Do I have enough skin for a tummy tuck? (Photo)

This erroneous statement is still uttered from the mouths of too many surgeons in 2024. It emanates from the belief that the hole in the skin once attached to the belly button needed to be excised in the surgical process. This backwards concept has led to hundreds of thousands of tummy tucks with a scar that was just frankly too high. In fact, there are so many plastic surgeons today that freely share photos of there work with a scar that is too high. It has also led to too many women denied a full tummy tuck, either getting mini tucks that don't work at or above the belly button, or worse, a floating umbilical tummy tuck. In reality, the placement of the long scar is so important, not just so it can be concealed by a bathing suit, but also when you view yourself naked in the mirror. Placement of the scar in the border between the pubis and abdomen centrally, and between the thigh and abdomen laterally will lead to a visual disappearing act in your brain, the most important place for this to happen. This placement is typically too far for most peoples 'hole' to travel, leading to closure of that hole with a small vertical incision, one that once healed can be shown in public without anyone noticing. Go to a smart doctor please and get that tummy tuck!

Thank you for your question and photos. It does appear that you have enough laxity to warrant a traditional tummy tuck. Your breast implant fold is relatively fixed - so that shouldn't migrate down.
Seek out a few consultations with board certified plastic surgeons. Look at their B&A and make sure you're going to get the result you're looking for. I'm a proponent of drainless abdominoplasties and think you'd get a great result.

Dear jrichardson555,
based on your photos, you look like a good candidate for a TT. Full tummy tuck should tighten your abdominal muscles and remove the excess skin. Flanks liposuction would give you a better shape. I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon because only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MDCertified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

The results of your breast augmentation will not be affected by a tummy tuck. You appear to have a sufficient amount of loose skin above your belly button to warrant a full tummy tuck.

Ideally, a TT incision would lie low on the abdomen, just above the pubic hair and the opening created by incising around the belly button could be pulled downward enough to be removed. To gauge how lax your skin is, lay on a table with your stomach bent slightly. Place your fingers just above the top of your pubic hair and thumbs just above your belly button. If your fingers could easily go together when you pinch the skin, the tissue between your fingers could be removed, the belly button opening removed and the skin closed with the belly button in the same position, but coming out through the upper abdominal skin which has been pulled downward. If you can’t pinch your fingers together, you have choices. You can move the TT incision line upward or keep the incision as low as possible and the belly button opening could be closed as a small vertical incision, positioned just above the TT incision. One other option is an umbilical float. Have a detailed consultation with a plastic surgeon to discuss all your options. Best wishes.

Hello, my name is Dr Igor Burko and I am a Plastic Surgeon at SY Aesthetics in NYC. Based on your photos, it does look like you have enough skin excess for a tummy tuck. Sometimes, if the closure does not reach or will be too tight, you may need a small vertical component in the middle of your tummy tuck scar. It is best to see a trained plastic surgeon for a consultation so that a physical exam can be performed and surgical expectations can be discussed together.

Hello!
Looking at your photos I would say you have plenty of skin for a tummy tuck. You have stretch marks and typically skin will stretch easily with that. Your lower abdominal muscles look a bit lax on profile and you can have tightening of your abdominal muscles as well.
You should see a board certified plastic surgeon. You can find one at plasticsurgery.org.
Best of luck to you!

Thanks so much for your inquire,

Determining if you have enough skin for a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) typically requires a consultation with a qualified plastic surgeon.

However, if you have loose, sagging skin around your abdomen, you might be a good candidate. This can occur after significant weight loss or pregnancy.

To get a definitive answer, schedule a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon. They can evaluate your specific situation, discuss your goals, and determine if you have enough excess skin for a tummy tuck.

Sincerely,
Dr. Emmanuel Mallol

Thanks for your question! You will be fine (from what I can tell in photos). You may have a slight vertical incision above your tummy tuck incision, but that's a small risk. Good luck!

This is a good question regar rejuvenation of your tummy. It is difficult to determine if the belly button hole will make it all the way to the low, transverse incision. If it does not, then you may have a vertical scar to close the hole. Still, it is a good trade-off to have a tight tummy. Also, it looks as though your muscles are tight without noticeable diastasis and a more appropriate option is to perform liposuction with skin excision and umbilical transposition (much like the skin aspect of the tummy tuck). The recovery is much more manageable and risk much lower given the lack of deeper involvement with muscle repair. There are no drains, anesthesia is oral sedation with local tumescent so there is much less risk and downtime. You can be up, and about with immediate return to activity as tolerated. There still may be a vertical scar. An option to strongly consider. Thank you for sharing.