how can I get back my six pack after hernia surgery? (photo)

Yours is a question that in different forms we are commonly asked by patients.  It would help to know, prior to answering it, what your height is, and what kind of hernia surgery you had, but, nevertheless, the salient points of this answer still pertain. One question that comes to mind is: after your surgery, for how many months did you refrain from exercise or restricting your diet in a manner to promote weight loss, or at least prevent weight gain? Another is whether, after, by your own account, working with a trainer, and following an "extreme diet", have you lost any weight, and, if so, how much? What was your weight when you had your "six pack"? In other words, just before you began your diet and exercise program, how much more did you weigh than when you had your "six pack".Three months is actually a rather short time period over which to achieve a radical change in your body shape and composition.  Most diet specialists will tell you that a realistic rate of weight loss for a normal middle aged man is 1-2lbs a week.  That means that if you were following any of a number of well-recognized diet programs, you might expect to have lost between 12 and 24lbs over this period of time. It is very difficult to sustain a rate of weight loss greater than this over a sustained period of time, and when people do, the weight loss is frequently a function of a decrease of other components of the body besides fat, such as protein, water, etc.   But visibility of your "six pack" is fundamentally a function of the percentage of body fat, of your ENTIRE body, not just your abdomen.  The inscriptions of the rectus abdominis muscles are usually not visible in a man until his body fat approaches about 12%, and become more highly defined as it continues to decline below 9%.  Looking at the picture you shared, I would estimate that your percentage body fat is in the low to mid 20s, so you still have a ways to go. There are techniques of laser liposuction that allow us to "etch" a pattern that resembles a "six pack" into the fat overlying the rectus abdominis muscle. In you, that layer of fat is still too thick to reveal your "inner six pack" lying just beneath it.  If you want to continue your efforts to get a "real six pack", remember this, though: a proper diet is 90% of the battle, and your exercise routine can probably contribute about 10% to that effort.  Vigorous exercise alone will never compensate for a poor diet or repeated food binges between efforts at dieting. Good Luck.

Hello, thank you for your question regarding can you get your six pack after hernia surgery. Thank you for your history and your pictures.  First, we should analyze your pictures to determine the best abdominal procedure. You have minimal fat and good skin qualities. You do not have any excess skinned no striae or stretch marks. You should be able to get your abs back with conscientious dieting and exercise. If, however, you are unable to get your six-pack back, there is a great surgical option, and most plastic surgeons would agree that you would be an excellent candidate. The procedure is called VASER HI-DEF liposuction or ab etching. VASER is an acronym that stands for Vibration Amplified Sound Energy at Resonance.  The VASER is an additional set in liposuction that uses ultrasound to dissolve abdominal and love handle fat. The heat generated from the VASER also leads to maximal skin contraction. VASER HI DEF ab etching removes the fat around the rectus abdominis and accentuates the lines alba and semi-lunaris lines. The final result after VASER HI DEF ab etching is a washboard abdomen with clearly defined anterior abdominal wall musculature. VASER ab etching takes about three to four hours to complete.  VASER HI DEF is best performed under general anesthesia. Most experienced VASER plastic surgeons prefer general anesthesia because it is less painful for their patients. Also, more fat can be removed with VASER liposuction under general anesthesia compared to IV sedation. Recovery after VASER HI DEF ab etching is about seven to ten days. I hope that i have answered your question regarding six pack after hernia surgery and surgical options including VASER HI DEF ab etching. If you have any more questions regarding VASER liposuction or reduction surgery, contact an experienced plastic surgeon. Since VASER HI DEF liposuction is a specialized procedure, please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience in VASER HI DEF liposuction.   Do your research.   Look at their website.  Look at their reviews on RealSelf.  If you cannot find an experienced, VASER HI DEF liposuction plastic surgeon in your neighborhood, consider traveling out of state if you must. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen, MD, MBA, FACS, FICS, FASMBS. ( Plastic Surgeon, President of the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, and International College of Surgery and  member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, RealSelf Hall of Fame, and RealSelf Doctor Advisory Board for Medical Review and Consumer Panel.)

 Thank you for your question. Diet  and exercise are helpful in trying to reestablish the abdominal wall muscles. If the layer of fat above the muscle is too thick the rectus muscles may not be visible. A combination of liposuction and or cool sculpting may be helpful in thinning the abdominal wall in order to improve the visibility of the muscles. Best of luck Theodore T Nyame M.D.