Do I require muscle repair? (photos)

Thank you for your inquiry, it would be best to lower bmi first, it is important to reduce stomach fat first. Muscle repair is usually preformed with tummy tuck in order to obtain a good result, I recommend seeking board certified plastic surgeons to further discuss details. Best of luck

From the photos, there is abdominal skin laxity and contour change, but the need for muscle repair cannot be confirmed from photos alone. Muscle repair during a tummy tuck is usually recommended when there is rectus diastasis, meaning separation or stretching of the abdominal muscles, which is checked by physical exam while you tighten your abdomen.

If diastasis is present, repairing it can help flatten the abdominal wall and improve waist contour. If the muscles are not separated, a tummy tuck may focus more on skin removal, scar placement, and limited fat contouring. An in-person exam with a board-certified plastic surgeon is the right way to decide whether muscle repair is truly needed in your case.

Dear VictoriaValencia1,
it is hard to tell for sure without an examination. 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, MDCertified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Hello and thank you for your question.
Based on your photos, you appear to be a great candidate for a tummy tuck with liposuction. 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.
During tummy tuck, your muscles are plicated resulting in a flatter abdominal profile.
I would recommend to obtain an in person consultation with a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon to further discuss your options and expectations. 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.
I hope this helps.Best, Dr. Karanetz
Dr. Irena KaranetzFellowship-TrainedBoard Certified Plastic Surgeon

Hi Victoria,
You may be a candidate for a Tummy Tuck if your muscles are loose and contributing to the appearance of a bulging abdomen. It is hard to say without a consultation. That being said, from the photos you provided, you may benefit from a staged procedure that includes a Tummy Tuck with muscle plication to tighten your abdominal muscles (leading to the appearance of a flatter stomach) and remove your excess skin followed by liposuction to your abdomen 6 months to 12 month later. A virtual or in person consultation with a Tummy Tuck specialist will help you get an accurate recommendation and pricing.
Respectfully,Brandon Richland, MD

Your abdomen is protruding because you have a significant amount of visceral fat and because your muscle becoming very loose.
So just tightening the skin will not make your abdomen flat and either will create smaller waist.
You must lose weight in order to flatten your abdomen by reducing visceral fat and then after losing weight (BMI closer to 25) you will be candidate for an extended Tummy tuck to prevent dog ears and a tight and wide muscle repair to create a flat abdomen and smaller waist.
Be encouraged!!
Dr. Cárdenas

Thank you for your question regarding if you require muscle repair with your tummy tuck. I absolutely believe that you require muscle repair with your tummy tuck. Your stomach is distended, possibly due to visceral fat underneath the muscle. However, the muscle repair will still help bring your abdomen in by 4-6 inches. I recommend you lose as much weight as possible and become stable for three months. Once you hit a stable weight for three months, I recommend you consult with a plastic surgeon and possibly get a tummy tuck combined with liposuction of the flanks.

It is important to have an in person consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon to determine the need for muscle repair. Muscle repair is often done at the same time as an abdominoplasty and can help improve appearance of the abdomen by restoring the anatomic position of the rectus muscles.

Thanks for the question. Whether or not muscle repair is necessary during a tummy tuck procedure depends on the individual patient's needs and the extent of their abdominal muscle separation. During pregnancy, weight gain, or simply due to aging, the abdominal muscles can become separated. This can cause the abdomen to protrude, even in individuals who are otherwise fit and healthy. If you have significant muscle separation , then muscle repair is likely to be necessary during a tummy tuck procedure. Your plastic surgeon will evaluate your abdominal muscles during your consultation and recommend muscle repair if it is needed to achieve the best possible result. Muscle repair during a tummy tuck involves suturing the separated muscles back together in order to create a firmer, flatter abdominal wall. This can help to create a more toned and contoured appearance in the abdominal area. I wish you the best.

I do not recommend proceeding to a tummy tuck and muscle repair at this point. You seem to have significant visceral fat (fatty gut). Muscle repair will fail if the visceral fast is not addressed. Losing some weight is the best option till you are ready for the procedure. Once you have reached your ideal weight a combination of tummy tuck and liposuciton like a lipotuck will work fine.