Best alternative to Tummy Tuck? (Photo)

I'd have to concur with Dr. Owens that the best and most predictable result will most likely be a full tummy tuck. It is imperative that you give your body enough time to allow healing from your pregnancy and C-Section prior to consulting with board certified plastic surgeons to discuss your specific options.While there are many types of tummy tucks these days, the common are the mini tummy tuck, the full tummy tuck and a panniculectomy (or dermolipectomy). All types of tummy tucks get rid of loose skin on the lower abdomen (between the belly button and the pubic hairline). However a full tummy tuck will also remove fat tissue and tighten the muscles in the abdomen.
A full tummy tuck would address muscle separation above and below the belly button as well as the excessive skin. Recovery from a tummy tuck would take much longer than a week, however, so planning ahead would be key for you on that front as well. You would need some help during the first week of recovery and need to have 3 to 4 weeks off from work (depending on your job requirements).Best wishes!

Thanks for your question. After decades of doing these surgeries, I've learned:1. You should wait at least one year after the birth of your child before the surgery. Although I've cheated this a bit, and done the surgery at ten months post partum, it is best not only to wait until the pregnant uterus returns to it's pre-partum state, but also to allow time for you to fully be with your child during the first year, which is very important.2. I think that my recovery times are quick, but I tell patients to take at least two weeks off from a desk job and to have help at home. You don't want to cut corners on the surgery or recovery, as this could  compromise the ultimate result, which you'd like to be as good as possible.Hope this helps.

Congratulations on your new baby! You’re only 3 weeks after giving birth, so it’s understandable that your stomach is bulging still. It can take several months for your body to return to as close to your pre-pregnancy state as possible, even if you’re already back at your goal weight. I suggest waiting at least 6 months before considering cosmetic surgery. During that time, it’s a good idea to follow a healthy lifestyle to see if that makes an impact on your appearance.Unfortunately, it looks like a full tummy tuck would be your most suitable option based on your photos. It appears that you have loose skin, excess fat and possible muscle separation. All of these issues can be resolved with a full tummy tuck. Liposuction alone would leave you with loose skin that would hang over the top of your pants, and any abdominal muscle separation would remain contributing to bulging. 

Congratulations on the birth of your child! I hope that all is going well. I would not recommend a tummy tuck before six months have elapsed from your delivery. Your body will continue to change and it will likely improve with time. Having said that, unless your abdomen was substantially tighter before this pregnancy, I see little that will help you besides a tummy tuck. There really is no alternative that comes close to the results of an abdominoplasty. So sorry for that answer, but now at least you can begin planning how you can get through the procedure.

Hello and thank you for your
question. Congratulations on your new baby.  You should wait at least six months after a c-section prior to considering surgery for your abdomen.  Based on your photographs, a tummy tuck
with liposuction will be the best and only procedure you should undergo.  Any other procedure will not work well for you due to your skin laxity.  A tummy tuck can be done
through a low and short incision, all completely below the bikini line.  The belly button can be designed to look
natural and have no scars on the exterior.  
Your muscles can also be plicated resulting in a flat abdomen.  Make sure you specifically look
at before and after pictures of real patients who have had this surgery
performed by your surgeon and evaluate their results.  
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D. FACS
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Thanks so much for your question and photos.  Yes, it is very early in terms of accurate assessment of your needs.  From your photos I can tell that the hanging skin will not recover on its own, but it is more difficult to tell without an in person exam whether there is a significant muscle separation versus localized fat above belly button.  If I answer today, I would tell you that your best, most predictable result will be achieved with full tummy tuck.  The procedure allows the surgeon to address all components of post-childbirth changes including muscle/abdominal wall, fat, and skin.  Having said that, there are sometimes compromises that can be made to give you an improvement in what you are seeing, but those options would need to be offered based on comprehensive assessment after you have had at least 6 months of recovery time from your recent pregnancy and surgery.  A good general rule of thumb is that your body takes 9 months to develop these changes and it is worth giving it at least that much recovery time.  Good luck!

I encourage you to wait until you are at least 6 months post partum before considering surgery. Though you will have changes in the next 5 months as you continue to heal from surgery, based on these photos alone a tummy tuck is the only recommended alternative. Anything else will not be worth it.

Judging from your photos, there are no alternatives to a full tummy tuck with repair of the separation of your rectus muscles (called rectus diastasis). 
Your protuberant abdomen is just as much of a problem as the overhanging skin in your lower abdomen. Your protuberant abdomen would be reduced significantly with the above mentioned muscle repair, which requires a TT.
There are no nonsurgical procedures that would help you at all, and a liposuction would help very little, if at all.
Sorry to have to tell you that, but your question and photos are appreciated. Best of luck to you.

Great question.  It depends on whether the fullness that is seen in your photos is attributable to loose abdominal muscles versus excess fat.  Excess fat can be reduced and thinned by liposuction.  Doing so will result in improved appearance in clothes and a quicker recovery time than a TT.  Loose abdominal muscles, on the other hand, will not be addressed by liposuction and a TT would be needed to access them and tighten the abdominal wall.Good luck with your journey.Dr. Remus Repta

Hi, thanks for sharing your concern and photos with us!

Looking at your photos I might say that you´ll be a great candidate to get an entire back, waist and flanks liposuction, with BBL, and tummy tuck, this is because all the extra skin located in this areas plus your abdominal muscle needs to be repaired.

Before all this, of course, you need to get a complete medical evaluation and laboratory exams to check everything is fine. Also please try to find a board certified plastic surgeon, remember that your safety, always, is going to be first.

Have a great day! 

Dr. JPG