Do any Doctors Tighten Skin on Sides of Abdomen Instead of Cutting at Bikini Line?

While many results look nice when we pull the skin by hand, this often doesn't translate into a real surgical result.  The procedure you are describing can be done, it is almost never done.  This is because almost no one has loose skin only on the sides.  If you have loose skin on the sides from pregnancy, then you most likely have loose skin in the front.  If you only tighten the skin on the sides, you will have an irregular result where tight skin meets loose skin.  From what you are describing, you likely need a tummy tuck.  If you have a lot of loose skin on the sides, then it is quite possible that you need an extended tummy tuck to address the front and sides.  In the end, it is always a decision between getting the result and the scar or no result and no scar.  See a board-certified plastic surgeon to see photos of people like yourself.  See if the results you see are worth the scar to you.  Good luck!

Dr. Parham Ganchi

The question posed by a size 2,  fit mother of 2 is whether a tummy tuck can be done leaving scars on the sides.

The answer to this question depends on the particulars of the situation.  In this case, the author indicates the muscles aren't stretched.  This seldom turns out to be the case at the time of surgery after two pregnancies.  Even the most fit mothers often benefit from muscle tightening.

Other issues to be considered are how much loose skin is there and is it loose  vertically, horizontally or both?  Veritcal skin excess is best dealt with through horizontal incisions like the traditional bikini line incision.  This is the most common situation.  If the vertical excess were confined only to the hips one could, in theory use horizontal incisions on the sides.  I have never found thid to be the case.  The uterus is located in the center of the pelvis and as the pregnancy progresses the fetal growth is roughly midline which accounts for the spreading of the midline abdominal muscles and the central skin excess.  Circumferential skin excess is most commonly seen in the population  having experienced massive weight loss, such as after gastric bypass.  These patients usually have both circulferential and vertical skin excess.  Most contouring procedures will still begin with a horizontal skin removal at the belt line but may go completely around the waist in an attempt to redistribute the circumferential skin excess.  If this proves inadequate then right and left vertical skin removal on the dsides may be the only alternative.  This leaves a scar the entire lenght of the torso on each side.  Such a scar is often satisfactory to a person who formerly weighed 400 pounds but is usually not acceptable to a fit mom who has never been obese.