42, 5’1, 116lbs, can my muscles be repaired with a mini or smaller incision? (Photos)

Question

42, 5’1, 116 lbs, tan, 4 kids after 33, ulcerative colitis in remisión, history of back pain, minor incontinence. Delivered 1st 2 by c-section, last 2 vaginal. I was all baby pointing forward, 40-42 wks, 8 +- lbs babies. After 3rd, lost all weight again but got mountain under belly button, bb didn’t go back in & deep crevice. If I hold my belly in, it goes up & I’m asked if pregnant. Pics are with empty stomach except last. Bloating makes me huge.I want strength & protect my insides

Gerald Minniti, MD, FACS · Answer

Your concern should not be about the length of your incision, but instead the position on your body. There will be a tendency for surgeons to give you one that will be too high on your abdomen and difficult to cover in a bikini. Why? Because most surgeons want to 'get the hole out', the skin defect where it was once attached to your belly button. There is a persistent and erroneous belief that the hole has to come out with the excess skin, leading to millions of women with an unnecessarily high transverse incisions, instead of a very inconspicuous, short, midline incision and a very low long incision. Why are you at risk? Because although you have muscle and skin laxity, you have little skin excess, especially above your belly button, and that lack of excess skin will mean that the hole won't travel far once the skin has been transposed downward.

Stanley Okoro, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question and the photos you provided. You are a perfect full tummy tuck candidate to remove the greatest amount of stretch marks in your lower abdomen, address your severe muscle separation. Make sure you consult with a board certified plastic surgeon

Albert Ko, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and pictures! For muscle repair, you would ned to have a full abdominoplasty. This consists of having a scar that goes hip to hip. This is necessary to fully repair your diastasis recti. I recommend that you meet with a board certified plastic surgeon in order to have an in person exam. Best of luck!

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

Based on your photos you are not a candidate for a mini tummy tuck.  However, you appear to be a great candidate for a full tummy tuck and should see significant improvement of your abdominal contours.  The procedure would remove excess skin and fat and restore your abdominal wall contours.  I encourage you to visit my website and look through before/after photos to see the changes my patients have had after this procedure.

Richard Baxter, MD · Answer

A full muscle repair can be done with a mini tummy tuck using umbilical float, but your photos show too much loose skin to get away with a mini. With a wide diastasis and weakened abdominal wall like I see in your photos, I would also consider using Galaflex or Durasorb mesh for reinforcement.

42, 5’1, 116lbs, can my muscles be repaired with a mini or smaller incision? (Photos)

Answers (9)

Answer: Full tummy tuck

Answer: Full tummy tuck

Answer: Full tummy tuck with diastasis repair and mesh

Answer: Full tummy tuck with diastasis repair and mesh

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Everything you need to know about Mini Tummy Tuck

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42, 5’1, 116lbs, can my muscles be repaired with a mini or smaller incision? (Photos)

Answers (9)

Answer: Full tummy tuck

Answer: Full tummy tuck

Answer: Full tummy tuck with diastasis repair and mesh

Answer: Full tummy tuck with diastasis repair and mesh

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Mini Tummy Tuck

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.