Is this loose skin or normal? (Photo)

Thank you for your inquiry! A small amount of skin laxity is normal following an abdominoplasty procedure. As we age or with weight fluctuations, our skin will continue to become lax to the point where there is additional skin that could be removed. We would love to see you in person and help you reach your goals. Schedule a consultation with a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon like myself and we can assess your abdomen and create a plan for you!

Thanks for your question! From what I can see, that is normal. It looks like you are hunching down a little bit. That will create a little loose skin in all of us because we need the skin to be able to stand up straight. Your result looks nice and I wouldn't worry too much about it. Good luck!

This is impossible to correct completely. A revision tummy tuck may help, but the skin you're pointing out will still be there to some extent following this procedure.

Hi Polite710069, Overall you look like you had a great result from the tummy tuck. It is normal to still have some extra or loose skin after this procedure as there are limitations of how much skin and tissue can be removed. I would recommend consulting with either your previous surgeon or another board certified plastic surgeon to see if liposuction with a tightening device would be an option to help tighten excess skin. We always recommend patients to be at their goal weight as well prior to considering this additional procedure. Hope this is helpful!

Some skin laxity allows your body to bend, twist and stretch. The amount shown in your photos seems to be reasonable, although an in person assessment would be needed to confirm this.

Dear Polite710069,
I understand your concern. Based on your photos, it looks good. However, without a proper assessment, it would be difficult to determine what is wrong. It is best that you visit your plastic surgeon for further assessment or ask for a second opinion. Only after a thorough examination, you can get proper recommendations and advice.
Daniel Barrett, MDCertified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Thank you for your question and for sharing your photo. Based on the details you’ve provided, the skin you’re pinching does not appear abnormal after a tummy tuck, especially for someone who has undergone significant body changes. It's common to have some residual laxity in areas adjacent to the primary tummy tuck site, such as the flanks or hips.

If the loose skin bothers you, one option to address it could be a vertical torsoplasty, which removes excess skin along the sides with an incision that extends from the armpit to the hip. This would help tighten the skin significantly. However, this procedure does leave a visible scar, so it’s important to weigh the trade-offs.

If you prefer to avoid further incisions, other non-surgical skin-tightening treatments like radiofrequency or ultrasound-based therapies may provide mild improvement, though they won't be as effective as surgery. Ultimately, whether or not you choose to proceed depends on how much the area bothers you cosmetically, as it doesn’t seem particularly noticeable in your case.

Consulting with a board-certified plastic surgeon will provide you with more personalized advice and options.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

From the pictures, it seems that you have many stretch marks. That means a tear in the elastic part of the skin. There is no surgery to improve skin elasticity. Your tummy tuck has removed the excess skin but as you pull on the skin, it will be stretched, just like the neck, but when you let it go, the contour is normal.

This is a good question. Based on the photos, it does not seem like there is a significant amount of extra skin after your procedure. Sometimes the skin becomes more stretchy or elastic over time, and that appears to be the case here. This is normal, and is part of the normal aging process. Certainly there are skin tightening options, but you may or may not be a suitable candidate for that at this time depending on your goals. Hope this helps!

Thanks for your question and photos. What your photos show is totally normal. Abdominoplasties tighten skin mostly in one direction; from top to bottom. Tightening from side to side often requires a vertical incision (fleur-de-lis). Those procedures are usually reserved for more extreme skin looseness. Skin tightening technology can also be used to hopefully make all skin tighter, but its efficacy is limited.