What does it mean to not have enough skin for a tummy tuck? (Photos)

To execute a properly planned abdominoplasty, the amount of skin laxity that needs to be present must allow for the hole where the belly button will be isolated to reach the lower skin excision.  Sure this hole can be placed anywhere between the desired skin excision and the current position of the belly button, but is that the desired result? No! If you have a low incision line but a vertical scar between the scar and the new belly button is that bikini appropriate? No!.  So of course you CAN perform an abdominoplasty on anyone.  It is just a matter of whether you care about the outcome or you are just pandering to the patients or will operate on anyone and blame them for a bad outcome because they signed the consent forms.  A surgeon that says that you do not have enough skin to perform a tummy tuck means that there is not enough skin laxity to get the hole created by isolating the belly button low enough to hide the scar in your bikini line, or you will end up with an inappropriately high scar or an additional ugly scar smack in the middle if your abdomen. It also means the skin is tight enough that liposuction with the skin retraction will work.  If one hasn't laid hands on the skin the surgeon's opinion is null and void.  Can it be done? Yes.  Should it be done? No.  Anyone that that can tell from your photographs that you have enough skin is either kidding themselves, blowing smoke, stumping for patients, or just plain confused.  You need to examine the skin, pull on it, see how much give there is, see how far the skin must move, and make a real decision based on the patient's best interests.  Anything else is in the surgeon's best interests in filling their otherwise empty schedule.  Do not be fooled by empty promises.  If you are told you should not have a tummy tuck and you do for whatever reason, it will become clear to you that the surgeon that told you you do not have enough skin had your best interests in mind and the rest were running a plastic surgery mill and really didn't  care about their patients or their own outcomes.  Having a surgery picked out before a consultation is cheating yourself out of the 30 years of experience the surgeon has accumulated and basing your decision on whatever internet research you can accumulate.  They are not the same.  You ultimately have control over your body.  You need to decide for yourself.  Odds are high that if you have a tummy tuck you will be back in the first surgeon's office afterwards with a poor outcome trying to figure out a way to recover something from nothing, guaranteed. Answers here show 9 lipo to 4 tummy tuck.  The choice is now yours.

Elasticity means the amount that the skin will stretch.  And I agree with those that said that to know if a tummy tuck is best for you requires a personal examination.  However, well-trained plastic surgeons can still disagree about what will work best for each patient.  I would visit with several board-certified plastic surgeons.  Make sure that they have A LOT of experience doing body contouring, then go with whom you trust.  Good luck. 

Thank you for your question and pictures. You might get very good results from liposuction only, but based on your pictures you do seem to have enough skin for a Tummy Tuck as well. You still need an evaluation but this decision is up to you and the results you want. 

You probably do have enough skin for a tummy tuck, but that does not mean it's your best option. If you are at your best weight, don't plan on future pregnancies,  and don't mind the scar, then TT may be a good option.  Lipo alone could also work, but your stretch marks tell me you don't have the greatest elasticity and you may not have the smoothest skin afterwards.

Based on your pictures you seem to be a good candidate for liposuction only with Bodytite for great results.Always see a board certified PS.

Thank you for your questions.  It's great news if the surgeon recommended liposuction and not a tummy tuck.  Recovery is shorter, less scaring and a lot less uncomfortable.  The plastic surgeon probably feels that you will receive enough skin retraction with liposuction and there for there wouldn't be any need for a tummy tuck . If you are done having children then you may want to consider having a tummy tuck if your abdominal wall muscles need to be repaired because liposuction obviously will not treat that.  I would recommend having another consult with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and see what they say. Best of luck to you. 

Once I told you that you don't have enough skin for a tummy tuck, they are referring to not enough loose skin above the belly button. Having said this, almost every patient has enough skin after a pregnancy. You are much better candidate for a tummy tuck with liposuction than liposuction alone. This would be the only way to repair your abdominal muscles and flatten the stomach to prevent abdominal bulging. I recommend keeping the abdominal bus incision very low, which means you may have a small vertical scar where your belly button used to be.#StayBeautiful #RealDrWorldWide

It is a fallacy in my opinion to say that someone does not have enough skin...all that means is that the hole in the elevated skin may not transpose completely off.  In other words, you may have a small vertical scar somewhere on the lower abdomen.  Lipo will do NOTHING for the loose skin...Keepo looking around! You may get a different opinion!Good Luck!

This means how much your skin will stretch. If it has little stretch a tummy tuck can be a challenge because you need some skin stretch to keep the horizontal scar low. I would visit with a few different PS and get a few recommendations before determining that a tummy tuck won’t work. As mentioned below liposuction is certainly easier recovery  wise but the results are different as well. Good luck!

Dear BlondeBombshell94,it is hard to tell for sure without an examination. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to 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