Would I be a good candidate for a Tummy Tuck or can I lose rounded tummy with diet and exercise instead? (photos)

Thank you for your question regarding what to do with your tummy after four children, a C-section, and the fact you are in your 40s. Since you have excess skin and fat of the abdomen in addition to stretch marks, I would suggest a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty. Typically, if one has excess skin, is over 40, and has stretch marks, liposuction can only do so much. My concern is if I were to perform VASER liposuction on your abdomen, you would have excess hanging skin which would not look good. Therefore, since you have excess skin inside of the abdomen, I would suggest a tummy tuck. During a tummy tuck, an incision is made below your C-section scar, dissect up to the sternum, the muscle is tightened, and excess skin and fat from your C-section scar to above your belly button is permanently removed, and the skin from just above your belly button is pulled down to the pubic region. In addition to pubic region is raise and reduced. The tummy tuck will take 3 to 4 hours to complete under general anesthesia and is usually an outpatient procedure. Plan on a 2 to 3 weeks recovery. I hope this information helps as to what to do with your tummy after four children, a C-section, stretch marks, and you being in your 40s.

If you have any more questions regarding a tummy tuck, lower body lift, 360 circumferential lower body lift, belt lipectomy, belt abdominoplasty, or belt dermolipectomy please contact my office. Since the body lift is a big procedure, please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience performing the lower body lift. Do your research. Make sure they have performed at least 100 tummy tuck or circumferential lower body lift surgeries and have the before and after pictures to prove it. Carefully examine their before and after pictures and check their reviews on RealSelf. If you cannot find an experienced, tummy tuck or lower body lift surgeon in your neighborhood, consider traveling out of state if you must. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen. (“Verified” Plastic Surgeon, President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, and International College of Surgery and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and RealSelf Hall of Fame.)

It’s always a good idea to start with a healthy diet and exercise plan to see whether that works. You can then consider a tummy tuck if you haven’t noticed an improvement. You appear to have loose skin - this tends to be quite difficult to improve with diet and exercise but you can always try that first.

From your photos it appears you would have a great result from a tummy tuck. Your photos show an issue more with skin laxity than fat. The tummy tuck would address both of these as well as correct the abdominal wall laxity that is common after pregnancy. See a board certified plastic surgeon near you to learn more.