I Have No Kids, Do I Need Muscle Repair? (photo)

This is the sort of thing that needs an in-person physical exam to determine.  While women who haven't had children or previous abdominal surgery are less likely to need a muscle repair,  sometimes we find there's some abdominal wall laxity at the time of surgery, and they can get a better shape if I do the plication sutures.

It is impossible to tell from photographs alone if a muscle repair is needed in your case.  Only an exam by your surgeon or a visualization in the operating room can tell for sure. That being said, if there is some separation in your muscles, a repair during your tummy tuck will help your final result significantly.

Hello. I would not recommend you having surgery if your BMI is above 30 because it can cause unnecessary risks and complications for an elective surgery. I can not make this calculation for you because I do not know your height. If or when your BMI is below 30 and you decide to get a tummy tuck done your muscles will be assessed during the surgery. Because you have had no children there is a good chance that you do not have much diastasis recti but it is impossible to know for sure pre op. If you have children after the tummy tuck you may need a revision in the future.


Jaime Perez, MD
Tummy Tuck Specialist
Plastic Surgery Center of Tampa

Thank you for your interesting question and photographs. There are a few issues that you need to address before surgery: 

1)  Usually, most 24 women, who have not had children, do not require abdominal muscle repair. See a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who can determine whether you have abdominal muscle laxity or a hernia.

2) After some weight loss you may become a candidate for abdominal liposuction or abdominal liposuction with a mini tummy tuck. The mini tummy tuck can remove any excess lower abdominal skin, has a shorter scar, and an easier recovery than a full tummy tuck.

3)  I recommend that you lose some weight first by joining an inexpensive  proven healthy weight loss program such as Weight Watchers or Jennie Craig. They are effective at giving you guidelines and  eating plans to help reach your goal. 

4) Increasing your physical activity with walking, the gym, dancing, swimming etc., which will boost your metabolism and help you reach your ideal weight faster. Downsizing before surgery is the best option.

5) Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is elevated and should be between 25-30 before you have surgery to minimize complications and have the optimal long term results. You only need your height and weight (225 pounds) and you can easily calculate it by using a BMI chart found on line.

Don't be discouraged. I am sure you can accomplish your goals with a sensible plan. Best wishes.

There are several possibilities for you to think about when considering body contouring surgery.  You should be at an optimal weight and should not consider an abdominoplasty as a weight loss procedure.  It is not possible to determine whether or not you would benefit from a tightening of your anterior abdominal wall fascia.  There are no absolutes in plastic surgery and all surgical procedures are planned to give the patient a safe and reliable result.  You first need an assessment of the competency of your anterior abdominal wall laxity.  If you can push your abdomen out to a significant degree then you may want to consider repair of the fascia.  In many cases the fascia is not repaired and the patient has a skin only abdominoplasty with contouring liposuction of the flanks, posterior hips and upper back.  If your goal is to get rid of the overlapping skin and fat of the lower abdomen and to tighten the skin of the upper abdomen then you will do well with a skin only abdominoplasty.   If you have had a good deal of weight fluctuation, gaining 40 pounds then loosing 40 pounds then it is more likely than not that the fascia is going to be some what lax.