Will having these surgeries really help my overall health and quality of life? (photos)

Based on your history and photos, it is obvious that you need extensive, reconstructive, not cosmetic procedure. This should include repair of diastasis and hernia using combination of mash and component separation technique, followed with removal of excess abdominal skin (panniculectomy). Once this condition is stable and you loose additional 30 plus lbs., more aesthetic type of abdominoplasty may be considered. Good luck.

Hello, both hernia repair and abdominoplasty should be done at the same time. During abdominoplasty, diastasis recti is also repaired and the abdominal skin is tightened. The belly button is repositioned and excess skin and fat are removed. The most accurate operation decision and combination can be made after consultation.

You need a formal evaluation by an expert in body shaping and contouring to determine what is best. You will likely need to lose weight first before undergoing any cosmetic procedure to get the best outcome. For best results, it is recommended to be at your ideal or stable weight before getting a sculpting liposuction procedure. Liposuction is not a weight loss procedure; rather, it is for sculpting, defining and removing problem areas that cannot be removed with weight loss, diet and exercise alone. If skin is very loose before surgery, then it will need to be removed: tummy tuck/abdominoplasty for lower abdominal skin; breast lift for excess breast skin; and/or a brachioplasty for loose arm skin. In the meantime, I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a bariatric doctor or dietitian. Best, Dr. Emer​

Dear Joannalynn0719,
generally speaking, you want to reach your goal weight before you consider a surgery, otherwise your results will be suboptimal if you continue to lose weight after the surgery. If you are considering surgery, I would suggest you consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination, you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Congratulations on your weight loss so far! From your photos I encourage you to have the medical issues addressed as you continue further weight loss. Once you are at your goal weight and are able to maintain it you can consider a tummy tuck to address loose skin and fatty pockets.

Number one on my recommendation would be weight loss or continued weight loss.

Until you get your obesity under control it’s difficult to manage all the other things effectively including back pain and abdominal wall issues.

After successful weight loss and proper well-done full or extended tummy tuck wood correct any ventral hernia, umbilical hernia and definitively and permanently correct your diastasis recti.

This procedure will most likely not improve back pain or any other pain you may have.
Whether the procedure is worth having varies from person to person. Our job is to make assessments and give recommendations based on those from a plastic surgery perspective.

Weight loss needs to come first then schedule in person consultations with local board certified plastic surgeons if you have not done so already.
The way you’ve described the procedure it sounds like maybe it’s a general surgeon doing your procedure or perhaps a plastic surgeon doing it.

To make an accurate assessment we need a complete history of any and all previous procedures.

For hernia issues that are in the midline a full tummy tuck correct them well and can sometimes eliminate component separation.

Doing these procedures on obese patients significantly lowers the success rate and quality of the outcome.

Help the doctors out by getting on a successful weight loss program.. talk to your primary care doctor about healthy approaches to weight loss. Consider joining support groups like weight watchers or overeaters anonymous.

Successful weight loss is the number one and greatest thing you can do to get yourself prepared for this procedure and life in general.

If in doubt seek formal second opinion consultations.

Best,

Mats Hagstrom MD

you are significantly overweight. Neither a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) nor any type of liposuction is a form a weight loss. you need to go on a healthy but strict diet and get your weight close to around 160 lbs before you do any cosmetic surgery. I personally have a diet i recommend on my web site blogs and it is a combination of time restricted feeding (no food or drinks except water/coffee/tea/ketone supplements) for 14-16 hours and then keto from lunch until dinner. at dinner i allow a small amount of carbs.
best of luck
david berman md

Dear Joanna,
Thanks for your question and pictures. First of all congratulations on your weight loss. If you keep loosing weight like this until the procedure, the result that you will have will be much better. Even though plastic surgery concentrates on fixing the specific cosmetic concerns of the body, It has also effect for the health especially in the case like yours. You mentioned that you have a terrible back pain. The main reason of that is the most likely the excess skin you have on your tummy area. After the procedure it is expected to back pain will be gone and you will notice good improvements on your body and health.