abs

October 13th, 2009
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The tummy tuck per se will not reveal your 6 pack abs.  The only way to do that would be to get down to an exceptionally low body fat after surgery and exercise them like crazy. 

Web reference: http://www.randcosmeticsurgery.com

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Tummy Tuck Alone Will Not Reveal Six Pack

May 22nd, 2014
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A tummy tuck may not be able to reveal your six pack abs, but it will give you far better tone and contour. Liposuction may help accentuate your muscular definition, however it normally only works for individuals with a very low body fat percentage. 

Web reference: https://plus.google.com/+Edelsteincosmetic

Jerome Edelstein, MD

Unlikely for tummy tuck to create six pack abs

October 15th, 2009
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People who have a obvious 6 pack have well developed muscles combined with tight skin and low body fat. After a Tummy tuck, your skin may be tight, but still has fat under the skin and minimal adhesions to the muscle. Initially your skin will just look smooth after surgery. However, we have seen some of our patients develop some definition after exercise. We allow our patients to return to the gym about 3-4 weeks after surgery. With normal healing and reduction in total body fat, you may ultimately notice some definition to the muscles.

Good Luck!

David A. Dreyfuss, MD

David A. Dreyfuss, MD
Orland Park Plastic Surgeon
4.7 out of 5 stars 3 reviews

Real expectations from a tummy tuck

October 14th, 2009
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You can answer your own question by taking a good look at people who have 6 pack abs. They have tight skin, developed muscles and no fat. Unfortunately a tummy tuck will not do all that. If you have some of that already the tummy tuck can help reveal it but if you do not have any of these you will not have a 6 pack after a tummy tuck.

Nowadays there are some tricks using lipo suctioning that can sculpt the fat in the belly to give the appearance of a 6 pack.

John P. Stratis, MD

John P. Stratis, MD
Harrisburg Plastic Surgeon
4.5 out of 5 stars 31 reviews

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.