Does every tummy tuck come with muscle repair?

Rectus diastasis can only be repaired with tummy tuck surgery. A full tummy tuck most often includes muscle repair, and it is performed at the time of surgery. A mini tummy tuck does not include muscle repair. Whether a full or mini tummy tuck would be best for you can be determined after an examination. Consult a board-certified plastic surgeon regarding his or her recommended plan for you. Good luck!

Most traditional tummy tuck surgeries include plication of the rectus abdominus muscles. The "muscle repair" tends to significantly improve the contouring results for most patients. There are a few exceptions in my practice. There are some men who do not seem to require the muscle plication and some women who have not have children that may not absolutely need to tighten the rectus muscles. But most patients will benefit from it and is typically assumed to be part of the procedure. Most mini-tummy tuck procedures do not have a complete muscle repair. 

Thank you for your question. 

The short answer is "no".  There are different variations of the traditional Tummy Tuck.  In some cases no muscle will need repair, just redundant skin will be removed. When you have a physical examination with your plastic surgeon, he or she will suggest what will be the best option to give you the optimal result.

All the best to you

The simple answer is that most patients needing a tummy tuck have a degree of muscle separation (diastasis) that should be repaired, but there are some that do not. It is usually related to pregnancy, so weight loss patients without prior pregnancy are less likely to need it. Sometimes it is only the lower muscles that separate, and if there is a C-section then they might repaired as part of the routine closure. Overall I do a muscle repair in about 90% of patients but if it is not needed then the recovery is quicker.

Patients that have had children and wish to have a Tummy tuck will have the muscles tightened and the excess skin removed.  If a patient is only wanting to have the skin excised and not the muscles repaired this would be referred to as a Mini Tummy Tuck.  Visiting with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon that can examine and advise you on the procedure and what would give you the result and outcome you are looking for. Good luck.

The answer is no.  If someone's muscles are not separated and don't need to be stitched back together then it is not done. This is mostly for people who want a tummy tuck and they have not had kids or major weight loss/ gain. Men also can fall into this category.

Muscles are seldom repaired, in any patient, during a tummy tuck.  However the fascia, the lining of the muscle, often is.Whether the fascia is repaired, hernias are repaired, and the diastasis is corrected depends on the patient's anatomy, the location of the incisions, and the goals of surgery.  There are many more options with in-between tummy tucks these days, so there are many more options for patients!  Have a frank discussion with your board certified plastic surgeon about all of these options.

Not necessarily. If you don't need it why have it done? Most women who come to me for a TT have a history of pregnancy or extreme weight loss. These instances usually tend to stretch and damage the abdominal wall requiring repair of the abdominal muscles to ensure a flat tummy. If this is not your case, then a skin only procedure is reasonable. I hope this helps clear things up for you.  

Best wishes and kind regards, 

Hi. Muscle repair might technically not be necessary in all cases but I feel that 99.9% of all Tummy Tuck patients have some degree of muscle wall separation, so muscle repair is needed. Muscle repair not only helps to flatten your tummy, but is also acts like a corset by tapering your waist. Most patients have loose skin due to pregnancies or weight gain and/or weight loss, this will also means patients might have loose abdominal muscles. Even fit patients that go to the gym have some degree of abdominal wall muscle separation so I think every patient benefits in some degree from muscle repair. 

Best wishes,

Hello and thank you for your question. If you are an appropriate candidate for a tummy tuck, this can be done through a low and short
incision, all completely below the bikini line. 
The belly button can be designed to look natural and have no scars on
the exterior.   Your muscles can also be
plicated resulting in a flat abdomen. 
Make sure you specifically look at before and after pictures of
real patients who have had this surgery performed by your surgeon and evaluate
their results.  The most important aspect is to find a surgeon you are
comfortable with. I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified
board-certified plastic surgeon who can evaluate you in person.
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon