How Common is a Tummy Tuck After Having Twins?

I have had several patients who had twins before getting a tummy tuck. Carrying twins can take a huge toll on a woman's body, stretching out the skin and weakening abdominal muscles, so it's not unusual for a woman to be unhappy with their body contour after having their children and turn to a tummy tuck to address their concerns.

Anytime a women has multiple babies in a single pregnancy this will impart more expansion and stretch on the abdominal wall.  The muscle separation or splaying (medically known as rectus diastasis) is also more severe.  Some women that are very young with good elastin may get a fair amount of "spring back" but the rectus diastasis never corrects without surgery. In addition, patients are also more predisposed to hernia formation as well.

 

I'm not sure that i have ever met a woman who has had twins that would not benefit from a tummy tuck.  The significant weight gain with loss of elasticity of your skin can leave a woman with a roll of skin.  Often, twins are delivered by c-section which can exacerbate the over-hang of your skin above the c-section scar.  I've found that the spreading of the rectus muscles is especially wide and can only be repaired by suturing them back together.  Sit ups will not do the trick.  I like to combine tummy tucks with liposuction of the waist to further enhance the patient's results.

It all depends on your genetics.  The best thing to do is wait until after you are done breast feeding and have gone back to either your normal weight or close to it and then see if your a tummy tuck candidate.

Hello,

A tummy tuck generally adresses three different issue:

1) Excess fat

2) Excess skin and soft tissue laxity

3) Abdominal wall laxity

Women who have had multiple pregnancies usually have the most signiciant change in their abdominal appearence and therefore stand to gain the most improvement from a tummy tuck.  Each body and each individuals goals are different and should be assessed accordingly.  If you have looseness of your abdominal wall and significant skin and soft tissue laxity then a tummy tuck would help correct this and return your body toward it pre-pregnancy form.

All the best,

Dr Repta