Am I a good candidate for a panniculectomy? 2 previous pregnancies left me with weak muscles and hanging apron (photo)

Thank you for your question and for sharing your concerns. Like other plastic surgeons have advised, I also recommend that you lose some weight before considering a panniculectomy. The new weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy have been shown to be very effective, and I encourage you to discuss these options with your primary care physician (PCP).

Based on your description and photos, I would also suggest that you might be a better candidate for a tummy tuck rather than just a panniculectomy. Since you mentioned your rectus abdominis muscles being weak, a tummy tuck would address both the hanging apron and the muscle weakness by repairing the abdominal muscles, providing better overall results. A panniculectomy only removes the excess skin, but it wouldn’t help with the muscle repair or improve the shape of your abdomen as a tummy tuck would.

Once you've achieved a more stable weight, I believe a tummy tuck would give you the relief you're looking for and help you feel more comfortable in your body and clothing.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

From the submitted photo it appears you do have an apron of hanging skin but you also have visceral fat contributing to your abdominal contour. This is the fat that is behind the muscle wall and surrounds your organs. I encourage you to work with your physician to lose weight prior to considering pannus removal or plastic surgery such as a tummy tuck.

I recommend to lose at least 20 pounds to have better result, more safe surgery, and less risk of complications