Best stomach reducing option? (photos)

Question

After carrying a 9lb baby and being diagnosed with fibromyalgia, it has been hard trying to get things back to “normal”. I weighed 130 before I got pregnant. Went up to almost 180 and now am down to 155. It’s has been very hard trying to loss the stomach fat and tightening everything back up. I have looked in coolsculpting but it is going to be expensive and I’m not sure if it will tighten the skin. What are some options that could help?

Laurie A. Casas, MD, FACS · Answer

Congratulations on your childbirth and your weight loss. As a female Plastic surgeon and a mother of two, I can assure you that you will need to decide on your goals for a new "normal". Getting diagnosed with fibromyalgia adds another variable to your new "normal". I have practiced a holistic approach to post pregnancy non surgical and surgical procedures combined with nutrition, exercise and supplement plans taking into account fibromyalgia. In general, it is best to work together with your doctors managing your symptoms of fibromyalgia so that whatever options you choose to reduce your stomach, will be coordinated with your symptoms and triggers. Based on your photos, it looks like you have a flap of hanging skin. That typically means that a tummy tuck is your best option.Coolsculpting typically does NOT tighten skin. In my 28 years of experience with patients with fibromyalgia, I have found that patients recover best from the least about of surgery. I would suggest you work on your core muscle toning so that you can avoid the need for rectus diastasis work and also work with diet changes to reduce your body fat percentage to minimize the areas that will need liposuction. I wish you luck!

Janet Allenby, DO · Answer

Hello,Thank you for your question and pictures, and congratulations on your weight loss so far. Based on what can be seen it appears that you would benefit from a CoolSculpting treatment. You may have to combine it with other treatments such as ThermiSmooth or ThermiTight, but that can be determined after you see your CoolSculpting results. Please consult with a local provider in person to determine the best course of action. Good luck!

Tyler Angelos, MD, FACS · Answer

Congratulations on the baby and your recent weight loss! Based on your photos I would not recommend coolsculpting or liposuction alone but rather a full abdominoplasty. This would allow for internal tightening where the baby stretched things out as well as removing the excess skin and fat. Consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon is recommended. Best wishes!

Michael I. Echavez, MD · Answer

CoolSculpting can be successful in reducing areas of unwanted fat but it will not tighten the skin.  Your best option is most likely surgical since a tummy tuck can address the unwanted fat and skin.

Vinay Aggarwal, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. Coolsculpting is a great treatment to remove stubborn areas of fat that are difficult to eliminate with diet and exercise alone. However, it will not improve skin laxity. I recommend getting an evaluation to determine how many sessions would be needed to get your desired results. Make sure to see a Coolsculpting-certified practitioner to get the best outcomes. All the best, Dr. Aggarwal

Shamim Shakibai, MD · Answer

If you are considering a procedure to get rid of fat, CoolSculpting is a great option, because it is non-invasive with little to no down-time, but it will not help with skin tightening. Most patients opt to get re-treatments in the same area for maximum results of up to 40-50% fat cell reduction.  I suggest researching both your surgical and non-surgical options, along with scheduling an in-person consultation with a physician so you can be evaluated and given recommendations.

Mary Beth Mudd, MD · Answer

Great job on the weight loss! This will make it easier to get your tummy looking more like you want it to look. The most dramatic results would come from liposuction and tummy tuck, but this will be more costly and definitely has the most down-time. You might also want to look into LaserLipo (AKA SmartLipo) since the laser used can reduce the fat deposits but also the heat involved can help to tighten up your skin. The tightening is not as dramatic as that seen with tummy tuck where the surgeon is actually removing the loose skin, but many patients find that the results are good enough to make them happy. My patients who have had previous liposuction and then had LaserLipo all tell me that the LaserLipo was much easier and faster to recover from than liposuction, and way more easier than tummy tuck/lipo. The other good thing is that you could still have a tummy tuck in the future if at some point you had the time and resources to do this. I would suggest consultation with a physician who is experienced in LaserLipo who can personally assess your abdomen and discuss your best options to get you the results you desire. Best wishes, Mary Beth Mudd

Barry Ginsburg, MD · Answer

Cool sculpt would not get rid of enough fat.  surgery is your only option.. I have done lipo on hundreds of women with this appearance and the improvement is dramatic.. check my photos or web site.. Tummy tuck (which i do not do) and lipo would give you a flatter and tighter ab. but the cost and down time would be more. In one session i could do lipo on the upper and lower abdomen.. tummy tuck alone would only address the lower abdomen , so be sure that your procedure, whatever it is would include upper abdomen.

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Congratulations on your successful weight loss thus far!  Based on your photographs, it  is clear to that you should undergo a full tummy tuck procedure in order to achieve the best outcome possible.  I would strongly recommend that you do not undergo a "less invasive" procedure; in other words,  you will very likely be disappointed with the outcome of any procedure other than tummy tuck surgery.
 Generally speaking, anxiety prior to surgery is very normal; its complete elimination is usually not possible. Assuming you have chosen your plastic surgeon carefully, other important "variables" such as anesthesia provider and surgery facility will be selected based on everyone's first priority: safety. This careful selection should give you some peace of mind that you will be safe around the time of surgery. Generally speaking, the “ideal” patient for tummy tuck surgery is one who has completed pregnancies, is psycho socially/emotionally/financially stable, has an excellent social support system surrounding him/her, is capable of arranging enough recovery time, does not smoke and who has reached a long-term stable weight.
 
My best suggestion: seek consultation with board-certified plastic surgeons who can demonstrate significant experience helping you achieve the type of outcome you will be pleased with. Best wishes.

Best stomach reducing option? (photos)

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Would you recommend CoolSculpting for me? (Photo)

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